FAQ
We hope this FAQ helps answer some of your questions! Please remember that plastic surgery procedures should always be performed with a good understanding between patient and doctor of realistic expectations, and with an emphasis on safety.
Consultation
What is your cancellation policy for consultations?
You have up to 72 hours before your appointment to cancel to obtain a full refund of your consultation fee.
Is there a consultation fee?
The consultation booking fee is $500 and is applied to your surgical procedure. The consultation booking fee cannot be applied towards Botox, filler, lasers, or any other in-office procedures. Our office also offers free pre-consultation phone calls with patient coordinators for general questions and pricing.
Is the consultation fee refundable?
No. The consultation fee is for the time spent with Dr. Cat where she will discuss your individual concerns and aesthetic goals, perform a detailed exam and analysis and formulate a customized plan.
When is the consultation fee due?
The consultation fee needs to be processed to make an appointment. We process the payment over the phone when you schedule an appointment to secure the time and date of your consultation and it will be applied to the surgical fee. Appointments cannot be made without the consultation fee being processed.
Does Dr. Cat operate on men?
Dr. Cat specializes in plastic surgery of the female anatomy. Dr. Park specializes in facial plastic surgery of both the female and male facial anatomy. For referrals we recommend patients go to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons website to find board-certified plastic surgeons.
Why is there a consultation fee?
The consultation is probably one of the most important steps in the entire process. During that visit, Dr. Cat takes the time to understand specifically what your concerns are and what you are hoping to achieve with surgery. She will also perform a detailed history and physical exam and review with you a customized surgical plan. She will describe the procedures with you in detail and answer all your questions. Because Dr. Cat performs the consultations herself and there are limited consultation spots available a week, the consultation fee is $500 and goes towards the surgical procedure. We also offer video consultations for out-of-town patients. If you have general questions you would like answered, you can set up a pre-consultation phone call with one of our amazing consultants.
Can I shadow Dr. Cat to gain experience?
Dr. Cat has served as a mentor throughout the years and offers support and shadowing for select students when the time and patient privacy allow. Please send your detailed request and description of what you’re hoping to accomplish with your shadowing at our practice as well as 2 recommendation letters to [email protected].
Does Dr. Cat answer short questions through email to non-patients?
Dr. Cat receives a large number of messages and loves them all. For your personal privacy, she cannot answer any questions via email or to non-patients. Also, when it comes to more specific medical questions, the best way to communicate would be a private consultation in our office or a Video Consultation in order to be able to give a complete assessment of your anatomy, review your medical and operative history, and develop a customized plan. There is also a lot of information about specific surgical procedures on Dr. Cat’s Instagram page @beautybydrcat @surgeon and YouTube page that we encourage you to use as a resource.
Can I DM Dr. Cat my photos for a quote?
Can Dr. Cat help me with questions if I’ve had surgery with another surgeon?
How does a Video Consultation work?
After you have scheduled your consultation, our office will email you an invitation to sign onto OnPatient, our patient privacy secure electronic medical system, where you will fill outpatient consent forms, and upload your photos. Please visit our Out of Town Patient Page for more information on the process out of town patients.
Where can I find more information if I’m an Out of Town Patient?
If you need more information on how to be an Out of Town patient, please go to our Out of Town Patient page. The process is very simple and our surgical consultant can assist you with accommodations and all of your needs.
Can I pay the consult fee or surgery deposit with Care Credit?
No, those cannot be paid with Care Credit. We accept debit and credit cards only for the consult fee or surgery deposit.
My family/friend and I are both interested in surgery. Can we have our consultations together, at the same time?
Each consultation is an hour long and we want both of you to get the full attention you deserve. You will each need your own consultation to be assessed, but you are welcome to be present for each other’s visit. We will try to accommodate back-to-back appointments as best we can.
Can I have surgery the same day or in the same week as my consultation?
No, this would be very unlikely unless it was a very small procedure done under local anesthesia and we happen to have a cancellation. Prior to surgery, you will need to get medical clearance from your doctor and routine blood tests prior to surgery which usually takes some time. After the consultation, you will also have a pre-op appointment with Dr. Cat to review instructions and consent forms and to be fitted for any garments prior to surgery. However, if you do urgently want to schedule surgery, please let us know and we will do our best to help you.
General Surgery Questions
Can I have more than one procedure done at once?
Why aren’t surgical prices listed on the website?
What kind of anesthesia is used?
If I have diabetes, can I get Plastic Surgery?
I want to do a surgery but I’m so afraid of the pain. What should I do?
