Last night, I got home tired from the gym and work. Though as much as I would want to catch the late night news, I failed to do so as my eyes and body were giving me signs to just sleep. At least I was able to catch yesterday’s headlines.

There’s nothing new and interesting on yesterday’s news but I never thought there would be so much buzz that will be created about this particular entertainment news–Charice undergoing a cosmetic procedure.

No wonder, Charice is a big star now. Her big break in the international music scene has opened a lot of doors for the Filipina singing sensation. From the singing competition she joined in when she was a kid, performance in Korea with a Super Junior member, appearances in several shows in the US particularly with Ellen and Oprah, songs hitting the music charts, up to her participation in the upcoming season of award-winning musical-comedy TV series Glee.

At the same time when Charice had a series of shows in Manila, she did not only have her chance to perform in front of her followers. She also had the chance to visit Dr. Vicki Belo, a renowned cosmetic surgeon turned television personality, to undergo some procedures.

According to reports, Charice underwent Botox and Thermage at a Belo Medical Group clinic. More photos and details here.

Charice has been preparing for Glee, much obvious with her improving looks and wardrobe choice. This kind of preparations could be necessary for her as she is expected to play Glee’s Rachel Berry’s rival. But, are cosmetic procedures such as Botox and Thermage necessary for her?

Typically, only the aging decides to undergo such procedures but others find Charice too young for it.

In her interview statement with ABS-CBN, Dr. Belo said, “Charice’s face, I’ve been noticing, it’s been getting wider… That’s why she looks mataba, although the body is very small, because your face is getting wide. One of the reasons for that, nagchew-chewing gum [siya]… Our chewing muscles, if you chew a lot of gums, it gets bigger“. [ABS-CBN news]

Now, the question is: is it all to prep-up for Glee, for vanity or medical reasons? It seems like all of these. However, Charice’s representative denies through US Magazine that she did not undergo cosmetic procedures to narrow her face, a little contrasting to Belo’s statement. Her rep said that Charice had to undergo the procedure due to jaw pains that she is experiencing.

Fellow blogger, Beatrice of skysenshi.com, shared her thoughts about the issue emphasized on the what message Glee is trying to impart to its audience and also the ethics of the Belo Medical Group. Beatrice also says Glee promotes the credo of being true to yourself.

If that’s the case, does undergoing cosmetic procedures just to appear good in the show necessary at all? Isn’t that contrasting to the values Glee is trying to relay to its viewers?

And yes, Beatrice has a point. Belo Medical Group’s act is ethically questionable. Is it ethical for BMG or businesses alike to scrutinize someone’s aesthetics and later on evoke them to undergo certain procedures? especially to someone as young as Charice?

It may appear that someone at a young age was taken advantage by a firm which apparently wants to promote its product it services. I won’t contest on that as it has been a business practice ever since, no matter how ethical or not a certain practice would be. But, where does social responsibility go? Will all these mean it’s ok for teenagers to undergo whatever cosmetic procedures they would want to undergo?

On the other hand, Charice is now 18, and that is considered a legal age so whatever decisions she may have, she will be held responsible in whatever actions she may have with or without someone else’s consent. However, as responsible adults, businesses or whatever, shouldn’t we not be taking advantage of people as fragile as teenagers, much like of Charice?