Plastic surgery questions, answered by Dr. Cat

Yes. The consultation fee is $500, or $1,500 for revision surgery, and it applies toward your surgical procedure. It cannot be used for Botox, fillers, lasers or other in-office treatments. For general questions and price ranges, the practice offers a free discovery call with our Patient Concierge before you book.

Because Dr. Cat performs every consultation herself and has a limited number of consultation appointments each week. During that visit she takes the time to understand your concerns and goals, performs a detailed history and physical exam, reviews a customized surgical plan and answers all your questions. The $500 fee goes toward your surgery.

When you schedule. The fee is processed by card over the phone to secure the date and time of your consultation, and it is applied to your surgical fee later. An appointment cannot be booked without the fee being processed.

Yes, if you cancel at least 72 hours before your appointment: the fee is refunded in full. Inside 72 hours it is non-refundable, although the office will move your appointment once as a courtesy. Once you have had your consultation, the fee stays on your account as a credit toward surgery and never expires.

Cancel up to 72 hours before your appointment for a full refund of the consultation fee. Inside 72 hours the fee is not refunded, though the office moves the appointment once as a courtesy. After the consultation has taken place, the fee is a credit toward your surgery.

No. Financing through Cherry, CareCredit or Alphaeon is for the surgeon's fee only. The consultation fee is paid by card. The surgery deposit is paid when you sign your quote: by card on the secure invoice page, or by wire, Zelle or cashier's check.

Dr. Cat specializes in plastic surgery of the female anatomy. Our board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Park, treats both female and male facial anatomy. For other procedures, the practice recommends the American Society of Plastic Surgeons directory to find a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Dr. Cat has mentored students over the years and offers shadowing to select students when time and patient privacy allow. Send a detailed request describing what you hope to accomplish, together with two recommendation letters, to careers@beautybydrcat.com.

No. Dr. Cat receives a large number of messages and appreciates them all, but for privacy reasons she cannot answer medical questions by email, direct message or to non-patients. A private consultation, in the office or by video, lets her assess your anatomy, review your history and build a plan. Her Instagram and YouTube channels cover many procedures in depth.

No. Instagram messages are not HIPAA secure, and a quote needs a proper assessment. Book a virtual consultation instead: during the hour-long video call Dr. Cat reviews the photos you upload to the secure patient portal, assesses your anatomy, may ask you to do a few movements on camera, and goes over the look you want.

Yes. Dr. Cat specializes in revision plastic surgery and offers second-opinion consultations, scheduled as a consultation because the evaluation is complex and detailed. If you have a complication or a poor outcome, speak with your original surgeon first. Bring your operative notes, doctor's notes and photos from the previous surgery.

After you schedule, the office emails you an invitation to OnPatient, the practice's secure electronic medical system, where you complete the patient consent forms and upload your photos. Once they are in, we set a time for your private video consultation with Dr. Cat, held through the same HIPAA-secure portal. The out-of-town patient page covers the full process.

The out-of-town patient page walks through the whole process, from the video consultation to travel, lodging and the cancellation policy. About 30 percent of Dr. Cat's patients travel from other states and countries, and our Patient Consultant helps with accommodations and everything else you need.

Each of you needs your own consultation, because every appointment is an hour long and you both deserve full attention. You are welcome to be present for each other's visit, and the office will do its best to book you back to back.

Very unlikely, unless it is a very small procedure under local anesthesia and a cancellation opens up. Before surgery you need medical clearance from your doctor and routine blood tests, plus a pre-op appointment with Dr. Cat to review instructions and consent forms and be fitted for garments. If your timing is urgent, tell the office and the team will do its best.

Sometimes, depending on total operating time and the post-op care each surgery needs. For more extensive surgeries Dr. Cat performs each procedure separately, for safety and for the best possible result; she never squeezes in as many surgeries as possible. At your consultation she builds a customized plan and timeline for your anatomy and goals.

