Plastic Surgery :: 20 Questions You’d Never Ask … But Really Want Answered

We are excited to partner with Dr. Yarish to bring you this sponsored content. We love Dr. Yarish's mission to help women feel good about themselves from the inside out, and we are honored to have him share his expertise and answer all of these questions honestly and openly.

It’s a touchy subject.  It’s a scary subject.  For many women, though, they want to know their options for their aging, postpartum bodies. At Yarish Plastic Surgery and ReNew You MD we take a holistic approach to loving “You.”  This starts with a consistent and well thought out anti-aging program that can  include surgical procedures, innovative and advanced anti-aging treatments, wellness programs, and aesthetics. Our mission is to help our clients bring back an energetic, confident, and sustainable YOUth!  

In hopes of bridging that gap and opening up that conversation, I’ve answered some of the burning questions moms have about plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures below.  

Plastic Surgery :: 20 Questions You'd Never Ask ... But Really Want Answered | Houston Moms Blog

It’s been three years since I delivered my last baby, but I still look like I am carrying a baby. Are there noninvasive options for getting rid of my “baby bump?”

It depends upon what you would call invasive. Most likely the “bump” is muscle laxity combined with some amount of fat. The muscle can only be tightened with surgery, but if the amount of fat is small, we have treatments in our spa that can help. 90% of women with a bulge in their tummy after babies need a tummy tuck to be happy. Abdominoplasty {aka a tummy tuck} is one of the most satisfying operations we do as plastic surgeons because it generally takes away nearly all of the issues that developed during child bearing.

Will insurance cover a tummy tuck if I’ve had a c-section? What if I had a vertical, full-incision c-section? What if I now have a hernia at my c-section scar?

Answer to all is … sometimes, and it’s getting harder all the time. There is much better luck for insurance coverage if there is a hernia present. Regardless, they never cover the entire procedure — only a portion.

Is there such a thing as a “mini tummy tuck?”

Yes, but it can only be done on women with no issues above the navel {e.g. stretch marks, muscle laxity, loose skin}.

I keep hearing about this new procedure that gets rid of fat all over the news. What is this CoolSculpting all about?

CoolSculpting is a method of dissolving fat by cooling it to a temperature that freezes the fat without bothering the skin.

  • Does it hurt?  Briefly during the procedure in most people {first minute or two}, there can be some additional “soreness” afterwards for 2-3 days. There are exceptions, but this is the general rule.
  • How much does it cost?  Cost varies with the number of areas to be done, how many treatments are required, and the amount of fat that has to be removed. The only way to know is to obtain a consultation with our body sculpting expert. If you require more than 3 procedures in 2 or more areas, it is much more worthwhile and efficient to do liposuction. Of course, CoolSculpting can be done with no anesthesia during a lunch hour, while liposuction of any magnitude does require anesthesia.
  • Is it permanent?  No fat removal procedure is necessarily permanent. Much of this depends upon your weight gain and body type. The fat cells that are destroyed during the procedure will never come back, and you can never add cells back to a given area. With that said, the treated areas will be more resistant to weight gain than the rest of your body.
  • What is recovery time like?  You will be able to go back to work the next day … or later that same day.
  • Where does that fat go?  It dissolves and is taken out by your blood stream, then filtered into urine by your kidneys.

My c-section scar was pretty the first time, but not as pretty after the second c-section. Is there anything that can be done about that?

Depending upon the problem {wide, red, raised, all of the above}, it can be lasered, injected, or cut out. Sometimes simply using a special scar tape or cream will help.

What are my options for getting my “pre-baby breasts” back?

It depends upon what has transpired. Sagging requires a breast lift with or without an implant. Implants are needed if you desire larger size breasts and there isn’t excess skin due to sagging. Lift is all that is needed if you are happy with your size and just want to be lifted and tightened.

On average, what is the cost for breast implants?

A breast augmentation costs $5000-$7000 depending upon where it’s done and what type of implants are used.

What is the difference between a breast lift and breast enhancement?

