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Is Mommy Makeover Surgery Right for Me?

It is no hidden fact that motherhood is accompanied by numerous surprises, including significant changes in your body. New moms commonly report sagging breasts, loose abdominal skin, varicose veins and stretch marks post childbirth. All these changes often lead to poor self-esteem and diminished self-confidence in new mothers.

‘mommy makeover’ is a procedure that can address all these concerns and help in transforming your body so that you feel uplifted and empowered. However, it is important to plan a proper consultation with an experienced practitioner to understand whether the surgery is right for you or not.

What is a mommy makeover?

The term ‘mommy makeover’ refers to a customized pack of cosmetic surgeries (and/or non-surgical procedures) that are designed for helping a new mother address common side effects of childbirth. These effects are typically noticeable in areas such as the breasts, abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. The aim of a mommy makeover procedure is to restore the pre-pregnancy shape so that you feel more confident about your appearance.

A mommy makeover may include both surgical and non-surgical procedures, depending on your specific goals and needs.

Several women feel discouraged and unhappy when their bodies fail to return their original shape (before pregnancy) even after rigorous dieting and regular exercise. A mommy makeover addresses these undesirable changes and restores your body to an attractive and youthful shape. Every patient has their own independent mommy makeover goals and these typically include the following:

  • Correction of sagging breasts and restoration of breast volume
  • Repair of large or stretched nipples
  • Enhancement of breast symmetry
  • Repair of separated/stretched abdominal muscles
  • Removal of extra sagging skin in the abdominal area
  • Reduction of isolated fat pockets resistant to any form of diet and/or exercise

Areas treated in a mommy makeover

As explained earlier, a mommy makeover procedure is aimed at body contouring and usually involves the surgical correction of the abdomen and breasts. The final goal is to restore your body to its original pre-pregnancy shape. In certain cases, a mommy makeover may also correct long-term body concerns i.e. those which existed prior to the pregnancy. When you consult your doctor for a mommy makeover, you will likely be given information about three distinct cosmetic procedures.

  • Liposuction
  • Breast augmentation (often combined with breast lift)
  • Tummy Tuck

Liposuction

Liposuction is a common cosmetic procedure performed to enhance the shape and contours of your body through excess fat removal. Your mommy makeover surgeon will identify the exact amount of fat and the right location for fat removal in order to achieve the best results while improving your body shape.

If a specific body area isn’t responding to any form of exercise and/or diet, then liposuction could offer the perfect solution for achieving the shape improvement desired by the candidate. It is possible to target nearly any body part in liposuction and eliminate excess flab-the abdomen, waist, back, outer and inner thighs and arms. Here are some key benefits of the liposuction procedure:

  • Improved proportionality between the lower and upper body
  • Slimmer overall physique
  • Narrower waist
  • Better shaped contours

Liposuction is a suitable procedure for those patients who are already close to their optimum body weight and simply need to eliminate excess fat pockets from specific areas. Your surgeon may educate you about the various kinds of liposuction techniques that are available today. The key difference between these liposuction methods is basically the technology used for facilitating the excess fat removal. ‘Tumescent liposuction’ is one of the most popular advanced liposuction techniques used by cosmetic surgeons today.

In this technique, the targeted area is injected with a “tumescent” solution (containing anesthesia) in order to reduce discomfort and bleeding during the surgery. In most cases, it is possible to perform tumescent liposuction with the help of just local anesthesia.

The liposuction procedure begins with the surgeon making one or a few small incisions in the targeted area. This is followed by the insertion of a thin tube, called cannula, which helps in loosening the extra fat accumulated underneath the skin. Finally, the procedure is completed with the suctioning out of the fat. The complete liposuction surgery may take anywhere between one to three hours (or more). The time taken usually depends on the extent of treatment, that is, the number of body parts targeted in the surgery.

Breast augmentation

It is common for a woman’s breasts to become bigger during pregnancy. This happens because milk is produced and contained in the mammary glands. But once the production of milk stops, the breasts return to their original size and this usually leaves the breast skin stretched. It also often leads to sagging and deflation in the chest area.

Weight gain/loss and breastfeeding are other factors that can contribute to volume and shape loss in a woman’s breasts after childbirth.

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries performed as part of a mommy makeover and helps enhance the shape and size of your breasts, generally through the implantation of saline or silicone breast implants.

Here are some of the common reasons for considering a breast augmentation procedure:

  • There is a loss of breast shape and volume due to pregnancy, weight loss, aging and/or breastfeeding
  • You wish to look more attractive and feel more confident while enjoying intimacy with your partner
  • You don’t wish to be dependent on push-up bras and padded bras for creating desirable feminine curves
  • You are struggling with small or asymmetrical breasts (genes and/or congenital condition)

The breast augmentation procedure begins with the surgeon making tiny incisions in the breast crease. The creation of incisions is followed by the placement of saline or silicone implants, usually in the small pockets formed beneath your chest muscle. According to surgeons, this is the ideal way to place the implants as it offers optimum aesthetic results. With this placement, the breasts take on a gentler teardrop shape.

While silicone implants will be filled with fluid before placement, saline implants get filled later i.e. once they are implanted in the artificial breast pocket. The breast augmentation procedure is performed on an outpatient basis under the administration of general anesthesia. It takes anywhere between 1 to 2 hours to execute this cosmetic surgery.

Breast lift

In numerous cases, a breast augmentation surgery is combined with a breast lift procedure. A breast lift is helpful in restoring firmer and more youthful looking breasts in women who may have sagging breasts after childbirth and breastfeeding.

In a breast lift surgery, your surgeon will work to remove the excess skin in your breast area and reshape the tissue. They might also suggest uplifting the areola and nipple to a slightly forward position so that the breast contour looks perkier and more youthful. Since the skin underneath the breasts gets stretched out and starts drooping, the nipple is pulled downwards by the breast tissue weight. A breast lift procedure helps in correcting this problem.

Tummy tuck

A tummy tuck procedure, also called abdominoplasty, is another popular offering in a mommy makeover package. This treatment is designed for reducing inches and eliminates extra skin around the abdominal area. The result is an enhanced silhouette and improved self-confidence. One of the biggest concerns for all mommies after childbirth is the “lower pooch” i.e. the excess flab in the lower abdomen which does not respond to any diet or exercise regime. The tummy tuck procedure works to tighten the abdominal muscles that get stretched with the growing belly during pregnancy. The result is a more proportionate and youthful abdominal structure that allows you to easily get into your older clothes and feel happier!

The tummy tuck procedure is recommended for women who experience a significant change in their abdomen due to the stretching of abdominal skin, muscles, and fascia (inner connective tissue). As the inner structure weakens, it results in the accumulation of excess fat and skin along with decreased skin elasticity. Hence, you are left with a waist that feels and looks thicker and flabbier.

The tummy tuck procedure involves reshaping of the abdominal area to achieve a toned appearance and a slimmer waistline. Your surgeon will start the procedure by making an incision right below your bikini line. This is followed by the tightening of the weakened muscles and fascia with the help of permanent sutures. Once the excess skin is trimmed away, the surgeon will use skin adhesives or sutures for closing the incisions.

The entire tummy tuck procedure takes about two to five hours to be completed and may require an overnight stay at the surgical facility.

A huge benefit of the mommy makeover procedure is that the patient would have to undergo only a single recovery period, even if multiple procedures are carried out at once. The mommy makeover could be an extremely rewarding experience offering long-lasting results if performed

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1307 Macom Drive, Naperville, IL 60564