Charice Pempengco: Pre-'Glee' Cosmetic Procedures?

July 21, 2010— -- Weeks before she steps onto the set of the hit television show "Glee," 18-year-old Philippine singing sensation Charice Pempengco's appearance on a TV show of a different kind is creating a buzz -- complete with rumors about possible cosmetic procedures.

A Philippine broadcast making the rounds on YouTube appears to show Philippine dermatologist Dr. Vicki Belo treating Pempengco with a face-tightening treatment known as Thermage along with Botox injections into her jaw muscles.

When contacted by ABC News, Pempengco's publicist Liz Rosenberg said the Botox injections were "for non-cosmetic purposes." Rather, she said, the injections were performed to "alleviate the muscle pain around her jaw" from a condition similar to a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, as well as "swelling" connected to this condition.

"I can't speak for the doctor, but my understanding from the interviews she did was that she thought her jaw was swollen because she was chewing too much gum, and she wanted to diminish this swelling," Rosenberg said.

The use of Botox to treat TMJ disorders and other conditions is not unheard of. But in Southeast Asia, Botox shots and other botulinum toxin injections are used widely as a way to give the face a slimmer appearance.

By injecting botulinum toxin into the masseters -- the muscles that close the jaw -- doctors are able to cause these muscles to atrophy, or shrink, over time, making the face appear narrower.

Thermage treatments like the one in the Philippine broadcast are normally used to promote the formation of collagen and elastin in lax facial tissues, giving aging faces a lifted look. The cosmetic effects of the procedure gained renown in the United States when it was showcased on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2003. Currently, Thermage has no indications that are not cosmetic in nature.