By combining Liposuction, Tummy Tuck and Breast Augmentation in Los Angeles, Laura chose to do something for herself and transform her look.

Unhappy with what she describes as "about a mile of extra skin" around her midsection, Laura dreamed about having a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, for a long time. But she was caught up in raising her children in the San Bernardino area, running a busy household and enjoying her favorite activities like baking. Years went by, she became accustomed to the changes in her body related to childbirth and aging, and plastic surgery remained just an idea.

The Idea Gets Fully Baked

What changed? A few things, according to Laura. First, at age 41, with her two daughters hitting adulthood and her son in his teens, Laura began to think it might be a good time to do something for herself. "The extra skin around my middle made me so self-conscious," she says, "and I had lived with that feeling almost my whole life. I thought if there was something I could do for myself, it would be to get rid of it."

I can't say enough about Dr. Wang, he's a fabulous doctor.

Another piece fell into place for Laura when she began to view plastic surgery as a corrective measure. "Because I had a gut, I was always in the mindset of 'I've got to lose weight.' But I am actually underweight for my height. I eat right and over the years I have taught myself a healthy lifestyle. It dawned on me that no amount of dieting and exercise could correct the problem, and realized I was a good candidate for a tummy tuck."

Through research on the Internet, Laura educated herself about plastic surgery and felt her enthusiasm grow. "These are good days for medicine," she comments. "Plastic surgery is safer than ever and more affordable. Back in my parents' day, they didn't have the option. But I felt like I did, and I decided I was going to go for it."

Mommy Makeover, an Even Better Idea

Laura didn't realize yet that she was headed for a combination liposuction, abdominoplasty and breast augmentation in Los Angeles, a procedure popularly known as a "mommy makeover." Her daughters played a big role in making that happen.

You see, Laura had talked with her daughters about plastic surgery early in her decision process. "They're young, this is their time," she says, "and I did not want them to feel that I was trying to look like them or compete with them in any way." She needn't have worried. Her girls were so supportive; they encouraged their mom to add breast augmentation and liposuction for a full mommy makeover. "In fact, they pretty much insisted," she laughs.

Recovery: Not Laura's Idea of Fun

During her initial meeting with Dr. Wang, Laura felt at ease almost immediately. "He was very honest, explaining what he could do and what he could not do." She also noted that he listened very carefully. "He even spent extra time with me on the phone after my consultation when I called to tell him more! He was very patient," she recalls. When the day of surgery came Laura felt calm and prepared.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat, even if it was doubly hard!

Recovering from her mommy makeover was admittedly a challenge for Laura. Unable to tolerate prescription pain medication, she had to tough it out with just ibuprofen. In addition to a sensitive abdomen and breast area, Laura's back was sore from the liposuction. "There weren't enough pillows in the world to help me," she remembers. Dr. Wang was gentle and understanding during Laura's post-op visits. He encouraged her to take it easy and not to worry. Laura says he reminded her, "We did a lot of work in there."

Her Daughters Had the Right Idea

Even though Laura believes her recovery was more difficult than what many people experience, she is thrilled with her new shape and says, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat, even if it was doubly hard!" Her satisfaction with her new, size D bust has been an added bonus. She says that though she was well aware her small breasts had been mostly "empty, hanging skin," she also admits she had forgotten how nice it was to have full, shapely breasts. "Now I'm really glad I listened to my daughters."

More than anything, Laura's thrilled with her smooth, flat midsection. "I love to shop for clothes now. It may sound silly, but when you're unhappy with part of your body you work on hiding it; I don't do that any more. I notice I even wear brighter colors than I used to." Laura also says she has spent more time at the beach this year than any other year she can remember. "I feel I can really enjoy it now. Dr. Wang opened up a whole new world for me."

Laura's Ideas for You

For women who may be planning a combination tummy tuck - breast augmentation in the Los Angeles area, Laura would like to pass along some tricks she learned in her recovery.

• To ease breast soreness, freeze several damp washcloths in plastic bags. Use them as soothing compresses for your skin.
• To help cushion your body for a few days, have several different sized pillows available including neck pillows.
• To help you get up when your arms and tummy are sensitive, have a beach towel under you and ask loved ones to pull the towel up.

