You’ve heard of “mommy makeovers” — but now the menopause makeover is the latest trend shaking up the wellness industry.
Dr. Smita Ramanadham told The Post that her plastic surgery practice in New Jersey, once bustling with young women looking to bounce back after having children, is now seeing a fresh wave of middle-aged patients eager to address the aesthetic woes tied to “the change of life.”
“My only regret is not doing it sooner so that I can enjoy it longer,” said Jennie Rodriquez, one of Ramanadham’s patients.
The menopause effect
Most women begin the menopausal transition between the ages of 45 and 55, a process that may last several years, a period known as perimenopause. You officially reach menopause when you haven’t had a period for 12 months.
Symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings are typically associated with the transition, but menopause can also cause many bodily changes that affect your appearance.
Ramanadham said one of the most common complaints she hears from patients is weight gain due to hormonal fluctuations that change how fat is distributed in the body, particularly in the midsection.
“A lot of patients say they haven’t really changed their lifestyles in terms of diet or exercise, but it’s harder for that weight to come off compared to what worked for them in the past,” she said. “That leaves them feeling sort of frustrated.”
Ramanadham is also seeing more menopausal women seek out breast reductions after their busts grow larger during the transition, causing a wide range of problems.
“There’s back pain, but it also starts to interfere with their lifestyles, especially if they’re more active, like runners,” she said. “A lot of patients say they have to double up on sports bras or that they can’t find a bra that fits.”
“I saved for an entire year to do this … I knew [it] was going to make me feel better and give me the confidence I needed.”
Jennie Rodriquez
Jennie’s journey
When a total hysterectomy sent Rodriquez into menopause at just 38, she immediately noticed a change in her weight distribution.
“For basically my whole life, I’ve been a smaller person,” she said. After having children, Rodriquez noted that she gained some weight, but a GLP-1 medication helped her shed 50 pounds in three months.
“I got down to what was the perfect size for me,” she said. “Then I got the hysterectomy, and I gained all the weight back and couldn’t lose it again on my own. Even when I went back to the medication, it didn’t work like it had before.”
Suddenly, Rodriquez found herself out of breath doing normal activities, like going for a walk, and struggled to fit into her clothes.
She was especially self-conscious about her stomach and knew she wanted a tummy tuck with liposuction to address her concerns — two procedures that Ramanadham said are staples of the menopause makeover.
To afford the procedure, Rodriquez had to take on a second job. “I saved for an entire year to do this,” she said. “But it was something that I knew was going to make me feel better and give me the confidence I needed.”
Reversing wrinkles, under-eye bags, saggy necks and droopy noses
Menopause can also wreak havoc on your skin. “Collagen declines in our early 20s and 30s, but there’s more of that rapid decline in the perimenopausal period,” Ramanadham said.
Studies show women can lose up to 30% of collagen in the first five years after menopause, causing a loss of skin elasticity and firmness.
“We also lose water concentration, so our skin gets very dry as well,” Ramanadham noted. These changes often result in fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, particularly around the eyes and neck.
Suddenly, the nose that wasn’t droopy before becomes droopy.
Dr. Smita Ramanadham
For the eyes, a significant drop in estrogen during menopause weakens the muscles on the upper lids, creating a hooded effect that can make you look tired and older. The withdrawal of estrogen also causes eye puffiness, where fat under the eyes moves forward, forming bags.
Ramanadham said surgical options like upper and lower eyelid lifts and brow lifts are common. For those wanting a less invasive approach, dermal fillers, Botox and platelet-rich plasma injections can promote collagen production, helping with under-eye bags, wrinkles and dark circles.
As for the neck, a neck lift is the go-to solution for correcting sagging.
“We remove the excess skin, address some of the underlying changes that happen, like with the muscles, and reposition the soft tissue and remaining skin,” Ramanadham said.
For those wanting to avoid going under the knife, Botox, microneedling and radio frequency skin tightening can also help.
“None of these nonsurgical options are going to address the actual changes that occur structurally, but they can help soften the appearance,” Ramanadham said.
The drop in estrogen can even cause noticeable sagging in the soft tissues of the nose. “Suddenly, the nose that wasn’t droopy before becomes droopy,” Ramanadham said.
“There was a lot of stigma around plastic surgery. Now I think we view it more as a part of overall wellness and improving our self-confidence.”
Dr. Smita Ramanadham
For this, a traditional rhinoplasty, or nose job, can correct the sagging snout. But if you want to avoid surgery, a liquid rhinoplasty using dermal fillers can smooth out bumps, add volume or correct asymmetry.
When to consider surgical solutions
The menopause transition typically lasts around seven years. While it’s a personal choice when to pursue cosmetic procedures, Ramanadham advises patients to wait until the changes in their body have stabilized.
“For example, if you’ve gained weight and you’re actively trying to lose it, we don’t want to operate on a moving target,” she said. “I always tell my patients to get to a stable, happy baseline weight that they can maintain long term first.”
Still, if you’re unhappy with your appearance, starting a conversation with a board-certified plastic surgeon is a good place to begin. “They can tell you if you’re a good candidate and if surgery can provide the goals that you’re looking for.”
Shifting perceptions
Every woman goes through “the change” — so why is the menopause makeover trending today?
Ramanadham believes social media has played a large role in raising awareness about the cosmetic options available and reducing the stigma around them.
“In the past, there was still a lot of stigma around plastic surgery,” she said. “Now I think we view it more as a part of overall wellness and improving our self-confidence.”
People are also living longer and want their outward appearance to reflect the youthful energy they feel on the inside. Ramanadham has patients in their 70s who, despite initial doubts, find that age isn’t necessarily a barrier to surgery.
“We of course make sure all of your doctors are on board and you’re safe for surgery, but if you’re active and this will make you a better version of yourself, then let’s do it,” she said.
For Rodriquez, now 43, the decision to get cosmetic surgery was a personal one that she has no regrets about — even if it took two or three weeks post-op before she could climb the stairs to her bedroom.
“We only have one life, and you should enjoy it to the fullest, ” she said. “Whether it’s something as major as surgery or as simple as Botox, anything that helps you feel better about yourself and stand a little taller at the end of the day is all that really matters.”
