Overview
Pregnancies can take their toll on the body. On average, a woman may gain 25 – 30 pounds and that weight is often stored as fatty tissue in the breasts, stomach, hips, buttocks, thighs or lower back. Unfortunately, most bodies do not just snap back into shape after pregnancy. A mommy makeover can help a woman look and feel better about herself by reversing some of the unwanted changes that occur to the body. Proper diet and exercise is always recommended but if it isn’t enough, cosmetic plastic surgery can help renew the body and get it back to the way it used to be. A mommy makeover is a unique combination of plastic surgery procedures designed to counteract the physical effects of childbearing to help restore and enhance the body. This procedure can include breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck, buttock lift, and even liposuction – depending on the patient’s wishes and needs. During the initial consultation at their Lubbock or Midland office, Dr. Schmid or Dr. Mooty of The Lubbock Plastic Surgery Institute will discuss the goals and expectations of the patient before discussing possible options and creating a treatment plan.
What Are the Benefits of A Mommy Makeover?
Lubbock, TX individuals who have a mommy makeover experience a number of benefits from their treatments, such as:
- Undergo more than one aesthetic procedure at a time instead of different healing periods
- Satisfaction with total contour and appearance of your physique, possibly for the first time since before pregnancy
- Treatment of some post-pregnancy imperfections, including stretch marks and loose skin tissue
- Improvement of breast contour, size, and youthfulness
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Surgical Technique
The mommy makeover procedure is uniquely tailored to each patient depending on what body part they want to improve. In most cases, the breasts and tummy are addressed together (though not always). The conditions addressed during surgery, and the surgical technique used will vary.
Breast
- Conditions caused by pregnancy: Loss of volume and/or breast tissue, sagging and/or drooping, excess skin (ptosis), breasts that have become too large.
- Surgeries to consider: Breast augmentation with implants, breast lift, breast augmentation with a lift, breast reduction surgery.
Abdomen
- Conditions caused by pregnancy: Excess fat and/or persistent bulge in the abdomen, sagging and loose skin, stretch marks and other unsightly skin irregularities.
- Surgeries to consider: Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), liposuction of the abdomen.
Lower Body
- Conditions caused by pregnancy: Sagging skin and excess fat in the buttocks, hips and thighs.
- Surgeries to consider: Lower body lift including liposuction and skin tightening of the buttocks, hips and thighs.
During/After Surgery
All mommy makeovers are performed under general anesthesia in an accredited surgical facility. Depending on how many techniques are combined, the surgery could last multiple hours. It is common for patients to have a short hospital stay with this surgery. Most women will require a full month to recover, but many will be able to return to work within 2 weeks. The results will reveal themselves in multiple stages as the breast implants settle into their natural placement and the incisions begin to heal. It generally takes a full year for all of the changes to make their final appearance.
Mommy Makeover FAQs
Is It Safe?
There are always risks to consider when contemplating surgery. When procedures are combined, those risks can increase. Therefore, it is important to find an experienced cosmetic surgeon who is skilled in performing multiple procedures in one setting. Ultimately, a combination procedure can have numerous benefits, including only having to undergo surgery once — which means only one recovery and one fee.
Is It Safe?
There are always risks to consider when contemplating surgery. When procedures are combined, those risks can increase. Therefore, it is important to find an experienced cosmetic surgeon who is skilled in performing multiple procedures in one setting. Ultimately, a combination procedure can have numerous benefits, including only having to undergo surgery once — which means only one recovery and one fee.
What if I get Pregnant?
In a perfect world, women would wait to have a mommy makeover until after all pregnancies have been completed so the surgical results are not compromised. Generally, any body part that has been lifted or tightened would be at risk for stretching out if a subsequent pregnancy were to occur.
What About Stretch Marks?
If stretch marks exist on an area of the body (i.e. breast, tummy, etc.) that is going to be lifted and tightened, they may be removed when the excess skin is trimmed away. For any stretch marks left behind, as well as any other skin irregularities that may exist, there are skin-rejuvenating techniques that can help fade and remove these imperfections.
Will I Have Scars?
Scarring will occur with almost any cosmetic procedure. However, every effort is made to place and close the incisions carefully so that scarring is minimized. Scarring eventually fades into faint lines and can be concealed by undergarments and bathing suits. Most patients feel that the physical results following a mommy makeover far outweigh the scarring left behind.