How Dr. Vicki ‘shrank’ the lady

Can a lady (or anybody for that matter) blink and, upon opening her eyes, find her waistline shrunken from 30 inches to 24?

“It’s not a miracle,” claimed events host Bianca Valerio, “but it’s possible. I did it.”

Not Bianca, actually, but Dr. Vicki Belo of The Belo Medical Clinic (TBMC), thanks to a treatment called “360-degree liposuction” that has been “shrinking” celebrities (including Jennylyn Mercado, Jinkee Pacquiao and Korina Sanchez-Roxas) into their desired shape.

Bianca related that she suffered severe depression when her brother died, making her gorge and gain weight.

“You don’t really notice the physical changes because depression can leave you mentally broken,” said Bianca whose job requires her to look good (read: in good shape) at all times. “To cover up, I was wearing ball gowns to work and a lot of sexy dresses, until those clothes didn’t fit they way they used to. I was alarmed and said, ‘Wow!’ I heard a big bell ring. That was my wake-up call.”

Again, in Bianca’s line of work, size does matter. 

“So aesthetics is very important, a ‘must.’ I work in fashion, in beauty, so I needed to do something…pronto!!!”

The 360-degree liposuction was introduced by Dr. Vicki’s clinic more than two decades ago and has perfected it by using a two-pronged approach, using laser-assisted technology that results in beautifully shaped and sculpted body.

“The fat is melted via laser and when it’s liquefied, that’s when it is suctioned,” explained Vicki. ”The removal of fat is not limited to just one area; it’s done in a circumferential manner where parts surrounding the problem area are also targeted for a more streamlined look.”

At first, admitted Bianca, she was reluctant to undergo the treatment lest she would be bashed.

“But then,” she conceded, “celebrities who have availed of the treatment were openly talking about it in huge billboards and that gave me the courage. I did it and I have no regrets.”

By now, with the 360-degree liposuction campaign launched last month at the “grill room” of the Manila House, Bianca’s own billboard should be attracting people around the metropolis. The event was capped by a raffle of a designer loot which Vicki filled with goodies from her recent trip to Paris, including two luxury bags to the lucky winners, one a special edition Louis Vuitton and the other the latest Dior saddle bag.

Asked if she wasn’t worried that people (the bashers) might call her retokada (“repaired”), Bianca said, “I feel okay and I know that I look good, I’m back to my 34-24-38 figure, so why should I care? Ang ganda ko, ang ganda ng katawan ko, so why should I be bothered?”

Added Vicki, “The treatment is the best way to get rid of stubborn fat. It works like a marathon. It brings you 90 percent of the way and the remaining 10 percent is up to you.”

Which means that you can work out all you want and you can lose weight but not get the sculpted body that you wish for.

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