Leah McSweeney's Cosmetic Surgery Journey
While many of us were engaged in the hustle and bustle of buying last-minute holiday presents and filling stockings, Leah McSweeney of The Real Housewives of New York City was receiving a Christmas gift of her own: a "refreshed and enhanced" chest. The reality TV star and fashion designer took to Instagram on Saturday to disclose the news of her breast lift and augmentation, which she obtained four days earlier from Dr. Daniel Maman, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City.
Cosmetic surgery was not a matter that McSweeney seriously contemplated until quite recently. She underwent rhinoplasty in September with Dr. Maman. After a favorable experience, she made up her mind to address the alterations that pregnancy, breastfeeding, and aging had brought to her breasts. We caught up with the RHONY star during her recuperation to discuss her recent procedures and why she deems it crucial to be forthright when it comes to cosmetic endeavors.
RealSelf: Why did you decide to have a breast lift and augmentation at this point?
Leah McSweeney: I've had remarkable breasts since I was 14. Seriously, if you could have seen how my breasts looked when I was 18... they seemed almost unreal. I had large, naturally pert breasts. However, obviously, your body undergoes changes after having a child, and I breastfed for 15 months. As I've aged, my body has simply transformed. I now have a slimmer figure - I used to be somewhat more curvaceous - but it wasn't as if I looked at my breasts and thought, "Ugh, they're repulsive or anything of that sort. I mean, I was on national television exposing them without any qualms! I believed they appeared fine, and I had no issues. But for approximately the past 10 years, I've contemplated it. I didn't desire them to be significantly larger, but I wanted them to be positioned higher and to have a touch of rejuvenation.
I'm delighted that I waited for this surgery - and for the nose job, which was what I truly desired - because I wanted to wait until I was mature enough to be certain. If I had had the opportunity at 18 to make alterations to myself, I might have done things that I would later regret. But I'm a 38-year-old woman, and I think at this juncture, I know myself and my body well enough to make a decision I won't lament. It also seems that in the past few years, the kinds of procedures doctors perform have made significant progress. So I'm very content that I waited, and I'm very glad that I went through with it. And could I have waited longer? Possibly, but I just thought, Why delay until I'm 40 or 45 or 50? Let me do it now.
RS: Did you always plan on undertaking both a breast lift and a breast augmentation, or did you consider doing just one or the other?
LM: I actually entered the consultation saying, "I want my bosoms to be lifted higher. Should we insert an implant? What should we do?" And Dr. Maman explained everything to me. For a moment, I considered only having the lift, but I knew I wouldn't be satisfied with that because [my breasts] wouldn't feel as full, as they would shrink with just a lift. So I opted for a really small implant - I think we used 140cc - and I'm the same size as before: 34C. It was essentially about restoring the volume.
RS: How did you discover your doctor, Dr. Daniel Maman?
LM: He actually performed my nose surgery as well. I initially got his name from my dermatologist, Dr. Rita Linkner, and I knew one person who had undergone a procedure with him. I was choosing between him and another doctor for my nose, and I chose him for various reasons, but I'm extremely glad I did because he's such a wonderful person. I mean, you're entrusting your life and your appearance to someone else, and with my nose, I was previously so frightened that I'd wake up and detest the result - but I had a strong intuitive feeling that Dr. Maman was the right choice.
RS: Why did you decide to have your rhinoplasty first and then your breast procedures three months later?
LM: You know, I have a mother who is like a natural beauty, and she doesn't even approve of my getting Botox. She believes that I'm going too far and being overly indulgent, so I had to proceed very cautiously with her. I was petrified to even tell her about this!
RS: How did she respond?
LM: Well, she's not overjoyed, and she's made me promise that this is the final thing I'll do. She says that if I do one more thing, she won't speak to me again. But I think she simply comes from a different era and has a different perspective, and I respect that and understand it. I don't agree with it, but I get it.
RS: You chose to share the news of your plastic surgeries, not only with your family but also with the entire world. Why did you decide to announce it on social media, and what has the reaction been?
LM: People are going to say whatever they please, like, "Oh, now that you're on the show, you're doing it." But so what? Maybe even if I weren't on the show, I'd still be doing it this year. And if I hadn't come forward and mentioned something about my nose, no one would have ever been able to tell, because it's such a minor, subtle change. But at the same time, it truly bothers me - when someone like JLo claims she looks the way she does because of olive oil, it's just so incorrect. I understand that everyone has the right to their privacy if they wish, but I just don't see any disgrace in plastic surgery. I do think everything should be in moderation, and people undoubtedly can go over the top, but that's why it's necessary to be able to have discussions about it, because if you don't, that's when [it] becomes a problem.
RS: There has been an effort to reduce the stigma associated with cosmetic surgery in recent years, and many members of the Real Housewives franchise have notably been at the forefront. Do you think your role on RHONY has allowed you to be more upfront about your operations?
LM: I think it's definitely given people the opportunity to have an opinion on it! But I started getting Botox and having my lips treated at 30 years old. I've always been concerned about and highly preoccupied with my skin, visiting dermatologists and undergoing lasers and peels and all that, so this isn't new to me. But I do think undergoing surgery was a bold step. You know, I'd never even had surgery before my nose, so when deciding to have [the breast lift and augmentation], a significant part of it was that I'd had a good experience with my doctor and recovery - not that it was a breeze - and I felt at ease having my breasts done as well.
RS: How has your breast recovery been, in comparison to after your nose job?
LM: They are quite distinct. It's very intriguing because, obviously, it's a cosmetic procedure and it's not life-saving or anything similar, but you're so vulnerable and in need of assistance, and I'm a single woman. So I think with my nose, I learned that I couldn't handle everything on my own. It was just me and my daughter, who was helpful, but she's a child. So, this time, I splurged and hired a nurse for the first 24 hours, and it truly made a difference. Since then, my recovery has been smooth, but you honestly don't even realize how frequently you utilize your pectoral muscles until you need them and can't have them, so that aspect hasn't been easy. I have a strong urge to exercise, but I can't - and that's likely been the most challenging part, both with the nose and the breasts. But otherwise, it hasn't been too bad!
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