MANILA, Philippines?On the set of the new GMA 7 series ?Diva,? lead star Regine Velasquez said the new drama-comedy takes an unflinching look at the ?making of a star,? which often includes cosmetic surgery.

Velasquez said: ?Everyone is doing it, but no one dares to admit it.? Until now.

Ida Henares, network vice president for talent development and management and head of GMA Artist Center (GMAAC), admitted that such makeovers are routine in show business, especially abroad.

Too young?

?In Hollywood and Korea, even the foreheads of artists are enhanced,? Henares said. However, she clarified, GMAAC takes extra caution in recommending those drastic measures to homegrown artists. ?Safety is our primary concern. We have mostly young talents. Their facial contour and bone structure can still change.?

If they are too young for nose lifts and other invasive procedures, Henares recommends old-fashioned remedies like makeup, exercise, dieting and ? dental work.

The center currently works with dental surgeon Ninia Rodil-de Luna. ?Our talents don?t mind going to her clinics even in faraway Alabang and Cavite,? Henares said.

She noted, ?The structure of the teeth can change the shape of the mouth and the face.?

Smile first

De Luna said a celebrity-client (not from GMAAC) once asked her to pull out two molars ?because she wanted her face to look thinner.? Another client, a singer, had her teeth fixed and the procedure resulted in a perkier nose. ?People thought she had rhinoplasty.?

?An artist?s smile is the first thing people notice,? Henares said, adding, ?Also, some artists can?t deliver their lines or lyrics properly because of a lisp cause by bad teeth.?

?But,? De Luna quipped, ?if the lisp isn?t caused by the teeth, the artist should consult a speech therapist.?