Does your office accept medical insurance?
Does your office accept payment plans?
What bra/faja do I buy?
Do you have to be at a certain BMI?
Do I need to bring someone with me to take care of me after surgery?
How long do I need to stay in town after surgery?
If you are visiting from far away, you will need to stay at least a week in Los Angeles, up to two weeks depending on the procedure and how far you are traveling. Dr. Cat will go over your exact recovery during the consultation. Please visit our Out of Town Patient Page for more information on the process for out of town patients.
Does your office offer discounts?
In general our office does not offer discounts. Our practice focuses on providing the best surgical outcomes and the highest quality patient care experience.
Does your office have Mommy Makeover packages?
A Mommy Makeover is a highly customized set of cosmetic procedures designed to help women restore and reshape their appearance after pregnancy. Dr. Cat will determine exactly which procedures you may need and create a customized plan based on your anatomy and the goals you are hoping to achieve. But as Mommy Makeover encompasses several different procedures, our surgical consultant will take that into consideration when doing pricing.
When can I schedule my surgery?
Where can I stay after surgery?
Breast Procedures
Does capsular contraction come after heavy weight exercise? Is there any relation between them?
No. Capsular contracture is associated with bacterial contamination of the implants or sometimes bleeding around them.
Do you do revisions of breast reconstruction post mastopexy?
Dr. Cat specializes in cosmetic revision breast surgery. She does not specialize in post-mastectomy breast reconstruction surgery.
Can breast reduction be covered by insurance?
Dr. Cat advises patients to use caution doing the reduction through insurance as the insurance company normally requires a significant amount of breast tissue be removed which often compromises the shape. If you would like to learn more information about breast reduction to help guide your decision as you interview doctors in your area, we can set up a consultation so Dr. Cat can take the time to tell you how the procedure is performed as well as do a detailed anatomy analysis.
Botox / Filler
Can pregnant women get Botox/Filler?
Pregnant or breastfeeding women cannot get Botox/Filler since it’s not FDA approved for those patients.
Tummy Tuck
How long after tummy tuck until I can stand up straight?
You will need to walk bent over in the first and sometimes the second week. You can get a front-wheel walker from the pharmacy to help relieve any back strain.
When can I shower after surgery?
You will have two or three drains after your surgery and you do not want to get the drains wet. You will need to wait two days after the drains are removed to take a full shower or get your entire body wet.
What is the difference between a tummy tuck and liposuction?
A tummy tuck repairs the abdominal muscles, tightens the abdominal wall, and removes and tightens excess skin. Liposuction removes and thins excess fat.
Can you get pregnant after tummy tuck?
Yes. However, the tightening done with the tummy tuck will likely stretch out again. You just need to know you may need to re-do the tummy tuck after the pregnancy. It’s also ideal to wait until you are done having kids, but many patients do get tummy tuck before then.
What is the largest flap you have ever removed?
One of the largest tummy tuck flaps Dr. Cat has ever removed weighed almost nine and a half pounds (4.3 kg) and measured about one and a half feet long (45cm). Dr. Cat’s patient had lost over 70 pounds through diet and exercise, resulting in a lot of excess skin. It was a privilege to be able to participate in her life-changing transformation.
Does Dr. Cat do Mini Tummy Tucks?
Yes. For more information, please read the article on Dr. Cat’s Plastic Surgery Blog.
How long before I can work out after my tummy tuck surgery?
Dr. Cat has developed a special technique that has a quick recovery so you will be walking right after surgery. She recommends waiting 2 weeks before doing cardio but 6 weeks before resuming full workouts or lifting heavy objects, such as purses or boxes greater than 5 lbs.
If some women prefer to do mommy makeovers in separate segments (i.e. tummy tuck first, breast augmentation a few months later, lipo after) what surgery would you recommend first and why?
The surgical plan depends on each person’s anatomy and aesthetic goals but in general Dr. Cat usually recommends a tummy tuck first in order to tighten the core, remove excess skin, and put it in place. Then she usually will do 360 liposuction with or without fat transfer to the butt in order to refine the curves and overall shape. She usually performs the breast surgery last because she feels that it is easier for women to visualize what breast size is the most proportionate to the rest of their body once the waist and hips are set.
Do you do lipo with the tummy tuck?
What’s the line below the patient's belly button?
Do you do Coolsculpting?
For a tummy tuck, is it recommended to lose all the weight first or is it possible to still work on losing weight after the surgery?
Why do some patients have the appearance of a camel toe after having a Tummy Tuck with a pubic lift?
