Step into beauty

MANILA, Philippines - Beauty isn’t just a goal — it’s a journey. And the road to beauty is not always pretty — real experts can be painstakingly elusive, effective products and treatments, ridiculously exclusive. It can take forever to find the right doctor-treatment-regimen combo that truly suits your skin with so many choices, all drawing you in. House of Obagi (HOO) stands out amidst a sea of skin clinics as a first in class medical boutique as it launches HOO Center for Dermatology this year.

The birth of HOO Center for Dermatology coincides with the unveiling of its first endorser, actress and TV host Pia Guanio.

Initially created to host Obagi Medical products, HOO offers Signature Treatments that complement the Obagi product line. “HOO is rooted in the Obagi Medical product line. The treatments enhance the effectiveness of our products,” says Alexis Santos, managing director of HOO. With Obagi as its anchor product, HOO Center for Dermatology shows its evolution as a medical boutique that promotes overall wellness, grounded on sound products and licensed dermatological practice.

Known for working only with Board-certified dermatologists, it integrates the expertise of Filipino doctors, internationally recognized signature treatments and high-end medical-grade skin care products. To fulfill its vision of offering total wellness to its clients, selected branches will now also offer plastic surgery and reconstructive dentistry while still carrying sought-after skin care brand Obagi.

A new approach to beauty

While some commercial skin clinics may offer short term fixes to common beauty woes, HOO Center for Dermatology provides long-term, scientifically-sound solutions to skin problems and body issues. The medical boutique believes that beauty is a product of overall wellness, which is why it has added surgical and dental treatments to its list of offerings to further cater to the physical issues that could hinder men and women alike from being and feeling their most beautiful.

“The idea is to target all components of the face including the eyes, neck and mouth,” says Santos. “So we brought in two women reconstructive surgeons, both members of the Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (PAPRAS), the only group certifying plastic surgeons in the country. HOO will also be joined by an expert in reconstructive dentistry to cater to clients.”

HOO TriNoma is offering minor plastic surgical procedures like Blepharoplasty (Upper Eyelid/Deepsetting and Lower Eyelid/Eyebag Removal), Rhinoplasty (Noselift, Tip Plasty and Alarplasty) and Rhytidectomy (Facelift).

Through the guidance of Board-certified dermatologists, the skincare company’s patients are educated on the proper use of the products and the best complementary treatments to suit their skin problems.

As part of HOO’s mission of creating awareness on the importance of entrusting our skin and body only to Board-certified dermatologists, HOO Center for Dermatology was created also as an institute for young, Board-certified dermatologists. It supports licensed dermatologists, reconstructive dentists and surgeons and promotes the value of the practice over commercialized skin and body care offered in other aesthetic centers.

Redefining “total care”

Dr. Mae Guzman, one of the reconstructive surgeons who will be practicing at HOO Center for Dermatology, says dermatology and cosmetic surgery often go hand in hand. “Usually, patients seek dermatologists for their skin problems but they may also have additional concerns about other parts of their body which are beyond the dermatologist’s scope. In such cases, the dermatologist can refer the patient to a plastic surgeon for further management of those concerns. For example, there are certain aspects of an aging face (such as the jowls) that cannot be addressed by dermatologic procedures alone and will need incisions and some pulling of the skin, fascia and muscle to fight the effect of gravity,” Guzman explains.

“Cosmetic surgery, as is true in most cases in plastic surgery, goes further than the skin. It can address the problems caused by facial laxity, excess fat and excess loose skin.” There are also dermatologic procedures that can help the outcome of cosmetic surgery, like in the resurfacing of facial skin through chemical peels or laser therapy after a facelift or Blepharoplasty. 

Dr. Jaimie Lapan Jr. will be performing reconstructive dental procedures at HOO Alabang Town Center. “A perfect smile is the one that doesn’t hide anything inside the mouth like an edentulous space or a tooth or teeth with cavities. A perfect smile makes you look and feel comfortable and confident,” he shares. “A beautiful face is not enough — you have to have a good smile also. We take care of both at HOO.”

The concept of “total care” is not new, though HOO Center for Dermatology takes it a notch higher and offers something more valuable — it offers real expert face and body care. To date, there are over 720 Obagi-affiliated physicians, surgeons, dermatologists and skin care experts across the country.

(The HOO brand continues to expand, bringing the Obagi brand to more people nationwide. HOO has branches at Greenbelt 5, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center and Landmark TriNoma. HOO recently opened in Annex 3 of SM City Pampanga and SM City North EDSA, Main building. Very soon, HOO will have an outlet in Robinsons Place Ermita. For more information on Obagi, call 81-OBAGI (62244) or visit www.houseofobagi.com)