Belo Beautiful Stories: Hazel Benipayo on Strength, Self-Image, and 360° Liposuction

Hazel Benipayo has always embodied discipline and strength. As an athlete and aquatics manager, she helps others achieve their full potential through movement and mindset.But behind her inspiring presence was a personal frustration, a frustration that even her rigorous workouts couldn’t fix. In this honest and heartfelt Belo Beautiful Story,  Hazel opens up about her 360° Liposuction journey and how even the strongest amongst us sometimes need support in feeling good in their own skin.

When Strength Isn’t The Whole Story

We sit down with Hazel, dressed in a short-sleeved, black dress that reveals her strong, athletic arms. “I’m really into fitness,” she shares. “I workout a lot. I did a triathlon. I’ve done pure running races, cycling races, I did powerlifting, yoga. I also teach yoga.”

Hazel shared that she had lost 20 kgs (44 lbs) while training for triathlons. While her body responded to the rigorous workouts she was doing, one thing wouldn’t change: the stubborn fat on her arms. “I was working out. I was doing everything I could,” she said. “I never saw the cut in my arms. It just wasn’t happening.” 

This wasn’t about the number on the scaleIt was about proportion, definition, and how she felt when she saw herself in the mirror.“It wasn’t nice. Like it was fat. It was big, it was flabby.”

Choosing Change, The Belo Way

Turning to Belo wasn’t just a medical decision—it was a deeply personal one. Like many  patients, Hazel did her research.She had her shares of what-ifs, but after her consultation with veteran liposurgeon Dr. Eloisa Buse, she felt confident that she was in the right hands.

“We always say that exercise cannot really take out everything,” Dr. Buse said. “Hazel is a perfect candidate because she does exercise. But that’s what you call the stubborn fat, where everything trims down except for that certain area. It’s perfect – it’s not going to be hard for her to maintain.” 

“Belo is such a trusted name. You just let them do what they do [best]. It’s their signature,” Hazel said. “I chose Belo because that’s what they’re known for and that’s what they’re good at. They know EXACTLY how to do it right,” Hazel shared. “I was just excited about how it’s gonna look.”

Healing and Moving Forward

Hazel’s recovery was quick—just three days of stiffness in her arms.  Although her movement was limited  due to the dressings and compression garment, she remained mobile and was able to walk. In fact, she was already at the beach one week after surgery.

Dr. Buse was not worried about Hazel not being able to maintain her results, knowing full well she has a very active lifestyle. “You cannot NOT do anything after Lipo,” Hazel said. “If you get 360° Liposuction, it doesn’t mean that you’ll gain weight and get liposuction again. You have to do your part. “Why will I not take care of it?”

Looking back at her experience, Hazel knew she made the right decision in choosing Belo for her transformation journey.

“Belo knows their craft. They’ve been in the industry for the longest time. I like how they take care of their patients, how they make you feel that you’re welcome. They really take good care of you. Everything was well taken care of, everything was smooth.”

Hazel shared that Dr. Buse personally messaged her, asking how she was post-surgery.

“When my patients come in, they don’t just get my number. They also get the nurses who assisted them. You’d think this is just all for beauty, but we really care. We’re on our phones, checking on our patients. It’s really in our system,” Dr Buse smiles.

More Than Just a Physical Transformation

As a seasoned Liposurgeon, Dr. Buse would always remind her patients that 360° Liposuction is only 20% of the journey in achieving your body goals, while 80% is up to the patient to reach them. This comes with diet and exercise. 

“Patients ask me if I can give them cuts. I tell them I only take out the fat that’s covering whatever is inside. It’s not for me to create – it’s for you to work on it,” Dr. Buse said. “360° Liposuction is not a license to overeat.”

Hazel was pleased to finally see contours in her arms – as a result of the fruits of her hard work and some help with 360° Liposuction. She self-confessed that after seeing her now liposuctioned arms, she wanted to “add more cuts”. She was more inspired than ever to train harder. As soon as she was cleared to work out again, she pushed herself further to shape the arms she had always wanted.

“There was something that really pushed me to get healthier, to look better, to feel better in my body and how it’s been transforming,” she said. “It was super life-changing.” 

Thinking about starting your own transformation journey? 360° Liposuction is available at Belo Greenhills and Belo NEXA. To book a consultation, call 8819-BELO (2356), or book online here. Click here to read more Belo Beautiful Stories.