Can liposuction be performed in the mons pubis or FUPA?
What do you do with the skin flap after a tummy tuck?
The tissue from Tummy Tuck and other surgeries is placed in biohazard waste and disposed of.
Can you do Tummy Tuck and Breast Lift at the same time?
Dr. Cat does not perform these procedures at the same time, and she does not recommend this for several reasons. Please read this blog post for an in-depth answer.
Liposuction
Do you do Soft Sculpt?
Soft sculpt is just a marketing term. From what Dr. Cat understands, it’s just liposuction performed awake with only local anesthesia. This can actually be more dangerous since you have to use much more lidocaine (numbing medicine). The times there have been deaths from liposuction have been from too much numbing – lidocaine toxicity. The vibrating cannula they describe is just a PAL system that most surgeons use. Dr. Cat has developed a gentle multi-phase technique that is even less traumatic and creates smooth and natural results.
Do you do Vaser Lipo or ab etching?
Dr. Cat does not recommend Vaser Lipo, Smart Lipo or those procedures. They cause an extensive amount of scarring and injury to the tissues. Dr. Cat mentions that the results may look good in IG photos, but in real life it looks very abnormal and patients hate the feeling of the scars running under their skin. For more information, please read Dr. Cat’s Plastic Surgery Blog post on laser liposuction.
Brazilian Butt Lift
Who Is a Good Candidate for BBL?
Anyone in generally good physical shape and good health looking for a more feminine figure and rounder butt is a good candidate for Brazilian Butt Lift surgery. It is important to keep in mind that you will need to have enough fat to donate from other areas of your body to create a nice shape to your buttocks.
Does Dr. Cat perform Butt Implant Removal?
Dr. Cat does not perform Butt Implant Removal. She specializes in Brazilian Butt Lift with natural fat transfer to the buttocks.
My friend had a BBL and was in excruciating pain. How do your patients not have pain for this surgery?
Surgical technique is really the most important thing when it comes to results and post-op pain. If you read Dr. Cat’s patients’ experiences and their reviews you will see that surgery can be done in a way that’s careful, gentle and meticulous so patients have a quick recovery and no pain.
After a Brazillian Butt Lift does the pants size of the patient usually change?
Dr. Cat tailors the size and shape of the Brazilian Butt Lift to each patient’s volume and aesthetic desires. For those patients who desire a lot of volume and a lot of fat is transferred, the pant size increases, but for those who do it mostly for shaping with less fat transferred, there isn’t a change.
Labiaplasty
Does pregnancy ruin labiaplasty results? Should I wait until I’m done having children?
The labia is just the frame for the vagina so it doesn’t stretch permanently after childbirth. However, if you tear your labia or your OB cuts it there may be an injury that needs to be repaired. It’s a personal choice whether or not to have the surgery before having babies.
Can you drive after labiaplasty?
You should avoid driving or anything that involves sitting directly on the surgical site the first few weeks after your procedure. Driving may be uncomfortable due to the remaining swelling so it is best to take it easy and listen to your body.
Does Dr. Cat do the “wedge” labiaplasty technique?
Dr. Cat has developed a special technique that precisely shapes the labia and clitoral hood if necessary. The “wedge” technique takes a pie-shaped piece out of the labia which leaves behind the dark wrinkly edge that most women don’t like. Also, the wedge technique produces a suture line that is horizontal to the natural curve of the labia which makes it very visible and often pulls apart. Dr. Cat has performed many revisions on wedge labiaplasty surgeries.
Is there a certain age that patients should get labiaplasty?
There is no set age for labiaplasty – it is a personal decision that Dr. Cat will help guide you through during your consultation. Her patients for this surgery have ranged from 18 – 68 years old.
What causes enlarged labia?
Labia shape and length is largely genetic. Some changes occur post-pregnancy due to hormones or injuries from childbirth. Some patients have lost a lot of weight resulting in excess labia tissues.
I need labiaplasty but also bladder lift, does Dr. Cat do that?
Dr. Cat does not perform bladder lifts since that is a urologic surgery. However, if you want both surgeries to be performed at the same time she could perform a joint surgery with another surgeon where they operate at the same time.
Do you ever remove the clitoral hood when performing labiaplasty or does that reduce/ increase sensitivity once it’s removed?
Dr. Cat performs clitoral hood reduction with labiaplasty. It is not removed, but rather she trims the excess wrinkles or extra folds in order to create a smoother and more balanced shape. The incision is not on the clitoris, rather it removes the excess tissue around the clitoris, so none of the nerves are negatively affected. This is one reason why it is extremely important to have this surgery done by a Labiaplasty specialist to ensure it is done as safely and as meticulously as possible.
