Pregnancy has a dramatic effect on a woman's body, causing the breasts, tummy, legs, and other areas to change shape. Nowadays, plastic surgeons are offering "Mommy Makeover" packages, where you can amend your post-pregnancy body in a single-session surgery. Even if you're typically healthy with your diet and exercise regime, you might want to consider a Mommy Makeover to get your pre-pregnancy body back.
Typical Mommy Makeover Procedures
Whether you just want to make one amendment or completely re-vamp your body, your doctor can tailor your surgery according to your specific needs and requirements. A Mommy Makeover usually includes the following procedures.
A Tummy Tuck
When your tummy has been put under extreme stress due to pregnancy or weight gain and loss, this procedure is the only way to fix the problem. It permanently restores firmness to the stomach while removing any excess skin.
During the procedure, your surgeon will make an incision at the pubic bone and tighten up your tummy muscles. (Once you recover from the operation and your scar has healed, you'll be able to conceal it with swimwear and underwear.) They may also remove pockets of fat with liposuction.
Breast Enhancement
A Mommy Makeover breast enhancement is commonly done through a lift or augmentation.
- Breast Lift - This is for women who are experiencing sagging breasts or loss of breast volume due to pregnancy. A breast lift removes excess skin and remodels the breast tissue to assume a higher position and improve its appearance. It tends to result in scars that go from the nipple down to the breast crease, and sometimes along the crease as well.
- Breast Implants - A lot of women want to have the same breast size as they were pre-pregnancy, or slightly bigger, and implants can help restore fullness and firmness by replacing the tissue that sags after having a baby. You can choose whether you want saline or silicone implants. It's also entirely up to you where exactly you want the implants and the incisions.
Liposuction
Liposuction removes fat through suction-assisted lipectomy (SAL). It involves using a cannula to manually loosen fat and then suction is applied through the cannula. The specialized vacuum-powdered equipment pulls fat from the body to make your frame look slimmer.
However, liposuction can't do anything on its own to treat stretched muscles or excess skin. That's why it's often performed in conjunction with the tummy tuck to contour the waist and blend it into a flattened abdomen. Then, along with a breast procedure, this helps the patient to achieve the body that they had pre-pregnancy.
Other Popular Procedures
Sometimes a Mommy Makeover can also include the following procedures.
Buttock Enhancement
A buttock augmentation can be used to improve the contour, size, and shape of the buttocks through implants and fat grafting. The implants are made from silicone and surgically placed deep within the buttock tissues. You can also have a buttock lift where excess sagging skin and fat are removed to improve the overall shape and tone.
Vagina Rejuvenation
There are many types of vagina rejuvenation surgery; however, the most popular option involved in a Mommy Makeover is known as vaginoplasty. This is where the vagina is tightened in a one to two-hour procedure to eliminate vaginal relaxation, which is a common condition associated with childbirth and aging.
Facial Treatments
Along with other procedures, some post-pregnancy patients might choose to undergo facial rejuvenation at a later date. These include dermal fillers, laser treatments, BOTOX, and blepharoplasty (also known as eyelid lift surgery).
Surgery Times and Costs
When it comes to surgery duration, it largely depends on how many procedures you're having. The general rule is: the more procedures you have, the longer your surgery time will be. However, the biggest concern with multiple procedures in one session relates to the length of time the patient is under anesthesia. A tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast enhancement are usually performed at the same time and take from three to six hours.
In terms of costs, again, it varies substantially depending on the specific procedures, location, and doctor involved. However, it generally ranges from $10,000 to $30,000.
Additional Information
If you're thinking of having a Mommy Makeover, the following tips might be useful.
- Age Range - Whether you're 26 or 68, there's no desired age to undergo a Mommy Makeover. As long as your body is healthy enough, then any age beyond the age of consent is allowed. It's rather a question of timing.
- Timing - Mommy Makeovers are only safe to go ahead with if you're done having children. If you've only just given birth, you'll need to wait for at least six months before you can have surgery. Considering breast enhancement? You'll also need to have stopped breastfeeding to give your doctor a true representation of your breasts.
- Post-treatment Care - Your recovery time will depend on how many procedures you have and how long you're in surgery. Your doctor will issue advice based on your specific case, but it's important to realize that your Mommy Makeover might affect caring for children post-surgery.
Making the Decision
From breast augmentation to vagina rejuvenation, a Mommy Makeover can involve several procedures in one surgery session. If you're considering undergoing a Mommy Makeover, make sure you do your research and consult a qualified doctor to discuss your options. Also, take your time to make the right decision for you and your body.