More than anything, Laura hopes other women find a doctor as talented as Dr. Wang, and she advises those near Los Angeles to consider the plastic surgeon. "I can't say enough about Dr. Wang, he's a fabulous doctor. His staff members are great too-they're friendly, patient and kind. Everyone at the practice loves their work and you can tell."

Below is a story about the experience of one satisfied patient of Pasadena breast enhancement surgeon Dr. Stewart Wang. Her mommy makeover was a great success and she is delighted that she chose the practice.

Soon after the birth of her first child 12 years ago, Brandy was unhappy with her sagging breasts that lacked fullness, as well as the excess skin around her abdomen. She knew then that breast enhancement was in her future, but wanted to wait until she was sure she wasn't going to have any more children. In May 2007, she and her husband sat down and discussed their plans. They realized that with 3 kids, their family was complete, and Brandy knew it was time to look into cosmetic surgery for herself. After waiting 12 years, Brandy's primary thought was, "I want to get this done already!"

Incision Decision

Initially Brandy planned to only have a breast enhancement, yet as she thought about the bigger picture, she realized that she wasn't happy with her stomach either. Before seeing Dr. Wang she met with another surgeon to discuss mommy makeover surgery but wasn't satisfied with that surgeon's plan to make a large incision down the lower half of each breast as part of her breast lift. She just didn't want to be left with that kind of visible scarring.

Brandy then scheduled her consultation with Pasadena breast enhancement surgeon Dr. Stewart Wang. She recalls, "When I went to Dr. Wang's office, it felt very comfortable." During their meeting, Dr. Wang explained that he could make the breast lift incisions around her areolas, the dark skin that surrounds the nipples. This incision location helps to create minimal scarring. Brandy appreciated Dr. Wang's attention to detail and felt that he was the talented surgeon she was looking for. She scheduled her breast lift, breast augmentation and tummy tuck for late June 2007, on her 31st birthday.

Brandy's Pasadena Area Breast Enhancement and Abdominoplasty

On the day of her surgery, Brandy was completely excited and not a bit nervous. She remembers, "I didn't have any fears, believe it or not. I was just so excited about it, even while waiting in the waiting room." Dr. Wang made his precise surgical markings to properly prepare her before she went in for anesthesia. She says, "I don't even remember getting drowsy – I just remember being out."

There were no complications with Brandy's surgery at all. She'd seen lots of plastic surgery television shows and remembers the patients being shaken awake by the doctors when they were in the recovery room. Brandy appreciated that Dr. Wang and his staff allowed her to wake up naturally, on her own. She recalls that following surgery she felt some pain, mostly from the tummy tuck procedure, but the pain medication she was given quickly worked wonders.

I was able to see that my stomach was flat. When he took off the bra top, I could see how full my breasts were. The scar is so minimal and thin, you can barely see it..

Following Doctor's Orders

Brandy's recovery went smoothly, as her husband and mom took care of her and the children. She remembers, "As long as I took my pain medication on time, I was comfortable. The only thing that was a little frustrating was keeping my kids at arm's length - they just wanted to give me a hug!" She was also diligent about her post-surgery routine. "I was always taking my antibiotics on time, which I think has a lot to with the way your scars heal. And I continued to put on silicone strips to help the scars heal better."

The day after her tummy tuck and breast enhancement surgery near Pasadena, Brandy went in for her follow-up appointment and Dr. Wang told her that everything looked great. She continued to go in for check-ups every few days, which she appreciated. "It was very consistent, which also made me feel very comfortable, knowing that he wanted to see me for follow-ups."

The first time Dr. Wang removed Brandy's garment and bandages, she was very happy with the results. She remembers, "I was able to see that my stomach was flat. When he took off the bra top, I could see how full my breasts were." This was a relief, since the week before surgery Brandy had one dream where her breasts were too large, then another dream where they turned out too small. Thankfully her new size 36D breasts looked just as she'd hoped. As for the scarring, she says, "The scar is so minimal, you can barely see it. It's really thin."

I'd tell anyone to go to Doctor Wang! My husband is also now a fan. He's always telling me how nice my body looks..

