Prospects are good for the beauty business

IT used to be that all Filipinos had to do to look fabulous was to go to the neighborhood beauty salon. Now there are a whole lot of places to patronize if one is really vain or conscious about appearance: the facial salon, the spa, the medi-spa, the cosmetic surgeon, etc.

Indeed, it seems that Filipinos have become more vain over the years, a fact observed by Faces & Curves’ Dr. Jesus “Jay” Recasata, Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife Dr. Sheila A. Recasata, a dermatologist. In the past eight years since Dr. Jay established his practice in Greenhills, he has seen the demand for cosmetic surgery and beauty services rise. “The prospects for the future are good,” says Dr. Jay.

This is why in 2005, Dr. Jay asked his wife to join him in his practice and renamed the clinic Faces & Curves. Aside from surgical services offered (cosmetic, plastic, and reconstructive), the state-of-the-art clinic has since offered beauty services for the face, skin and body, all performed by board-certified doctors.

Aside from having local clients, Faces & Curves also gets its share of foreign clients through the medical tourism program. A lot of their clients are balikbayans from the US, Japan, and Europe. Dr. Jay credits the Filipino doctors’ tender loving care and personal touch for the success of the medical tourism program. Prices for services in the Philippines are also more affordable. “Our rates are one-third that of US or Europe. Take breast augmentation, for instance. It may cost as much as $15,000 but will only run up to about $3,000 to $4,000 here,” says Dr. Jay.

“The website is a big help,” says Dr. Sheila. Inquiries from all around the world have been pouring in through the website. Because of the clinic’s popularity, Faces & Curves opened a branch in Minato-ku, Tokyo called World of Beauty by Faces & Curves.

Faces & Curves does about 30 surgeries a month but that doesn’t mean they do it on just about anyone. “We do a test first to see if you’re qualified to undergo surgery,” says Dr. Jay, citing one surgery they cancelled when a patient had a cough. He also refused one patient who he felt had too many surgeries already. “You have to look at it from a holistic view,” says Dr. Jay.

Asked what the three popular surgery procedures are at Faces & Curves, the couple cites nose lift, liposuction and breast augmentation. But in the beauty department, the facial service is the runaway winner.

At Weigh Less Center (Mendez Medical Group), facial services are also very much in demand, points out medical director Dr. Joel C. Mendez. “Filipinos just love to look good, and we are happy to make them look good,” says Dr. Mendez. His clinic offers many other services as well, from anti-ageing treatments to surgery procedures as well.

There are many other beauty and medical clinics offering the same services in the country. But to get the best service, Dr. Jay advises people to look at the people behind the clinic. They should be board certified, he says.

The future looks bright for the beauty business.

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