The questions behind the question

When a mother in Katonah asks about a mommy makeover, the first question is usually what it involves. The ones that decide it come next: will it last, what will the scars look like, and is it reasonable to want this at all? This page takes those three in turn. The answers come from the surgeon who would do the work, at Bellava in Bedford Hills — about three minutes from Katonah by Bedford Road and Route 117, without traffic.

Will the result last?

Each part of a mommy makeover is an established operation, and the changes are meant to be long-lasting. What protects them is mostly in your hands:

A stable weight. The tightened abdomen keeps its shape as long as your weight holds; a large gain afterwards can undo some of the change.
No further pregnancies. Bellava recommends finishing your family first, because a later pregnancy can affect what surgery achieved.
Ordinary ageing. Over the years, age still affects lifted breasts. If implants are part of your plan, they last ten years or more on average but may eventually need replacing.

Where the scars go

Scars are permanent, so Dr. Kim plans where they sit. The tummy tuck scar runs low, between the belly button and the pubic area, where underwear and swimwear cover it, and it keeps improving for twelve to eighteen months. Breast incisions are kept small and placed where they are hard to see. Ask at your consultation where each one would fall for the combination you are considering.

Is it all right to want this?

Pregnancy and motherhood change your life for the better and can still leave you not quite recognising your own body. Wanting to feel like yourself again is a perfectly good reason. Bellava’s consultations are private, and you can talk openly about what bothers you without being judged. Many women report feeling better in themselves afterwards, not just looking different.

The surgeon

Dr. Chang Soo Kim has performed hundreds of mommy makeovers. He studied medicine at Yale, completed his plastic surgery residency at Yale–New Haven Hospital and is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Patients describe him as calm and honest, including about what surgery cannot do.

Katonah mothers ask

Can my C-section scar be dealt with too? Often. Dr. Kim can usually include or revise it within the tummy tuck incision, and repair separated muscles at the same time.

Do I need an implant, or just a lift? That depends on whether your breasts have lost volume, position or both. A breast lift raises and reshapes; an augmentation adds fullness.

How do I prepare? Start with a consultation. Dr. Kim and the team then guide you through choosing the procedures and every pre-operative step. Read the main mommy makeover page and browse his results first.

Mommy Makeover for Katonah, NY