Will my future sexual partners be able to tell I had this procedure done?
No. They will not be able to tell you ever had surgery done! Dr. Cat has authored a book chapter on this subject in the International Textbook of Aesthetic Surgery and has perfected her technique even more since then with the thousands of labiaplasty surgeries that she has performed. As Dr. Cat performs many vaginal rejuvenation procedures, she often sees her post-op patients many times after surgery, and honestly, she can usually not find the scar. She believes that in such a sensitive area, it is critical that it not look like surgery was ever done. There is also no post-op pain and a quick recovery. With the technique she has developed, her patients are able to achieve unparalleled results.
Does Labiaplasty help remove saggy labia majora?
It does not. Labiaplasty only removes excess labia minora and sometimes clitoral hood. In addition to being a specialist in Labiaplasty surgery, Dr. Cat also performs non-surgical Vaginal Rejuvenation on her patients which use radio frequency technology to tighten the tissues, build collagen to the tissues improving the appearance, and increase blood flow to the tissues which increases sensation and moisture.
How does labiaplasty improve sexual feeling?
Most patients feel significant improvement with intimacy after labiaplasty because the excess tissue that pulls or causes discomfort is no longer there. Many patients have excess folds of clitoral hood that sometimes blocks the clitoris when trying to orgasm. For these patients, Dr. Cat also performs a clitoral hood reduction to trim these extra folds that help many with sensation or make it easier to orgasm. The incision is not on the clitoris, rather it removes the excess tissue around the clitoris, so none of the nerves are negatively affected. This is one reason why it is extremely important to have this surgery done by a Labiaplasty specialist to ensure it is done as safely and as meticulously as possible.
Why is labiaplasty and vaginal rejuvenation important?
Many women seek labiaplasty, so they feel more comfortable in tight clothing. Less rubbing and pain with exercise, so there is less pinching with various activities and intercourse. Many women want to have their labia symmetric tucked in shape for aesthetic reasons or to feel more confident. Vaginal rejuvenation helps restore collagen after childbirth or aging and helps increase sensation, tightness, moisture, and smoothness of the skin.Vaginas are important! Vaginas are the gateway to life. We should cherish it as we cherish the rest of our body.
Are there the non-cosmetic benefits to Labiaplasty?
Yes! This surgery is extremely life-changing for patients. After having their Labiaplasty surgery, women tell Dr. Cat they feel a sense of peace and confidence. They no longer have to constantly adjust themselves to prevent rubbing or pain. They can confidently wear clothing without having to worry about tucking in the labia that show. Many of her patients report they no longer have pain with intercourse. Just not having to worry about or think about their labia or have constant discomfort greatly improves their quality of life.
Thermi Devices
What is non-surgical skin tightening?
Thermi devices are cosmetic procedures that aims to reduce signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. As we get older, our collagen production decreases significantly. This deficiency causes certain age-related conditions like saggy jaw lines and forehead wrinkles. These devices can be used on the face, body, and vagina. Dr. Cat offers all three in our office. Please see the Thermi Pricing page.
What is Non-surgical Vaginal Rejuvenation?
Non-Surgical Vaginal Rejuvenation, ThermiVa, uses radio-frequency technology to help improve vaginal tightness, urinary incontinence, and the overall look of the labia minora and labia majora. It can also improve intimacy and orgasm by increasing blood flow and sensation to the clitoris and G-spot!
How many times do I need to do the treatment?
Most patients require two to three procedures to get the optimal tightness they desire but will notice results with just one treatment. Dr. Cat recommends a few times a year for maintenance.
How far apart should treatments be spaced out?
Treatments should be spaced out 4-10 weeks apart because that is how long it takes collagen to build. Most patients require 2-3 treatments to get the optimal tightness they desire, but you will notice results with just one treatment. After you complete the first set of treatments, routine maintenance is recommended a few times a year.
Facial Surgery
What BMI is required for facial plastic surgery?
If the surgery is able to be performed safely under local anesthesia, a patient does not need to have a certain BMI.
Do you specialize in revision rhinoplasty?
Our expert facial Plastic surgeon, Dr. Park, specializes in Revision Rhinoplasty. He approaches each surgery with the values we uphold at Dr. Cat Plastic Surgery – an artistic and elevated aesthetic eye and extreme attention to detail. We encourage you to take a look at his page on our website to familiarize yourself with his amazing work.
