Today, Dr. Charmaine Badon, 34, runs a medical aesthetics and beauty center that allows her to pursue her passion for surgery while enjoying the work-life balance she has long sought.
Premier Medical Aesthetics, located on the second level of CityMall along N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City, combines medical aesthetic treatments with conventional beauty services under one roof.
The approximately 115-square-meter facility is built around a simple concept: allowing customers to attend to their beauty and wellness needs without having to visit multiple establishments.
The clinic offers aesthetic procedures alongside hair, nail and eyelash services, combining medical aesthetics with the familiar atmosphere of a beauty lounge.
It also features a café-style workstation where customers can use their laptops, access the internet or enjoy coffee and pastries while waiting for their treatments.
“Many Cebuanos have busy schedules whether they are managing businesses, working in corporate environments, or balancing their careers with family responsibilities. We wanted to create a place where they can prioritize their beauty and wellness without feeling that they have to put the rest of their day on hold,” Badon said.
Changing priorities
Aesthetic medicine was not Badon’s first career choice.
A native of Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, Badon had initially aspired to become a surgeon. She underwent clinical exposure and observership training in Boston, Massachusetts, hoping to eventually pursue further medical training and career opportunities in the United States.
But shortly after she graduated in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, overwhelming hospitals, pushing healthcare workers to their limits and claiming the lives of countless patients and medical professionals.
At the height of the pandemic, Badon was among the medical frontliners at a healthcare facility in Metro Manila, where critically ill patients and grueling shifts tested her physical and emotional endurance.
She recalled one particularly difficult night when she had to intubate 10 COVID-19 patients while attending to other medical emergencies, leaving her without enough time to put on a full set of personal protective equipment (PPE).
At times, she worked for five consecutive days, surviving on just one or two hours of sleep.
The experience took an even greater emotional toll when she returned home to Dumaguete and learned that some of the medical consultants she had worked with had died.
Their deaths, coupled with the physical and emotional demands of frontline work, profoundly changed her outlook on life.
“I realized that I want to have a well-balanced life. I still want to be a doctor to serve my patients, but at the same time, I want time for church, time for my family, and also do things that I love. I found that in aesthetics and cosmetic surgery. That's the reason why I venture into that discipline,” Badon said.
Opportunity
Badon was already operating medical clinics in Dumaguete and Cebu when she saw an opportunity to establish an all-in-one medical aesthetics and beauty center, a concept she believed was missing in Cebu’s growing beauty and wellness market.
The opportunity arose when she and her partner found a vacant commercial space at CityMall that had previously housed a beauty lounge.
They transformed the space into Premier Medical Aesthetics, which had its soft opening for beauty lounge services on Sept. 5, followed by the introduction of medical aesthetic treatments on Oct. 10.
“Our vision is to build a trusted destination where clients can access beauty and wellness services in an environment that is professional, comfortable and convenient,” Badon said.
Badon envisioned a place where customers could have their hair done, undergo facial treatments or get their nails and lashes done without spending an entire day moving between establishments.
The café-style workspace also provides a convenient area for companions who might otherwise spend hours waiting while their family members or friends undergo treatments.
"It's really integrating the needs of customers with their kind of personal and beauty (care)," Badon explained during a tour of the facility.
More than beauty treatments
Although aesthetic medicine is often associated with cosmetic enhancements and anti-aging procedures, Badon believes its benefits extend beyond physical appearance.
In her practice, she has encountered patients whose concerns about their appearance were closely tied to emotional struggles.
Some had become uncomfortable appearing in public because of concerns about their weight or skin conditions, while others struggled with the emotional effects of repeated comments about their looks.
These experiences have reinforced Badon's belief that understanding a patient's motivations, medical history and personal circumstances is essential before recommending any treatment.
Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, she emphasizes individualized consultations and treatment plans tailored to each patient's needs.
Her approach reflects what she sees as a broader shift in aesthetic medicine, with greater emphasis on wellness, healthy aging and overall well-being rather than physical appearance alone.
Growing market for wellness
Badon's entry into Cebu's competitive beauty and wellness industry comes amid what she sees as growing consumer willingness to spend on treatments aimed at improving physical appearance and personal confidence.
Based on her experience, some patients are more willing to spend on aesthetic procedures than on routine medical consultations. She has also noticed a growing number of male clients, including police officers, seeking weight management and skin treatments.
Younger consumers are also showing greater interest in cosmetic services, she observed.
Badon attributes these trends partly to changing attitudes toward self-care, with more consumers viewing beauty and wellness services as personal investments. Social media has also played a role, making younger people more conscious of their appearance.
Still, affordability remains a barrier.
Building trust
Aesthetic procedures can be costly because of the medicines, equipment and professional expertise involved.
As a newcomer to Cebu's market, Badon said she has initially priced her clinic's services slightly below those of some competitors to attract customers and establish a patient base.
Unlike in Dumaguete, where she has already built relationships with patients, Badon recognizes that earning the trust of customers in Cebu will take time.
For now, she is the clinic's sole physician, although she has made arrangements with other aesthetic doctors who may join the practice as demand grows.
Despite the challenges of establishing a new business, Badon is enjoying her newfound calling.
The venture not only allows her to pursue her passion for surgery but also provides the work-life balance she has long sought, giving her a renewed sense of purpose in helping patients regain their confidence and improve their well-being. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
Contributor
