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What is a Mommy Makeover Surgery?

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What is a Mommy Makeover SurgeryEvery mother has her own experiences and views on parenting, but nearly all of them agree on one thing: “it’s tough, but it’s worth it.” On top of the countless responsibilities of parenthood, most mothers are also left with self-consciousness about their post-pregnancy figure. Even after you’ve returned to your pre-pregnancy weight, there are certain changes the biological process of childbearing causes which simply cannot be resolved with diet and exercise. That’s where a mommy makeover comes in.

Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t a specific surgery called a “mommy makeover.” Instead, the common term refers to the technique of combining multiple cosmetic procedures, each aimed at repairing certain physical changes that come from pregnancy and early motherhood, into one surgery. With the effects breastfeeding and pregnancy have on the breasts and the abdominal area, this usually means that a mommy makeover will include one or two breast procedures as well as one or two body procedures. Every woman’s surgery is designed to fit her unique needs and goals, but here’s a look at what a mommy makeover generally includes:

Breast Procedures

In general, there are three breast surgeries which are commonly used as part of a mommy makeover: breast augmentation (with breast implants), breast reduction, and a breast lift. The first two aim to either increase the size of breasts which have lost volume through the childbearing process or decrease the size of uncomfortably large breasts. A breast lift, on the other hand, keeps the breasts the same size while removing excess skin and repositioning the nipple to give the breasts a more youthful look. In many cases, patients want to improve both the size and the position of their breasts, so a mommy makeover often includes both a breast lift AND either a breast augmentation or a breast reduction.

Body Procedures

It’s highly common for a woman who has always been slender to have a very different shape after having one or more children. Even if you’ve returned to the same weight you were before pregnancy, stretched abdominal muscles, loose skin, and a stubborn new fat distribution can cause you to be less confident in your physique. For this reason, mommy makeovers generally include liposuction, a tummy tuck, or both.

A tummy tuck removes the excess skin which has resulted from the fast gain and loss of belly size, and it can also repair the stretched abdominal muscles which give many mothers that visible “pooch” that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise. Liposuction, on the other hand, purely focuses on removing unwanted fat. During a mommy makeover, it’s often used around the abdomen, “love handles,” thighs, “saddlebags,” or hips. However, liposuction can be performed for nearly any area of the body.

Women who have smaller amounts of excess skin and fat may not need the full, traditional tummy tuck and liposuction. If this is the case, you may be a candidate for my Band Aid Liposuction and/or Band Aid Tummy Tuck—unique mini surgeries I developed to serve as minimally invasive versions of these popular procedures. Like my other “Band Aid” procedures, these surgeries only require half the recovery time compared to their more comprehensive counterparts, and they’re performed in-office with gentle numbing.

Parents sacrifice many things in their efforts to give their children the best upbringing they can—time, energy, money, relaxation, and the list could go on and on. But with all the options available in cosmetic medicine today, there’s no need to sacrifice your self-confidence, too. To discuss your options for taking control of your appearance and becoming your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, for more plastic surgery tips and helpful articles, join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Procedures to Complement Your Band Aid Facelift

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For Atlanta patients with enough aging to prompt action but not enough to justify the expense and recovery time of a traditional facelift, my Band Aid Facelift has served as a happy medium for nearly 20 years. But sadly, aging doesn’t just happen to one localized area, so while your “problem areas” may have been effectively rejuvenated with your Band Aid Facelift, over time, the results can be diminished as signs of aging worsen in untreated areas. The good news is that there are also minimally invasive surgeries which target these other areas of the face, many of which can be performed in-office with gentle numbing, so you can get back to looking your best.

Procedures to Complement Your Band Aid FaceliftBand Aid Eyelid Surgery

Also called Band Aid Blepharoplasty, this surgery focuses on either remedying sagging skin that’s giving the upper eyelids a “hooded” appearance, or smoothing “bags under the eyes,” or sometimes both. Like my other Band Aid procedures, this eyelid surgery is minimally invasive and is performed in-office using gentle numbing, resulting in less downtime, less bruising, less swelling, and less scarring. However, I do offer a traditional eyelid surgery with general anesthesia as well for patients who prefer that option.

Band Aid Brow Lift

For patients whose wrinkles and skin laxity have become concentrated on their forehead area, a Band Aid Brow Lift may be the best choice. This procedure can remove excess skin while also lifting the brow line to a more youthful and flattering shape.

Band Aid Liposuction

While most patients hear “liposuction” and immediately think of areas like the abdomen and thighs, my minimally invasive version is also a popular way to remove stubborn fat from the “double chin” area. This fat can make even thin and healthy people appear both older and heavier, but Band Aid Liposuction performed in my office uses tiny incisions for very little scarring.

Neck Lift

While some can achieve the results they want with only liposuction beneath the chin, for others, their cosmetic concerns are caused by lax skin instead. In this case, a neck lift allows me to excise the sagging skin and tighten the underlying muscles for a smoother and younger look. If you have excess fat in the area along with aging skin, we may be able to combine your neck lift with liposuction as well.

