For comedienne Ethel Booba, 34, it ' s for a much needed boost of self-confidence. For aspiring singer Jersey Rondez, 24, it ' s a springboard for her career. Jane Manrique, a 31-year old mother of one, sees it as a fulfillment of a childhood dream to be beautiful while 63-year old Janes Talens believes it's the way to youthful beauty.
For these women and millions of others, becoming beautiful means going under the knife. They see cosmetic surgery as an answer or a means to an end. With more and more doctors specializing in the lucrative profession and the taboo on body enhancements finally broken, the number of women seeking improvements on their body has steadily increased.
However, some women ' s advocates believe that consumerist and capitalist ideas invade what should have only been a medical procedure and transformed it into a thriving business. They fear that the rising popularity of cosmetic surgery brought about by aggressive advertising from some doctors have created a market open to abuses.
Ethel Booba admits, for the very first time on national television, to having almost died after undergoing a procedure. She was at home a day after undergoing several procedures, including liposuction. What should have been a post operation recovery at home almost turned tragic. Ethel realized she has been bleeding from the puncture wounds of the liposuction. Already feeling light-headed after having lost a large amount of blood, Ethel immediately sought the doctor ' s help.
Fortunately, Ethel was able to recover from the scare but the doctor who performed the surgery has left another ugly mark that has, to this day, reminded Ethel of the unfortunate incident.
Retoke on Front Row airs March 31, 2012 at 8:40 p.m. on GMA News TV. (GMA Network)