Because every patient's anatomy, surgical complexity and operating time are different. The practice gives general ranges for each procedure, and you receive the exact price for your surgery at the end of your consultation. The cost guides explain what drives the price of each procedure.

Your exact price comes at the end of your consultation, once Dr. Cat has examined you and set the plan; it is valid for six months. Published ranges for the most requested procedures, and what moves the price within them, are in the cost guides. The surgeon's fee can be financed through Cherry, CareCredit or Alphaeon.

Most of Dr. Cat's surgeries are performed under general anesthesia, for your comfort and safety, with a board-certified physician anesthesiologist. For smaller procedures, patients have the option of local anesthesia with IV sedation. The anesthesia plan is part of what Dr. Cat goes over at your consultation.

Yes, as long as your diabetes is well controlled and your hemoglobin A1C and glucose are normal. Your medical clearance before surgery confirms this, and Dr. Cat reviews your history at the consultation.

Dr. Cat has developed a gentle technique for the surgeries she performs, and her patients have little to no pain after surgery and a quick recovery. Most do not need prescription pain medication at all, or take a few Tylenol to help them sleep.

No. Medical insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery, although it may cover some associated costs such as lab work. The practice does not bill insurance.

The surgeon's fee can be financed through Cherry, CareCredit or Alphaeon. You may also pay toward your balance in more than one payment, as long as the surgeon's fee and your surgical supplies are paid in full four weeks before surgery and the operating room and anesthesia fees two weeks before. See the financing page for details.

None. Every surgical garment is tailored to the patient and the procedure, so the office measures you and provides it. There is nothing to buy on your own.

A BMI close to 30 or below is recommended. Exceptions can be made based on a patient's anatomy and overall health, which Dr. Cat evaluates at the consultation.

Yes. You need an adult with you throughout your stay. On average patients stay a week after surgery, and up to two weeks for more extensive procedures. If nobody can accompany you, the office can help arrange a caretaker or post-operative nursing.

At least a week in Los Angeles, and up to two weeks depending on the procedure and how far you are traveling. Dr. Cat goes over your exact recovery at the consultation. The out-of-town patient page has the full process.

No. The practice focuses on the best surgical outcomes and the highest quality of patient care, not discounts. Financing through Cherry, CareCredit or Alphaeon is available for the surgeon's fee.

A mommy makeover is a customized set of procedures to restore and reshape the body after pregnancy, so it is planned rather than packaged. Dr. Cat determines which procedures you need and builds a plan around your anatomy and goals, and because it involves several procedures, our Patient Consultant takes that into account when pricing.

At the end of your consultation you meet our Patient Consultant, who reviews the surgery schedule with you and helps you reserve a date. Your date goes on the books once you have signed your quote and pre-op requirements and paid the $2,500 deposit. There is no rush if you are not ready that day.

The practice partners with a concierge hotel in Beverly Hills that provides personalized care for patients, as well as post-operative plastic surgery nursing facilities and private nurses, and keeps a list of recommended hotels nearby. Our Patient Consultant goes over the options at the end of your consultation and helps you reserve.

You walk bent over for the first week and sometimes the second. A front-wheel walker from the pharmacy helps relieve back strain during that stretch.

Two days after your drains are removed. You have two or three drains after a tummy tuck and they must stay dry, so a full shower, or getting your whole body wet, waits until then.

A tummy tuck repairs the abdominal muscles, tightens the abdominal wall and removes and tightens excess skin. Liposuction removes and thins excess fat. They address different problems, and Dr. Cat often combines liposuction of the mons pubis with a tummy tuck.

Yes. The tightening from the tummy tuck will likely stretch out again, so you may need to redo it after the pregnancy. It is ideal to wait until you are done having children, but many patients have a tummy tuck before then.

One of the largest tummy tuck flaps Dr. Cat has removed weighed almost nine and a half pounds (4.3 kg) and measured about a foot and a half (45 cm). The patient had lost over 70 pounds through diet and exercise, leaving a large amount of excess skin.

