Mommy makeover
Pregnancy and child birth are amongst the most rewarding experiences of woman’s life. Having kids changes a woman’s body, and things don’t always go back to the way they were before. A skilled cosmetic surgeon can help address the effects of childbearing on your body, restoring a woman’s pre-baby shape or even improving upon it through personalized procedures for the breasts, abdomen and rest.
“Mommy makeover” is a catch-all phrase that refers to a specialized set of body contouring procedures, performed to improve the physical changes that linger long after pregnancy. One reason for its popularity is that the mommy makeover has no set components; each procedure is custom-tailored to fit the individual patient’s unique needs and wants.
1) Breast Reduction
2) Tummy Tuck
3) Liposuction
4) Vaginal Rejuvenation
How can a mommy makeover benefit me?
Pregnancy can leave lasting—and often unwanted—effects on your appearance, such as sagging breasts, stretched abdominal muscles, collections of fat that are resistant to exercise and loose, excess skin. Many women are discouraged when their body does not return to their pre-pregnancy shape, even with a healthy diet and exercise. By addressing these unwanted changes of pregnancy and restoring the appearance you desire, a mommy makeover can help you feel more like yourself, improving your comfort and self-confidence.
Each patient has her own personal goals with her mommy makeover, which often include one or more of the following:
- Correct sagging and restore volume to breasts
- Improve breast symmetry
- Repair stretched or large nipple/areola
- Remove excess, sagging skin from the abdomen
- Repair stretched or separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti)
- Reduce pockets of diet- and exercise-resistant fat in arm, thighs, flanks
- Improve the way clothing and swimsuits fit
When should I have a mommy makeover?
Determining the right time for a mommy makeover is largely a personal decision between you and your cosmetic surgeon; however, there are certain factors to consider when timing a mommy makeover and choosing the procedures you will have.
You must be fully recovered from childbirth before undergoing surgery.
If you are considering breast surgery, you should wait until several months after you are finished breastfeeding to allow the breasts to return to a stable size and shape.
Certain non-surgical treatments, such as injectables, may not be recommended while you are still breastfeeding.
Typically, it is best to wait until you are finished having children and completing your family before undergoing surgical “lifting” procedures, such as tummy tuck, breast lift, or lower body lift surgery; if you plan to become pregnant again in the future, non-surgical body contouring and skin treatments can be cost-effective options for interim treatments.
If you are having a surgical mommy makeover, you will not be allowed to lift anything over 5-10 lbs. for the first few weeks after surgery; you will need help with childcare during this time, especially if you have younger children.
- Faintness
- Swelling of the eyes, face, lips or tongue
- Tightness of the throat
- Difficulty breathing
Breast reduction/augmentation/lift
Breast lift and fat grafting as an alternative to breast implants
When it comes to breastfeeding, the combination of time, gravity and weight changes can cause the breast tissue and nipple position to sag, resulting in a shape that is more of a sagging ellipsel than round. There can be a loss of volume at the upper portion of the breast, accumulation of breast tissue in the outer and lower breast quadrants and down-turning of the nipple position.
A breast lift is a procedure that lifts the nipple position higher on the breast as well as lifting the sagging breast tissue, resulting in a rounder, perkier breast that sits higher on the chest wall.
A breast lift may be performed in conjunction with fat grafting, or as a standalone procedure. Fat grafting involves liposuction of either the abdomen, thighs, flanks or bra line to remove fat, which is then processed and transferred to the breast. Fat grafting can provide a subtle increase in breast volume and can round out the upper, inner portion of the breast, an area that frequently is “deflated” postpartum.
Some patients also want to include some liposuction to eliminate unwanted fat around the back and underarm bra line, to enhance the silhouette of the upper body.
Tummy tuck
The “tummy tuck,” or abdominoplasty, has always been a popular procedure, but recent history has seen a massive increase in the number of procedures performed, and the demand continues to rise. One of the fastest growing reasons young women are turning to the surgery is to regain their pre-pregnancy figure. For many women, diet and exercise are simply not enough to deal with the problems of excess skin and stretched abdominal muscles and fascia that follow pregnancy. For these women, a tummy tuck is the only way to handle the problem.
