Becoming Dr. Yappy
In the 1980s, plastic surgery procedures we know of and accept in today’s beauty-driven society were considered unheard of, and therefore, taboo.
Liposuctions, nose jobs, and breast augmentations were deemed unnatural and were shunned by the general public. This had a great impact on the plastic surgery industry and only about ten Filipino doctors practiced this specialty at the time.
This realization, coupled with his passion for beauty, was what drove Dr. Eric Yapjuanco (more popularly known as Dr. Yappy) to pursue the field.
Coming from a family of Chinese businesspeople, Dr. Yappy is the only doctor in his whole clan. His long-standing fascination with beauty, along with encouragement from a close school friend’s mother, convinced him to take up Medicine.
After graduating from medical school and completing his training in the Philippines and abroad, he became a board-certified plastic surgeon under the Philippine Association for Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS), and started his independent practice in 2011.
Humble Beginnings
He began at a small clinic called Manage Care, alongside a small group of plastic surgeons. When he would get patient referrals, he would pay the operating room fees and perform procedures there.
In those days, plastic surgeons took to the Internet to promote their businesses. Dr. Yappy, however, opted for a different approach. He would show the people the quality results of his procedures, a strategy that would later help in expanding his business and influence.
“Real people, real results,” would be the guiding principle of his company and his brand, The Icon Clinic.
Icon Clinic
Established in 2013, The Icon Clinic started as a one-room affair and eventually expanded in the years that followed. While it is most lauded for rhinoplasties and butt lifts, the clinic also offers a wide array of services like breast lifts and augmentations, mole excisions, facelifts, and facial reconstructions.
It is also one of the few places in the country that offers the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), a procedure performed by the world’s most renowned plastic surgeons. It is a two-in-one procedure that uses liposuction to contour the waistline and transfer the suctioned fat to the buttocks in order to accentuate the client’s hips, giving them a round figure.
The Icon Clinic believes in enhancing the beauty of any client that comes through its doors. It champions medical tourism because it caters to both national and international clients, majority of which are “balikbayans” and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The international clients come from all over the world.
Just like true beauty, the clinic knows no generation or gender. While both male and female millennials are the clinic’s most frequent visitors, it also welcomes people from Generation Y. Dr. Yappy enjoys a strong following from the LGBTQ community as well.
The clinic also performs reconstructions of botched surgeries and post-surgery scarring.
Icon Aesthetic Dermatology Center
Aside from cosmetic procedures which the brand excels in, The Icon Clinic also offers skin care and dermatological treatments—the brainchild of Dr. Yappy’s wife, Vina. She envisioned the clinic to be a one-stop beauty hub. The idea was inspired by frequent queries from her friends about her skin care regimen.
The clinic’s aesthetic dermatology center is equipped with top-of-the-line machines for facials and hair removals. The new venture also enabled The Icon Clinic to offer Botox treatments, lip fillers, radiofrequency skin tightening (RF), high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and vaginal rejuvenation.
All dermatological procedures are supervised by a top-notch dermatologist on Ms. Vina’s team of professionals.
The Personal Touch
What sets The Icon Clinic apart from other practices is Dr. Yappy’s unshakable belief in putting a personal touch on the care he and his team provide for their clients. It is at the heart of the brand’s philosophy to offer client-centered care and transparency when it comes to accommodating individual needs and questions.
“Everyone wants to feel special, so we try to make everyone who comes into the clinic feel special. Whatever happens,” Dr. Yappy says, “we treat our clients like kings and queens. We do our best for all our clients.”
The Five-Year Vision
When asked about his five-year vision for The Icon Clinic, Dr. Yappy lets out a good-natured chuckle and answers: “To be the number one plastic surgery and dermatology center in the Philippines, or perhaps a strong number two!”
Indeed, if one might make a prediction for this up-and-coming enterprise, it would be this: The Icon Clinic will be here to build a legacy of beauty that will last a lifetime!