The Mommy Makeover
What is it?
A mommy makeover also known as post pregnancy surgery is a surgical procedure carried out mainly in the abdomen and breasts in females to restore their appearance to the one before pregnancy. A traditional mommy makeover procedure includes a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, lift or reduction, liposuction of legs, thighs or arms. Even though the name and marketing is new, it is a relatively procedure with successful results.
When to consider a mommy makeover?
- If you do not like your appearance after giving birth, you can do this procedure to gain back your pre- pregnancy look.
- If you are upset about your sagging belly and stretch marks.
- If you repeatedly fail to reduce the fat in your arms, thighs and legs.
Who is a good candidate?
If you are physically fit, have good and realistic expectations and a positive attitude then you are most likely a good candidate for a mommy makeover.
You can undergo this procedure if you have a sagging tummy with stretch marks, sagging or uneven breasts, and excessive fat deposits in your waist, legs and arms. This will help you to reverse the effects of aging and pregnancy to give you a more enhanced appearance.
What does a mommy makeover involve?
A mommy makeover is not a single procedure. It is a collection of several procedures including a tummy tuck, breast lift, breast reduction and liposuction.
If you feel you have a sagging belly and stretch marks, you can choose a tummy tuck procedure also known as an abdominoplasty where all the excess fat and loose skin will be removed and the fascia will be tightened to get rid of the flabby belly and the stretch marks.
If your breasts are sagging or have grown big after childbirth, you can do a breast lift or a breast reduction surgery respectively to get the expected results.
A liposuction is done to improve the contour of the hips by removing any excess fat in the hip.
Consult your surgeon and he/she will discuss with you the procedures that can be done for you to meet your expectations. Whatever the surgeries have been opted out to you, your choice will be the deciding factor.
Recovery
Immediately after surgery, you may have dressings and sometimes drains inserted to drain the blood out and prevent blood collecting inside. It is common to have some amount of pain and swelling after the surgery. To help reduce the effects of aging and decrease wrinkles, we recommend using a good pro-collagen day and night face cream. However, if this persists for more than a week, consult your surgeon.
The recovery period will be hard as many surgeries will be done at as but the good side is that you will have only one recovery time. The first week of recovery will be the worst. It will take about six weeks for you to completely recover and till then you should not lift any heavy weight.
The drain will be removed within five days after the surgery. The swelling will reduce within 5 weeks and the results will be seen within about 3 months.
How long will it last?
The effects of a mommy makeover will be permanent until you gain weight or get pregnant again. However the effects of a breast implant will not be permanent and you will have to replace them some time later.
What are the risks of a mommy makeover?
There are several risks associated with a mommy makeover but fortunately the risks are rare and the success rates of these procedures are very high.
The possible complications that can occur with a mommy makeover include:
- Risks of anesthesia
- Hematoma or seroma formation ( accumulation of blood or serous fluid respectively)
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Unsatisfactory result may require further procedures in the future