Pregnancy & your tummy
Giving birth is one of the most wonderful experiences in life, but it comes at a price. A lot of women experience some sagging in the lower area of their abdomen after delivering their child. Unfortunately, no amount of exercise and diet will be able to make this pouch completely disappear. This is often because of two distinct contributing factors. The first is that much of the affected area is excess skin that has no where to go. Remember, there’s no exercise that reduces excess skin.
How a tummy tuck can help
A standard tummy tuck is specifically designed to tighten the ab muscles, remove excess skin, and contour the lower abdomen. While it is a routine procedure, it is also remarkably extensive, resulting in long recovery times and more discomfort than many other cosmetic surgery procedures. There are a few variations to the procedure, depending on whether or not you have diastasis recti, its severity, and how much extra fat and loose skin you have. Most women can expect a minimum of 10 to 14 days before returning to normal activities.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that is used to remove stubborn pockets of fat in different areas of the body. Contrary to popular belief, liposuction is not a method of weight loss. Instead, it is a contouring procedure, used to improve the proportions of the body.
There are many different types of liposuction, each one using three key elements:
- A cannula, or a device used to extract the fat
- A device that suctions the fat through the cannula
- A fluid that is injected prior to the procedure, making the fat safe to remove
Am I a candidate?
Because liposuction is not a weight loss method, the ideal candidate for liposuction is in relatively good shape and around their ideal body weight. Even despite regular exercise, candidates for liposuction can experience stubborn pockets that won’t budge. In addition to the above, liposuction candidates should have good skin elasticity, which will allow it to conform to the new, slimmer contours. If this is not the case, liposuction will not only produce zero improvement, but it will also make you look worse, as the fat underneath the skin is what’s holding the skin tight. When the fat is removed, semi-loose skin will become very loose skin. This is a condition very common to moms. Moms, after having children, almost always have some degree of looseness to their skin, making them very dangerous candidates for liposuction. Candidacy for liposuction is best discovered in a live consultation
Liposuction after pregnancy may correct stubborn pockets of fat in the following areas:
- Abdomen
- Flanks
- Back
- Saddlebags, or outer thighs
- Inner thighs
- Knees
- Upper arms
What is vaginal rejuvenation?
Vaginal rejuvenation is a broad term that describes various vaginal corrective procedures. Due to causes ranging from childbirth and aging to genetics, your vagina and its surrounding tissues may lose elasticity and strength. This leads to several issues like incontinence (leaking urine), vaginal dryness, sagging skin and lack of sexual pleasure. Many women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB) look to vaginal rejuvenation to improve these conditions and restore the look and function of their vagina. There are surgical and nonsurgical options for vaginal rejuvenation.
Who needs vaginoplasty?
- Individuals seeking repair of childbirth defects or trauma to improve sexual function.
- Women who need vaginal reconstruction after undergoing radiation or excision of the vagina to treat cancer or other conditions.
- Transgender individuals undergoing gender affirmation surgery.
- Women born with congenital abnormalities (issues present from birth) affecting the development of the vagina.
Why do people get vaginal rejuvenation?
People get vaginal rejuvenation to address common issues associated with having children or menopause, including vaginal looseness, lack of lubrication and loss of sexual intimacy. Treatment can help minimize these symptoms as well as:
- Loose skin around the vagina.
- Decreased libido.
- Excess dryness.
- Painful sex.
- Loss of sensation and sexual satisfaction.
- Lack of confidence or low self-esteem.
What are the benefits of vaginal rejuvenation?
- Increase vaginal sensitivity and sensations.
- Strengthen weak vaginal and pelvic muscles.
- Improve painful intercourse.
- Enhance the appearance of your vulvar area (labia, clitoris or vaginal opening).
Are there any complications associated with vaginal rejuvenation?
Not all vaginal rejuvenation treatment has been proven safe or effective. There are several risks associated with vaginal rejuvenation (with increased risk for surgical treatments):
- Pain.
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- Scarring.
- Painful sex (dyspareunia).