You walk right after surgery, thanks to the quick-recovery technique Dr. Cat developed. She recommends waiting two weeks before cardio and six weeks before full workouts or lifting anything heavier than five pounds, including purses and boxes.

In general Dr. Cat recommends the tummy tuck first, to tighten the core and remove excess skin. Then 360 liposuction, with or without fat transfer to the buttocks, to refine the curves. Breast surgery usually comes last, because it is easier to choose a proportionate breast size once the waist and hips are set.

Yes. Dr. Cat often performs liposuction of the mons pubis with a tummy tuck so the lower abdomen and pubic area are seamless, with no bulges or shelves.

That is where the patient's old belly button was. Some patients do not have enough skin to remove the old belly button completely, leaving a small vertical T extension. With Dr. Cat's incision closure technique, the scars are very thin and light once fully healed.

No, and she does not recommend it. CoolSculpting creates significant scar tissue, does not remove fat the way liposuction does or tighten skin the way a tummy tuck does, and in some cases causes the fat to grow, a condition called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia. A consultation lets her evaluate your anatomy and compare surgical and non-surgical options.

Dr. Cat recommends being close to your goal weight before surgery, and continuing a healthy diet and exercise afterward.

Usually because of excess fat in the mons area and over-pulling of the pubic area in an unnatural direction. When a patient has excess fat, Dr. Cat performs liposuction of the mons at the same time as the pubic lift and carefully tailors how the pubic area is elevated, so the mons and pubic area keep a natural, blended shape.

Yes. Dr. Cat performs liposuction in this area often. It reduces the bulge or fullness that can show through clothing.

The tissue removed during a tummy tuck, and other surgeries, is placed in biohazard waste and disposed of.

Dr. Cat does not perform these two procedures at the same time and does not recommend it, for several reasons. This post explains why in depth.

No. The labia frame the vagina and do not stretch permanently with childbirth, so the result holds. If the labia tear during delivery or are cut by your OB, that injury may need repair. Whether to have labiaplasty before or after having children is a personal choice.

Avoid driving, and anything else that means sitting directly on the surgical site, for the first few weeks after labiaplasty. Driving can be uncomfortable while swelling remains, so take it easy and listen to your body.

No. Dr. Cat has developed her own technique that precisely shapes the labia and, when needed, the clitoral hood. The wedge technique removes a pie-shaped piece of the labia and leaves the dark, wrinkly edge most women dislike, and its suture line runs across the labia's natural curve, so it is visible and often pulls apart. Dr. Cat has revised many wedge labiaplasties.

No. Labiaplasty is a personal decision that Dr. Cat helps guide at the consultation. Her patients for this surgery have ranged from 18 to 68 years old.

Labia shape and length are largely genetic. Some changes happen after pregnancy, from hormones or injuries during childbirth, and significant weight loss can leave excess labial tissue.

No. A bladder lift is a urologic surgery, so Dr. Cat does not perform it. If you want both surgeries at the same time, she can perform a joint surgery with another surgeon, operating together.

Dr. Cat performs clitoral hood reduction with labiaplasty; the hood is not removed. She trims the excess wrinkles or extra folds for a smoother, more balanced shape. The incision is not on the clitoris, it removes excess tissue around it, so no nerves are affected. This is one reason to have a labiaplasty specialist do the surgery.

No. Dr. Cat authored a book chapter on labiaplasty in the International Textbook of Aesthetic Surgery and has refined her technique further across more than 500 labiaplasty surgeries. Seeing patients many times after surgery, she usually cannot find the scar herself. There is no post-op pain and recovery is quick.

No. Labiaplasty removes excess labia minora and, sometimes, clitoral hood. For the labia majora, Dr. Cat also performs non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation, which uses radiofrequency to tighten the tissues, build collagen, improve the appearance and increase blood flow, sensation and moisture.

Most patients feel a significant improvement in intimacy after labiaplasty, because the excess tissue that pulled or caused discomfort is gone. Many have extra folds of clitoral hood that block the clitoris during orgasm; for them Dr. Cat also performs a clitoral hood reduction, trimming the folds without touching the clitoris itself, so no nerves are affected.