The bottom line is that looking youthful and feeling happy with your appearance isn’t a one-time job. Aging can be slowed (to an extent) but it doesn’t stop, so a series of minimally invasive, convenient procedures offers an approach that’s customized to meet your specific needs and priorities as time goes by. To discuss how we can help you become your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more helpful tips, special offers, and the latest news in plastic surgery, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Your Guide to Plastic Surgery after Dramatic Weight Loss

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Every patient has his or her own unique reasons for seeking plastic surgery. For many, it’s to reverse the effect aging has slowly had on their appearance. For others, it’s to finally give themselves the gift of correcting an issue they’ve struggled with for years, like a bump on their nose or asymmetrical breasts. But there is a select group of plastic surgery patients whose goal is to finish a journey toward improved health and confidence they’ve been working on for months or years: post-weight loss patients. For these dedicated individuals who have lost extensive amounts of weight, excess sagging skin can sour their victory by leaving them with discomfort and a less desirable appearance than they had envisioned. Fortunately, cosmetic surgery offers a variety of options for many areas of the face and body.

Your Guide to Plastic Surgery after Dramatic Weight LossNeck Lift

While most patients associate a neck lift with facial rejuvenation, the procedure can also be an effective way to repair the sagging skin left behind after excess fat under the chin has been eliminated. This lax skin can make you look larger than you are, even after you’ve reached your goal weight, so a neck lift can help you look both thinner and younger.

Arm Lift or Band Aid Arm Lift

Aging alone can cause the skin below the upper arm to sag, but weight fluctuations can accelerate and exacerbate the process. The decision between a traditional arm lift (or brachioplasty) and Band Aid Brachioplasty will depend on the degree of excess skin you have, but in both cases, the incisions are made as discretely as possible based on your specific needs.

Breast Lift or Male Breast Reduction

The chest area (for both men and women) is not immune from skin laxity. For women, the result is often breasts that are lower than the patient wishes they would be, and in this case, a breast lift can return them to a more youthful position. For men, excess tissue can create the appearance of breasts, and this concern can typically be addressed with a male breast reduction, which removes the unnecessary skin and breast tissue for a more contoured chest.

Tummy Tuck or Band Aid Tummy Tuck

One of the most popular post-weight loss plastic surgeries is the tummy tuck, which removes loose skin from the abdominal area and, if necessary, also repairs separated abdominal muscles and reduces excess fat. For those who have a smaller amount of unwanted skin, my Band Aid Tummy Tuck may be the best option. Like the other Band Aid procedures I’ve developed, this surgery is minimally-invasive, and can be performed with gentle numbing in my comfortable office setting, resulting in significantly less recovery time and scarring.

Liposuction or Band Aid Liposuction

While it may seem strange to discuss surgical fat removal for patients who have just finished losing a large amount of fat, some patients find themselves with stubborn areas which simply will not respond to diet and exercise. In these situations, either traditional liposuction or Band Aid Liposuction (depending on the amount of fat to be removed) can be the perfect finishing touch for weight loss patients to give them the aesthetic contours they’ve been looking for.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, my goal is to help every patient be their most confident and beautiful self, whether that means restoring a more youthful facial appearance or giving them newly-defined body contours. If you’re ready to make 2016 the year you’re truly happy with your look, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, to stay up-to-date on the latest plastic surgery news, special offers, and other helpful information, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Tips for Making the Most of Your Band Aid Plastic Surgery

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Featured in the latest issue of Atlanta Magazine, my Band Aid plastic surgery procedures have become a popular way for patients to address a number of cosmetic concerns with less scarring, downtime, and cost than traditional plastic surgery, and with only gentle numbing instead of general anesthesia. Band Aid procedures are only available with me, Dr. John LeRoy, and while you’ll be in good hands with a double board-certified plastic surgeon, there are also steps you can take to make your procedure as successful as possible.