Enhancement generally means augmentation, but literally could be used for a lift only, an augmentation only, or a lift with augmentation. The common use is to use enhancement for a breast lift and augmentation for making the breasts larger.

My body is different after my vaginal delivery, especially “down there.” Is there any hope for fixing this?

It depends upon what the issue is. The most common complaint is loosening of the vaginal wall because of tissue stretching during delivery. There is often a loss of moisture production as well, particularly as one gets older. Both of these problems, along with incontinence issues, can be corrected or at least improved greatly using our FemiLift treatment. Now, if “down there” means that your labia {inner or outer vaginal lips} are lengthened, enlarged, or distorted, FemiLift may also be an effective treatment. Generally, if the labia problem is severe, a simple surgery {labiaplasty} is more effective.

What is FemiLift?

FemiLift is the trade name for what we feel is by far the best treatment for post-partum and aging vaginal problems, as well as treatment for incontinence. The procedure is performed by inserting a probe into the vagina. With a 360 degree rotation capability, the probe delivers fractionated laser energy stimulating collagen, elastin, and blood flow. Results include a tightened vaginal wall, improved mucous production, and improvement or elimination of bladder incontinence. Each treatment takes approximately 10 minutes and 3 treatments every 4 weeks is recommended for optimal results. Treatments are performed with no anesthesia, and can be done on a lunch hour with no special recovery. The FemiTight treatment can also minimize unsightly labia majora {outer vaginal lips}.

Let’s talk about “love handles.” What are my options for getting rid of them? Despite weight loss, they are still very prominent on my body.

For limited areas and limited volume, CoolSculpting and Vanquish are good options. Our laser and body contouring specialists consultants will know if you are a candidate for one of these non-invasive procedures or if liposuction would be more cost/time effective.

What about stretch marks? Can we make them go away?

Generally, not. When they are in their red or dark stage {depending upon your skin type}, they can be treated with a laser. But once they resolve to your natural skin color, there isn’t a lot of treatments for them. Of course, on the lower tummy, a tummy tuck is a great alternative.

What are moms looking at for down-time after a surgery? When can they hold their baby or toddler again? What about driving?

It varies widely with the procedure. Each surgical procedure has its own progression of recovery. For most of our procedures, patients can hold a child and drive in less than a week. Lifting a child from a standing position takes a week or so longer for some procedures.

How effective is liposuction truly? 

Liposuction is so effective that it has revolutionized how plastic surgeons perform many of their procedures. Liposuction can be used to refine multiple areas including breasts during breast reductions, the neck area during neck and facelifts, and is a great procedure for contouring during abdominoplasty surgery. And of course, we use it simply to take off excess fat from whatever area of the body that tends to accumulate it. The amount of fat we can now take off is truly remarkable and can include multiple areas at one surgical setting.

Does the fat just grow back on another body of your body?

What liposuction does is remove the fat cells themselves. Any fat circulating in your bloodstream will be absorbed by fat cells in the body that are the most efficient at capturing the bloodstream fat. For men, it’s usually around the lower abdomen and belt-line. For women, it’s usually a combination of hips, abdomen, and thighs. And of course, this varies from person to person depending upon their own genetic make-up, child bearing, etc. But as long as the surgeon removes the fat cells from all the areas that are problematic in that individual patient, the fat tends to spread more evenly to all parts of the body. For instance, if a patient has a problem in the hips and thighs, but for some reason only wants the hips suctioned, the thighs will be the next area the fat will want to deposit, because the fat will not be able to deposit to the already suctioned area, but will be absorbed by the fat cells located in the thighs. Fat will not “travel” to other areas. Fat you put on after liposuction will be spread out over the areas that weren’t suctioned. It is incumbent on the surgeon to make sure they understand the characteristics of each individual patient in order to avoid future issues.

Wrinkles. What’s the least invasive way to deal with those – other than Botox that has to be redone all the time?