Many women seek labiaplasty to feel comfortable in tight clothing, to stop rubbing and pain with exercise, and to end pinching with activity and intercourse; others want symmetric, tucked-in labia for aesthetic reasons and confidence. Vaginal rejuvenation restores collagen after childbirth or aging and improves sensation, tightness, moisture and skin smoothness.

Yes. After labiaplasty, women tell Dr. Cat they feel a sense of peace and confidence. They no longer adjust themselves to prevent rubbing or pain, wear clothing without worrying about labia showing, and many report no more pain with intercourse. Not having to think about their labia or live with constant discomfort improves quality of life.

No. Capsular contracture is associated with bacterial contamination of the implants or, sometimes, bleeding around them, not with weight training or heavy exercise.

No. Dr. Cat specializes in cosmetic revision breast surgery; she does not specialize in post-mastectomy breast reconstruction.

Dr. Cat advises caution with insurance-covered reduction, because insurers usually require a significant amount of breast tissue to be removed, which often compromises the shape. If you would like to understand the procedure before interviewing surgeons in your area, a consultation lets Dr. Cat explain how it is performed and analyze your anatomy in detail.

No. Soft Sculpt is a marketing term for liposuction performed awake under local anesthesia only. That can be more dangerous, because it requires much more lidocaine, and the liposuction deaths that have occurred came from lidocaine toxicity. The vibrating cannula described is the PAL system most surgeons use. Dr. Cat uses a gentle multi-phase technique that is less traumatic and gives smooth, natural results.

No. Dr. Cat does not recommend Vaser Lipo, Smart Lipo or similar laser procedures, because they cause extensive scarring and injury to the tissues. Results can look good in Instagram photos, but in person they often look abnormal, and patients dislike the feeling of scar tissue under the skin. Read more on laser liposuction.

Anyone in generally good physical shape and good health who wants a more feminine figure and a rounder butt is a candidate for a Brazilian butt lift. You need enough fat elsewhere on your body to donate, since the shape is built from your own transferred fat.

No. Dr. Cat does not perform butt implant removal. She specializes in the Brazilian butt lift with natural fat transfer to the buttocks.

Surgical technique is the most important factor in both results and post-op pain. Dr. Cat's patients' experiences and reviews show that a BBL can be done in a careful, gentle and meticulous way, with a quick recovery and no pain.

It depends on how much fat is transferred. Dr. Cat tailors the size and shape to each patient. Patients who want a lot of volume and receive a large transfer go up in pant size; patients who have it mostly for shaping, with less fat transferred, see no change.

None in particular, as long as the surgery can be performed safely under local anesthesia. BMI matters most for larger procedures under general anesthesia, where a BMI close to 30 or below is recommended.

Yes. Our board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Park, specializes in revision rhinoplasty and approaches each surgery with the values the practice upholds: an artistic, elevated aesthetic eye and extreme attention to detail. His page shows his work.

No. Pregnant or breastfeeding women cannot receive Botox or fillers, because the products are not FDA approved for those patients. Treatment can be scheduled once you are no longer pregnant or breastfeeding.

Thermi treatments use radiofrequency to reduce signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin. Collagen production drops significantly as we age, which leads to sagging jawlines and forehead lines. The devices treat the face, the body and the vagina, and Dr. Cat offers all three in the office. Pricing is on the non-surgical pricing page.

ThermiVa, non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation, uses radiofrequency to improve vaginal tightness, urinary incontinence and the overall look of the labia minora and majora. It can also improve intimacy and orgasm by increasing blood flow and sensation to the clitoris and G-spot.

Most patients need two to three treatments for the tightness they want, and notice results after the first one. After the initial series, Dr. Cat recommends maintenance a few times a year.

Four to eight weeks apart, which is how long collagen takes to build. Most patients need two to three treatments for optimal tightness but see results after one, and routine maintenance a few times a year is recommended after the first series.