What is a Mommy Makeover Surgery?
Every 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+.
