In this episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma sits down with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hisham Seify of Newport Beach for a thoughtful conversation about how aesthetic medicine has evolved — and how it increasingly overlaps with integrative health, longevity, and midlife wellness.

Over the past two decades, aesthetic goals have shifted dramatically. The focus is no longer “bigger” or dramatically altered — it’s healthier, more natural, and aligned with overall wellbeing. Together, Dr. Soma and Dr. Seify explore what that means for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

They discuss common midlife changes including post-pregnancy abdominal laxity, breast sagging and volume shifts, facial aging around the eyes and neck, and how genetics and lifestyle factors — including sun exposure, stress, inflammation, smoking, alcohol, and diet — influence how we age.

Dr. Seify explains the difference between non-surgical and surgical facial options by decade, how he defines “natural” rejuvenation (often referencing younger photographs rather than filtered trends), and how he counsels patients influenced by social media aesthetics like the “cat eye.”

The episode also explores regenerative aesthetics, including: • Exosomes (used locally in accordance with FDA regulations for skin rejuvenation and hair restoration) • Advances in micro-fat and nano-fat grafting • Laser treatments as part of long-term skin maintenance

They address breast changes during midlife — including fat redistribution, glandular loss, ptosis, and large-breast symptoms — and review options such as lift, augmentation (with implants or fat), reduction, and advances in breast cancer reconstruction.

Dr. Seify also shares insight into his practice’s GLP-1 weight-management clinic using medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, discussing how weight loss affects surgical candidacy, timing, medical clearance, and the importance of weight stability before surgery.

The conversation debunks common misconceptions: • Surgery will not make you look like someone else • Liposuction does not prevent weight gain • Aging does not stop • Botox and fillers are powerful tools — but only when used conservatively

Above all, this episode emphasizes safety, research, and choosing board-certified surgeons through reputable professional societies — and pursuing aesthetic procedures for yourself, not for trends.

00:00 – Welcome + Medical Disclaimer 00:52 – Meet Dr. Hisham Seify: Modern Plastic Surgery Meets Longevity 01:53 – How Beauty Standards Changed: From “Bigger” to Natural + Healthy Aging 02:38 – Midlife Body Changes & the “Mommy Makeover” Timeline 03:35 – Facial Aging by Decade: Non-Surgical vs Facelift/Neck Lift 04:17 – What Really Drives Aging: Sun, Lifestyle, Stress & Inflammation 05:33 – Genetics and Defining “Natural” Results in Rejuvenation 07:02 – Regenerative Aesthetics Explained: Exosomes, Lasers & Integrative Protocols 08:48 – Breast Changes in Perimenopause/Menopause: Lift, Augmentation, Reduction 10:12 – GLP-1 Weight Loss Meds in Aesthetic Practice: What Changes for Surgery 13:26 – Timing Surgery After Weight Loss: Stability, Labs & Long-Term Outcomes 14:13 – The “Cat Eye” Trend: When Aesthetic Requests Go Too Far 15:04 – Social Media vs Reality: Setting Safe, Realistic Expectations 16:18 – Working With Other Doctors: Timing, Labs & Medical Clearance 17:12 – Recovery Factors That Matter: Nutrition, Sleep, Stress & Smoking 18:18 – Biggest Plastic Surgery Myths (Celebrity Noses, Lipo & Aging) 19:22 – Overrated Trends: Botox & Fillers — Great Tools, Risky When Overdone 20:16 – What’s Next in Aesthetics: Fat Grafting & Minimally Invasive Rejuvenation 22:44 – What “Aging Well” Really Means (Beyond Surgery) 24:39 – Final Takeaways: Research, Board Certification & Safety First 25:18 – Where to Find Trusted Surgeons + Dr. Seify’s Resources

🎙 Connect with Dr. Hisham Seify Website: https://newportplastic.com Location: Newport Beach, California

🎙 Connect with Dr. Soma Website: https://somamandalmd.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SomaSays/videos

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with a woman navigating midlife who wants clarity — not confusion — about aging and aesthetics.

