Photo by Keri Cooper

Recently, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) featured a video about the benefits of Mommy Makeover enjoyed by Morgan Celeste, a beauty blogger from the San Francisco area and patient of Dr. Karen Horton. The entire team at Dr. Horton’s practice is honored to have helped Morgan achieve greater self confidence, and we’re so proud to share her story, which can serve as a source of inspiration to many women who struggle to balance self-care and caring for their families.

We invite you to get to know Morgan and learn more about the positive impact her Mommy Makeover has had on her life. For information on how a Mommy Makeover may benefit you, please contact us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Karen Horton.

Q: Morgan, how long did you consider plastic surgery before you underwent your Mommy Makeover?

Photo by Keri Cooper

A: I had started considering surgery about 6 months after having my daughter, who was born in 2015. My body wasn’t the same and it didn’t feel like my body anymore. After a couple of years, I realized that no matter what I did, there were going to be fat deposits I couldn’t get rid of and that my stomach would never flatten because I had Diastasis Recti. But, the timing wasn’t quite right.

Finally, at the beginning of 2019, there was a window of time when getting the Mommy Makeover made sense. I met with a number of Plastic Surgeons and knew Dr. Karen Horton was the right choice for me immediately. I made my appointment with her on the spot!

Q: What did you look for in a Plastic Surgeon?

A: I did my search entirely online. I researched what a Mommy Makeover entailed and I looked at the before and after photos available on different surgeons’ websites. I looked for Plastic Surgeons who are board-certified, and it was important to me that my surgeon be held in high regard among peers and patients.
Lastly, I looked for Plastic Surgeons who made themselves well-known and that had a strong media/social media presence. In addition to checking off all of the necessary boxes, Dr. Horton’s warmth, knowledge, and positivity made the decision to select her an easy one!

Q: What did your Mommy Makeover consist of?

A: After consulting with Dr. Horton, we decided that Abdominoplasty, Breast Augmentation, and Liposuction would help me achieve my aesthetic goals.

Q: How did you prepare for surgery?

A: I asked a lot of questions! Dr. Horton and Nurse Mari gave me extensive information on each procedure that I was having done and what to expect during recovery. I read through all of the information that they provided, more than once.

Q: Was your spouse on board? Family? Friends? When and how did you tell them?

Photo by Keri Cooper

A: Yes, my husband just wanted me to feel good. This was something I openly discussed with him as soon as I had started thinking about it.

My mother and my in-laws were told shortly before I had the surgery done so that they knew why we needed help and what was happening with us in general. I haven’t officially told anyone else, but being featured in a national ad for the ASPS and in this blog post I haven’t kept it a secret either!

Q: What was your recovery like?

A: Recovery was tough. Not being able to do things for myself or pick my daughter up for several weeks was hard. I reluctantly listened to Dr. Horton’s and my husband’s advice. I needed daily reminding that my body needed time to heal and that I shouldn’t rush it.

Q: What would you tell other women about recovering from a Mommy Makeover?

A: Healing takes time. Make sure you’ve planned your surgery at a time in your life when you have help available. You will need help during recovery—not only to take care of yourself but to take care of your children too.

Q: How old is your daughter now?

Photo by Keri Cooper

A: My daughter is now 4 ½ years old, and it’s been nearly a year since my surgery. I think that having the surgery when she was about 3 ½ years old worked well for our family because at that age she didn’t need constant attention as an infant does.

She was old enough to be aware that I was recovering from something but still too young to realize the seriousness of what I was doing. I didn’t want to upset or worry her and I didn’t want to disrupt her day-to-day life. We were very lucky to have family help us take care of her while I recovered.

Q: How has having Plastic Surgery influenced your body image and self-esteem?

A: I feel amazing after my Mommy Makeover! I feel like I not only have my pre-baby body back, I have an even better version of it. I feel a lot more comfortable and confident in my skin.

Q: What else would you like to tell women considering a Mommy Makeover?

A: I’d tell women that in order to be the best mother, partner, and person you can be, you’ve got to take good care of yourself: physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

There were times when I felt guilty and I felt selfish doing something this big financially and physically. I felt like the money should be saved for our daughter. I also felt that I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone by needing help while I recovered from something elective.

Ultimately, I didn’t want to be unhappy with my body for the rest of my life and I didn’t want my daughter to see that unhappiness. To make a positive change and boost my confidence, I knew that getting a Mommy Makeover was the best decision for me and my family.