What is a mommy makeover?
Having kids changes a woman’s body, and things don’t always return to how they were. Ridgewood Plastic Surgery’s skilled cosmetic surgeons can help women restore their pre-pregnancy breast and body shapes, even improving upon them through personalized procedures.
Exactly what is a mommy makeover?
The term “mommy makeover” refers to a set of cosmetic procedures designed to restore or better a woman’s appearance pre-pregnancy by addressing common effects of childbearing and aging on the face, breasts, and body. In addition to cosmetic surgery, non-surgical treatments can also be incorporated into mommy makeovers.
What are the benefits of a mommy makeover?
There are many lasting effects of pregnancy on your appearance, such as sagging breasts, stretched abdominal muscles, and excess, loose skin. Despite a healthy diet and exercise, many women are discouraged when their breasts and bodies do not return to their pre-pregnancy shapes. With a mommy makeover, you can restore the appearance you desire and feel more like yourself, improving your comfort level and self-esteem.
Patients often have one or more of these goals when they undergo a mommy makeover:
- Restore volume to the breasts and correct sagging
- Enhance the symmetry of the breast
- Repair stretched or large nipple/areola
- Get rid of excess, sagging abdominal skin
- Stretched or separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) are repaired
- Get rid of fat pockets that resist diets and exercise
- Improve the way clothing and swimsuits fit
What is the best time to have a mommy makeover?
When deciding when one should have a mommy makeover and what procedures to have, it is mostly up to you and your cosmetic surgeon to decide; however, there are certain things to keep in mind.
Before undergoing surgery, you must be fully recovered from childbirth.
Wait several months after you finish breastfeeding before considering breast surgery to allow the breasts to stabilize.
You may not be able to receive certain non-surgical treatments while breastfeeding, such as injectables.
Usually, it is best to wait until you have finished having children before undergoing surgical “lifting” procedures, such as a 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 as interim procedures.
Lifting anything over 5-10 pounds is not permitted after a surgical mommy makeover. In the first few weeks after surgery, childcare will be needed, especially if your children are young.
My mommy makeover options: what are they?
As pregnancy and childbirth have a significant effect on the breasts and body, mommy makeovers often include breast enhancement and body contouring. You may, however, select any procedures that help you address your individual concerns during your mommy makeover. The following are some common mommy makeover procedures women choose.
Surgical procedures
Most mommy makeover patients undergo one or more surgical procedures. The patient can often improve multiple areas with only one surgery and recovery period by performing multiple procedures during a single operation.
- Breast augmentation
- Breast lift
- Tummy tuck
- Liposuction
- Feminine rejuvenation
Non-surgical procedures
Non-surgical treatments have become increasingly popular in mommy makeover plans. People who are planning to have more children as well as those who cannot take several weeks off to recover from surgery may benefit from such treatments. For the right patients, non-surgical treatments can still bring significant improvements despite less dramatic results than surgery.
- A non-surgical method of reducing fat
- Treatments for skin tightening
- Reduction of cellulite
- Non-surgical feminine rejuvenation
- Injectables: Botox & fillers
- Treatments for skin resurfacing
What life is like after a mommy makeover
Since mommy makeovers are customized to a patient’s needs and goals, surgery protocols and recovery times may differ. As a general rule, you should expect a recovery similar to the most extensive procedure you are having (typically, a tummy tuck).
Patients often have their procedures when their children are very young. This allows them to return to their desired appearance sooner, but childcare during recovery must be carefully planned. After surgery, lifting is restricted for 4 to 6 weeks; if you need to pick up or carry a child, someone else needs to do it while you heal.
Your final results will also depend on the procedures you undergo. The majority of patients are able to wear a swimsuit within three months of surgery.
Performing a mommy makeover at Ridgewood Plastic Surgery can be a rewarding procedure with long-lasting results.