Women who have given birth to one or more children or have lost a significant amount of weight, may wish to return their body to pre-pregnancy/pre-weight gain state with a combination of plastic surgery procedures, known as a Mommy Makeover.

Here are some surgical options when considering a Mommy Makeover

TUMMY TUCK

When a woman is pregnant or has experienced a significant amount of weight gain, the abdominal skin and the muscles “stretch” to accommodate the additional volume. Loose skin, stretch marks, weak stomach muscles, and sometimes umbilical hernias are often the result. Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, can remove excess skin and fat, tighten and restore the abdominal muscles and repair umbilical hernias.  There are many different types of bodies, and therefore, different types of abdominnoplasties.  Sometimes liposuction is used in conjunction with a tummy tuck.

BREAST AUGMENTATION / BREAST REDUCTION/ BREAST LIFT  

Pregnancy commonly causes breast enlargement. When the pregnancy is over, and lactation concludes, the breasts lose volume and may sag. Some women also have stretched areolas, uneven breasts or breasts that have become much larger.

If there is too much volume after pregnancy, a breast reduction can be an option that may not only make the breasts look better, but may also reduce symptoms such as back, neck and shoulder pain.  If the volume is good, but the breasts sag too much, a lift or “Mastopexy” can be done.  If there is not much sag, but the breasts have lost too much volume, a breast augmentation with saline or silicone implants may be done.

For women who have both lost too much volume and experienced significant sag of the breasts, a  complete mommy makeover may include a breast enhancement with a breast lift.   This procedure, called an augmentation/mastopexy”, can be done to return a youthful shape and fullness to the breasts.  It involves a breast lift to remove excess skin and reposition the areola, with an augmentation using a saline or silicone implant to increase or restore upper breast fullness. In some patients, these procedures can be done together at the same time.  In other patients, the procedures need to be staged in two separate settings for safety and an optimum outcome.

LIPOSUCTION

The post-pregnancy body may result in a thicker waist or stubborn fat deposits in the hips and thighs. Liposuction removes this fat and can improve the contour of the abdomen, flanks, bra rolls, hips and thighs. Liposuction can also be performed in the upper arms, knees and neck or anywhere that fat appears out of place. It should be used as a “contouring” procedure and does not take the place of weight loss.

A mommy makeover, whether it be for post-pregnancy or weight loss, can be a combination of two or more of these above procedures performed at the same time. The most important aspect of a mommy makeover is that it should always be done by a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience in these procedures. Before considering any Mommy Makeover surgeries, the body must have recovered completely from childbearing and nursing and the patient should be within a few pounds of ideal body weight. This may require changes to the diet or physical activity level; the healthier the body, the more successful the recovery and the outcome will be. A new pregnancy will often “undo” the effects of the surgery and women are advised to complete all pregnancies before considering Mommy Makeover procedures.