Advice for Others

Brandy is happy that her days of wearing padded bras - and always having to make sure the padding wasn't sticking out - are gone. When asked if she has any advice for other women considering mommy makeover surgery, she says without hesitation, "I'd tell anyone to go to Doctor Wang!" Her husband is a fan too; Brandy says, "He's always telling me how nice my body looks."

Gabrielle is a 38 year old Executive Assistant in Covina, California who's always cared about her appearance but had never given much thought to facial rejuvenation procedures. While on vacation, she looked at herself in the hotel's magnification mirror and was surprised by what she saw. She remembers, "When I saw the wrinkles around my eyes and looked at everything up close, I was shocked - it was like someone smacked me upside the head. I thought, 'Where did this come from?'"

Gabrielle realized that her earlier days as a working student, combined with poor nutrition and sleep deprivation, had taken their toll. She says, "When I looked in the mirror, even if I'd had a good night's sleep, I was starting to look tired every day." So she decided to take action. Gabrielle recalls, "I wanted my outside to match my inside."

I wanted my outside to match my inside.

Doing Her Homework

Gabrielle spent a lot of time researching her options by visiting doctors' Web sites and reading cosmetic surgery blogs, medical journals, and magazines. She found Dr. Wang's site to be the most informative and consulted it to find out which procedures provided the longest-lasting results and gave the most "bang for the buck." Gabrielle knew she wanted to stick with non-invasive treatments. She says, "I wanted to do the healthiest thing and then think of it as maintenance in order to head off bigger problems down the line."

After meeting with 3 doctors, Gabrielle chose Wang Plastic Surgery because Dr. Wang seemed to have the most holistic view. Gabrielle says, "He has wide knowledge and experience. By listening to him, I could tell he was looking at the big picture, and that made me feel very comfortable." Initially, Gabrielle was exploring various options, including a ThreadLift. She says, "I told Dr. Wang, 'I want this, this and this.' He responded 'no, no, and no.'" During her consultation, Dr. Wang educated Gabrielle on how certain procedures can work against each other and helped her set more realistic expectations.

Dr. Wang was looking at the big picture and helped set realistic expectations.

Her Treatment Choices

Over the past year, Gabrielle has had several treatments to gradually improve her tired appearance and enhance her skin tone. She started with BOTOX® Cosmetic to treat a few forehead wrinkles and lines around her eyes. Then, Dr. Wang used JUVÉDERM® Injectable Gel for the "nasolabial folds" that ran from the sides of her nose to the corners of her mouth. It turned out that Gabrielle experienced an added bonus from her BOTOX Cosmetic treatments. As a self-proclaimed "tense person," she found that BOTOX kept her muscles relaxed, which actually helped her feel calmer.

Next, Gabrielle returned to Dr. Wang's office for a Thermage® skin rejuvenation treatment. She found the experience relaxing and enjoyed having time to lie down and not do anything for an hour. There was no pain, just a sense of warmth on her face, and when the procedure was completed, she just put on sunscreen and was able to proceed with her day.

Gabrielle's most recent visit was for a light chemical peel. She originally asked for a heavy peel, but Dr. Wang advised her to go lighter, since her skin is fair and thin. Knowing her skin would be peeling and unattractive for awhile, she took some time off from work. Gabrielle recalls, "I definitely got a couple of strange looks out in public!" During this recovery time, her routine changed a bit. She didn't wear makeup for a couple of weeks and made sure she wore a hat to protect her skin from the sun. The experience actually reminded her of how much she likes to wear hats - something she has continued to do since. Most peeling was gone after 3 days and a week later she could fully enjoy her smooth, rejuvenated skin appearance.

I finally look like I got a good night's sleep!

Loving Her Look

Gabrielle is very happy with her results and continues to visit Wang Plastic Surgery to maintain her revitalized appearance. She notices that her skin tone has evened out and the fine lines on her face have diminished. Gabrielle says, "It's kind of like making amends to my body for the things I did in the past. The cosmetic stuff is the last frontier. I feel younger now and my outlook on life is better now than when I was 18. I finally look like I got a good night's sleep and I just feel better - it's been such a positive experience."