In this intimate solo episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma explores a quiet but powerful experience many women face in midlife: the growing sense that the professional identity that once fit no longer feels aligned.

Rather than framing this discomfort as burnout, failure, or ingratitude, Dr. Soma reframes it as information—a signal of growth, clarity, and evolving values. Drawing from her clinical experience and lived insight, she unpacks how biological shifts, emotional maturity, and deeper self-awareness intersect to change our relationship with work during midlife.

You’ll hear Dr. Soma describe the three most common paths of professional change in midlife—the quiet pivot, the parallel expansion, and the full reinvention—and why none of them mean you chose “wrong” earlier in your career. This episode is an invitation to pause, listen inward, and trust yourself during a season of recalibration.

If you’ve ever thought “Everything looks good on paper—so why does this feel different?”, this conversation is for you.

00:00 — Introduction and setting the scene 00:33 — Understanding midlife professional change 02:12 — The biological and emotional impact of midlife 06:30 — The three types of midlife professional change 08:53 — Signals and challenges women often ignore 11:01 — Final reflections, reassurance, and permission to trust yourself

🌐 Website: https://somamandalmd.com 🎙️ Subscribe to Soma Says on Apple Podcasts 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SomaSays

If this episode resonated, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review — it helps more women find conversations that honor midlife as a time of clarity, not crisis.

And if you know a woman quietly questioning her professional life, consider sharing this episode with her. Sometimes permission is the most powerful gift we can offer.

In this insightful episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal sits down with Kristen Blake, a functional nutritionist and women’s wellness coach dedicated to helping women heal from the inside out.

Kristen shares the personal health struggles that led her to build Kristen Blake Wellness, and walks listeners through her root-cause approach—a method that integrates personalized nutrition, targeted lifestyle changes, and nervous system support to address the deeper imbalances driving symptoms.

Together, Soma and Kristen explore the foundations of women’s metabolic and hormonal health: • the connection between gut health and hormone balance, • how blood sugar impacts mood, energy, and midlife weight changes, • the role of functional lab testing, • the effects of chronic stress on metabolism, and • how to break free from diet culture and rebuild a nurturing relationship with food.

They also highlight the importance of collaborative care between nutritionists and physicians to support women through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.

This conversation is a must-listen for any woman navigating midlife who wants to feel energized, balanced, and deeply supported in her body.

00:00 — Introduction and Disclaimer 00:52 — Meet Kristen Blake: A Journey to Wellness 01:31 — Kristen’s Personal Health Struggles 02:22 — Discovering the Power of Nutrition 03:31 — From Personal Healing to Professional Practice 05:09 — The Importance of Root Cause Wellness 12:19 — Functional Lab Testing Explained 15:12 — Gut Health and Hormone Balance 18:50 — Reframing Food and Diet Culture 21:17 — Balancing Blood Sugar for Better Health 22:02 — Building Trust with Patients 23:31 — Overcoming Limiting Beliefs 25:08 — The Impact of Stress on Women’s Health 28:31 — Morning Routines for Better Health 30:34 — Collaborative Care for Women’s Health 31:31 — Debunking Nutrition and Hormone Myths 34:34 — Embracing Aging and Healthspan 39:22 — What’s Next for Kristen Blake Wellness

🌐 Website: https://www.kristenblakewellness.com 📸 Instagram: @kristenblakewellness 💼 Coaching & Programs: Available via her website

🌐 Website: https://www.somamandalmd.com 🏥 Medical Director of Women’s Health — Hackensack Meridian Health, JSUMC 📚 Midlife Masala — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo & BookBub 🎧 Soma Says Podcast — Apple Podcasts & YouTube (@SomaSays) 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsomamandalmd 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somamandalmd

If this episode helped you understand your body, hormones, or health habits more deeply, please follow, subscribe, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps more women discover science-based, compassionate guidance for thriving in midlife.