Get Your Pre-Baby Body Back
If you are a mom whose body has been ransacked by pregnancy and you’re ready for a change, a mommy makeover could be just what the doctor ordered. To be a good candidate, ideally it will have been six months to a year since you had your last baby and you aren’t planning on having more.
WHAT DOES A MOMMY MAKEOVER DO?
A mommy makeover typically rejuvenates a woman’s abdomen and breasts. The three most common procedures performed during a mommy makeover include a tummy tuck, breast surgery, and excess fat removal. Here is a breakdown:
Tummy Tuck
Pregnancy can sometimes cause the abdominal muscles to pull too far apart, resulting in diastasis recti, which leaves a protruding belly that puts extra strain on the back. An abdominoplasty (a.k.a. tummy tuck)can help correct this by sewing the abdominal muscles together much like a corset. Skin that has lost its
elasticity (ability to shrink back) and is peppered with stretch marks or has a crepe paper appearance can be pulled tight and the excess removed. The end result is a tighter core and aflatter tummy.
Breast Surgery
A breast lift will remove excess skin and reposition the nipple/areola higher on the breast to make them perkier. A breast reduction can remove the excess breast tissue and skin and reposition the nipple/areola. A breast augmentation can help restore breasts that have lost volume and size through inserting an implant (siliconeor saline) under the breast tissue to fill out the breasts. Some moms might need a combination of these for the right affect.
Fat Removal
Stubborn pockets of fat can be removed to smooth and contour the abdomen. Liposuction is still the most popular procedure during a mommy makeover, but there are other non-invasive ways of eliminating excess fat, such as CoolSculpting.
BEFORE GOING UNDER THE KNIFE
“A mommy makeover can help a woman feel stronger and more like herself after pregnancy, but no one should rush into surgery without careful consideration,” said Constance M. Chen, MD.
Here are her guidelines for deciding when a mommy makeover is advisable and will produce the best results:
Be in good health and at your goal weight. Don’t use surgery as a shortcut to weight loss.
Exhaust the possibility of exercise correcting the problem. Don’t use surgery to achieve what can be accomplished with exercise.
It’s best to defer surgery until your family is complete. A subsequent pregnancy can undo the results of a mommy makeover.
Have realistic goals and expectations for the outcome of surgery.
Make sure you have the needed support for your recovery period.