Laser treatments, micro-needling, and chemical peels are the easiest and best way to treat some wrinkles. The wrinkles around the eyes and mouth are particularly amenable to these treatments. There are a variety of chemical peels that can be done to various depths. The milder ones are performed in the spa by our nurses and estheticians while the deeper peels are performed under light anesthesia. As a rule of thumb, the deeper the peel, the better and more immediate are the results. Lasers are frequently used to correct and improve a variety of skin imperfections including: clarity, texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and tone irregularities {hyperpigmentation, vein bursts, pigmented lesions, etc}.  Micro-needling is one of the most popular treatments for fine lines and wrinkles. By stimulating your body’s own healing process, it is a very natural way to promote new collagen growth.

Does Botox get less effective over time?

No, it becomes more effective over time, if anything.

On average, how much is Botox? Is there a way for one to figure out a ballpark of what to expect for Botox?

Botox is charged by the unit, so it depends on the number of units required which varies per individual. The only way to know is to let the Injector know what area{s} you want to treat. The most common areas are the glabella {frown lines between the brows}, forehead lines, and crow’s feet. We also use Botox in the upper lip to prevent or treat lines there. Additionally, we use it to treat headaches that originate from any of the scalp or neck muscles, like the temples, forehead, and back of the head down by the neck.

I had melasma on my face with both of my kids. Unfortunately, it decided to stick around permanently after my last child. Do you have any tips for that?

You would have to see one of our spa/skin counselors to determine the treatment. The laser and IPL {intense pulsed light} machines are used most often for melasma, generally in conjunction with a bleaching cream we carry in the medical spa. The VI Peel is also great for resistant melasma.

I’m truly considering plastic surgery or some type of cosmetic surgery. What should my next step be?

Make an appointment to see me, or if you’d like, you can communicate initially by phone or email with Sheena, our patient coordinator. She will be able to provide basic information and schedule a full consultation with me. As a benefit of being a Houston Moms Blog reader, we offer complimentary consultations. Just remember to mention this when scheduling your initial consultation appointment at (713)467-0146. For more information, please visit our website at www.yarishmd.com or reach out to Sheena at salford {at} yarishmd {dot} com. 

Our committed objective is to work with you to achieve the image you desire.  Whatever your desires are, we are committed to helping you achieve those.  Reach out today for your free consultation. 


About Dr. Yarish

Whether you want to enhance your face, your body, or both, you can put your trust in Dr. Yarish and his team.  Practicing in the Houston area since 1988, and recognized for specializing in the intricate details of cosmetic surgery, Dr. Yarish is an acclaimed, board-certified plastic surgeon offering comprehensive surgical and non-surgical cosmetic services for the face and body.  Along with an experienced and friendly staff, Dr. Yarish provides premiere care in a state-of-the-art center that boasts a fully accredited ambulatory surgical center to include overnight care facilities upon request. In addition to surgical procedures, Dr. Yarish offers a comprehensive menu of non-surgical treatments including Botox and Dysport, all available fillers, laser hair reduction, laser vein therapy, non-surgical fat reduction {CoolSculpting and Vanquish}, Exilis skin tightening, and vaginal rejuvenation.  Dr. Yarish’s own Medical Weight Loss, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, and IV Drip Vitamin and Mineral Therapy add to the holistic approach of his practice.
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Tiffanie V
Tiffanie, originally from East Texas, has called Houston home for over 10 years now. She and her husband met during undergraduate studies at Stephen F. Austin State University. They have one son, Preston {Jan 2011}, who was born with a very rare congenital heart condition and underwent a very successful open heart surgery at Houston's own Texas Children's Hospital when he was just two days old. In October 2013, Tiffanie welcomed a daughter, Hadley, into this world. She adores seeing life and this great city through the eyes of her children. She is a practicing physician assistant, passionate about Endocrinology and diabetes. Committed to connecting moms and families to all the fabulousness of this great city, Tiffanie started serving as our Sponsorship Coordinator in January 2014. Her days are now filled to the brim with taking care of her family, her patients, fielding sales calls, and scheduling sponsored posts. Her favorite pasttimes include drinking a full-bodied glass of red, retail therapy, a nice long run, and being near a beach - water soothes her.

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