  • atlanta plastic surgeonFollow all instructions closely. At your pre-surgical consultation, I’ll give you instructions for both before and after your surgery, including medications to avoid, directions for caring for your incision, activity limitations, and more. Following these instructions closely is rule #1 for ensuring the safest and best possible results.
  • Make sure you choose the right procedure for your needs. This may seem like a no-brainer, but there are probably more options than you think. For example, if your goal is to look younger, do you need a Band Aid Facelift, a Band Aid Brow Lift, or Band Aid Eyelid Surgery? Once you’ve narrowed down what it is you want to improve, I can help you find the ideal procedure.
  • Have a support system and a plan. The plastic surgery process may go more smoothly with family and friends in your corner to help you with the physical and practical aspects of your recovery (like child care, preparing food, etc.) as well as the emotional stress that may accompany your experience. Make sure you have someone ready and willing to help, like a spouse or someone who can stay with you for a day or two.
  • Use non-surgical procedures to maintain the results of an age-defying surgery. While the Band Aid Facelift and other surgeries aimed at facial rejuvenation can take years off your appearance, there’s no way to stop the aging process, so as the years go on, new wrinkles and skin laxity will form. One way to keep looking youthful for longer is to address these new signs of aging as they arise with non-surgical treatments, like Band Aid Skin Tightening or Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing.
  • Have realistic expectations. Regardless of how successful your results are, you won’t be happy with them if you’re expecting the impossible. To get an idea of what the surgeries you’re considering can accomplish, review plastic surgery before and after pictures and look for patients who are as similar to you as possible in bone structure, degree of aging, or other features that will impact your results.
  • Use the right skincare regimen after your procedure. Especially if you’re focused on keeping a youthful appearance, your regular skincare routine may contain some products that are effective but aggressive. After your surgery, follow my instructions about caring for the area around your incision and stick to gentler products, like non-soap cleansers and fragrance-free moisturizers.
  • If your surgery focused on facial rejuvenation, maintain your results with changes to your daily routine. Even small changes can go a long way toward slowing the aging process and prolonging your new, younger look. Try these tips:
    • Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every day.
    • Use moisturizer daily.
    • Wash your face twice per day to fight the effects of pollution and other environmental factors.
    • Switch to a satin pillowcase, which doesn’t crease your skin while you sleep like cotton does.
    • Don’t neglect your neck – this area ages too, so use the same skincare regimen on your neck that you use on your face.
    • Eat plenty of richly-colored fruits and vegetables because of the antioxidants they contain.
  • If you chose a body contouring procedure, maintain your post-surgical weight. Band Aid Liposuction and a Band Aid Tummy Tuck can give you a slimmer, sleeker look, but they don’t prevent you from gaining weight in the future. An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise can make new fat accumulate in and around the area where you had liposuction, and weight fluctuations can add laxity to the abdominal skin your Band Aid Tummy Tuck made firm, so after your surgery, it’s important to keep up with healthy habits.

Regardless of whether your journey toward self-confidence leads you toward a Band Aid procedure or a more extensive surgery, it’s important to remember that your results are a collaborative effort between you and your surgeon. To begin discussing how I can help you become your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a plastic surgery consultation. Or, for more helpful tips, plastic surgery news, and special offers, join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Which Band Aid Procedure is Right for Me?

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In the Atlanta community, double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. John LeRoy has become well-known for his innovative line of Band Aid procedures, which were recently featured in Atlanta Magazine. While this menu of minimally-invasive procedures has helped many Atlantans see great cosmetic results with less downtime than a traditional plastic surgery, it can also leave patients wondering, “Which of these procedures will give me the best results?” To help you navigate through your options, we suggest starting with these helpful questions:

  • April2014Do you want to focus on improving your face or your body?

Aging, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, and other factors can have a powerful impact on your appearance. While some patients want to enhance both, many are primarily focused on either having a sleeker, slimmer body or having a refreshed and younger-looking face.

  • If you answered FACE, what are your specific areas of concern?

Everyone ages differently and has a different opinion on their changing appearance. If you’re primarily focused on your cheeks, jowls, or neck, the Band Aid Facelift is probably the right choice. If it’s your eyes you’re concerned about, Band Aid Blepharoplasty can give them new life. Or, if you’re mostly bothered by your forehead and eyebrow area, a Band Aid Brow Lift is likely the ideal option. Depending on your unique anatomy and your medical needs, Dr. LeRoy may be able to combine multiple procedures into one surgery, but will need to have a personal consultation with you to determine whether you are a good candidate for any specific procedure.

  • If you answered FACE, how advanced is your aging process?

For patients who have moderate signs of aging, like wrinkles and early skin laxity, Band Aid plastic surgery can achieve optimal results while maintaining a natural look. However, for patients who are just starting to see fine lines and wrinkles, non-surgical procedures can help to rejuvenate the face and delay the need for cosmetic surgery. Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing restores a youthful glow and minimizes age spots and wrinkles, while Band Aid Skin Tightening focuses on restoring firmness and elasticity to the skin.

  • If you answered BODY, are you concerned with excess fat, sagging skin, or both?

Band Aid Liposuction and the Band Aid Tummy Tuck are both minimally-invasive ways to achieve a more athletic shape, but they’re for different types of patients. Band Aid Liposuction can remove small pockets of stubborn fat, like those found at the sides of the abdomen (often called “love handles”). A Band Aid Tummy Tuck, on the other hand, is for patients who have sagging excess skin on the lower midsection, whether from pregnancy, weight fluctuations, or aging. If your concern is with your upper arms instead, a Band Aid Arm Lift can minimize excess skin in this area. For some patients, getting the best results will involve a combination of these procedures.

The key to getting results you love from any aesthetic treatment is choosing the right procedure to fit your needs. To start discussing how Band Aid cosmetic surgery, non-surgical procedures, or traditional plastic surgery can help you to become your most beautiful and confident self, schedule a consultation with Dr. John LeRoy. Or, to stay up-to-date on the latest cosmetic surgery news, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

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