by Mindley Barnett
Becoming a mother changed everything. It instantly transforms your priorities and your level of baseline stress. In short, it changes your body! My physical shape never returned to its prenatal figure, even for me, a former size zero pre-babies.
FINDING THE PERFECT FIX
I knew there was no natural fix to piece me back together. Still, I also knew that plastic surgery is an investment, not only in money but the time and patience to dedicate to recover properly. See, I put it off until I couldn’t bear looking at myself in a swimsuit any longer. On the brink of turning fifty, a single mother, an entrepreneur, and public mental health speaker, 1 needed to look good. But more importantly, I wanted the confidence felt inside myself to match my spirit when I looked in the mirror. And until seeking the support and expertise of Neinstein Plastic Surgery, I was not on my A game when it came to my reflection
I did my due diligence in locating the best when remodeling moms. De Ryan Neinstein and Dr. Chris Funderburk (my surgeon) are experts in mommy metamorphosis. It’s all they do all day, every day, and moms from all over the US and abroad seek them to fix their bellies, their backs, their breasts (which is spearheaded by Dr. Anna Stevel), and more. “Our team comprises individuals with unimpeachable character and unwavering commitment to excellence,” explains board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ryan Neinstein. “We put in the hard work to create meaningful relationships amongst team members, allowing purposeful and passionate work to resonate with our patients.
TIGHTEN UP
So, if I was going to plunge into plastic surgery to fix my pregnancy plagued physique, I knew I also needed to go to this New York City plastic surgery mecca. The consult revealed what would be needed: a hernia repair coupled with a bellybutton revision, the restructuring of my diastasis, some lipo-sculpting and because I had accumulated unwanted real estate on my lower back (thanks to gravity and age) I had lipo to slim down that area and “To tackle all of these issues, I performed a combination procedure of a tummy tuck, energy assisted liposuction of the abdomen and waist, and creating an entirely new belly button, explains board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher Funderburk, “The tummy tuck procedure removes excess skin on the lower abdomen, resulting in tighter tummy skin. Because of the prior damage to the belly button, I incorporated a procedure to re create the belly button in the appropriate location. To shape the waist and sculpt the abdomen, I used the latest skin-tightening technology and liposuction in at procedure called Lipo360 or liposculpture. The result is a slenderer waist and tummy, with tighter abdominal skin, realigned core muscles, and a new belly button
On the big day, I was not nervous. I knew I was well cared for, the best hands, and I knew the practice’s philosophy was not only about putting safety first, but the aftercare process was also of utmost importance to them “Surgery is much more than a technical endeavor to us,” explains Dr. Neinstein. “Its an opportunity to take something overwhelming and scary and make it comforting and enjoyable. The experience to us is how we weave our culture of caring into the results for our patients.
LUXURY TLC
Neinstein Plastic Surgery exudes luxury and elegance and everyone from the receptionists to the nurses to the coctors who emit warmth and empathy. Moreover, the practice boasts its own operatives, so all procedures are done safely, in-house, and without the hassle and often the germ-centric hospital.
My procedure was 5 hours, but with the gift of anesthesia, it felt more like five minutes, and soon after, I was wheeled out by their concierge to take me and their aftercare partner, Radiant Recovery & Wellness Registered Nurses, home to rest. Nurse and CEO Deanna Komalski immediately set me up in my apartment, snuggled me in bed, and gave me a nutrient and vitamin infused IV treatment before I drifted to sleep. She was at my disposal all night and the next day, alongside her colleague Juliana Sicoli, who came armed with her freshly made pressed organic “Juli Juices” to fuel me with the post up power I needed Ongoing temperature checks and amastance with anything and everything related to functioning that first night and day, including my first (and tricky) shower, sprinkled in with their warmth and compassion (and an incredible lymphatic facial), made my first post-op 24 hours heavenly
I worked my first day post op from bed and was walking around New York City (a few blocks at a time) by day twu. By the beginning of my first post-op week, I was in full WFH mode, and by week two back in my office, heading to TV shoots and living my mom’s life as usual. There an restrictions, lifting heavy objects and retiming to a regular workout regimen are two prime examples, but the overall discomfort and typical fears many have before embarking on such an endeavor were minimal Every day I am getting stronger and feeling more like myself, but a much better version, a slimmer and healthier version, and one that exceeds how I feel on the inside when I look in the mirror!
For more Neinstein Plastic Surgery, visit neinsteinplasticsurgery.com. for Radiant Recovery and Wellness, visit radiantrecoveryandwellness.com