Having children can be one of the most rewarding moments in a mother’s life. On the other hand, it can also be quite discouraging to see the aftermath of what having children can do to a woman’s body. Though many mothers try their best to retain the shape they had prior to pregnancy, often, the stretching of the skin and weight gain can be inevitable, notably if you underwent more than one pregnancy. With little time to bounce back between pregnancies, or often just even one pregnancy for particularly busy mothers, it is no wonder that many mothers seek for an alternative solution to have their pre-baby bodies back. For mothers looking for this alternative, look no further than a Mommy Makeover Surgery.
What is a mommy makeover in plastic surgery?
A mommy makeover is a culmination of a variety of surgical procedures that are capable of restoring the mother’s body to how it once looked prior to pregnancy, or sometimes even better through body contouring. There is no specific combination that works the same for all mothers, but a general guideline of the body parts this procedure targets include:
- the breast
- the abdomen (abdominoplasty)
- other areas the mother may have experienced significant weight gain in (legs, arms, etc.)
What is included in a Mommy Makeover?
We can break down the procedure according to the body part it is targeting from the ones mentioned above. First, we have breasts. Women can experience quite a wide range of results after pregnancy, from deflated breasts to breasts that remained doubled the size of their original state. Options for correcting the breasts include;
- Breast augmentation (through fat grafting or breast implants)
- Breast Lift
- Breast reduction
The next area of the body that is usually affected by pregnancy is the stomach. For this area the options tend to be;
- Tummy Tuck
- Liposuction
For any other areas that a mother gained excess weight in, and they do not have the time to correct through diet and exercise, liposuction may also be an alternative.
How to prepare for mommy makeover surgery
The best way to prepare for a mommy makeover surgery is a culmination of a variety of surgical procedures that are capable of restoring the mother’s body to how it once looked prior to pregnancy, or sometimes even better through body contouring. is to have a clear set of goals and expectations. Once this is established, it is recommended that a patient stop smoking and drinking prior to surgery. This will help with the healing process. If there are any possible complications such as high blood pressure, these should be under control prior to the procedure.
Mommy makeover surgery procedure
This will vary depending on which procedures you opted to undergo for your case. For more detailed information on each procedure, there will be an attached link provided. For a general overview of what each procedure entails, please keep reading below.
Breast Augmentation:
Fat Transfer: Here, you have a procedure that involves the combination of liposuction, to cultivate fat (therefore removing it from another area), that is then injected in the breasts. This procedure has virtually no complications as the body will not reject its own fat, but the results can vary significantly as not all the fat will survive, and the breasts can change with weight loss.
Also Check – Breast Fat Transfer & Body Liposuction Before and After Video on Seoul Guide Medical YouTube Channel
Breast Implants: One of the most common procedures nowadays, this involves inserting either a silicone-based or saline-based implant inside of the breast. There are also a variety of techniques as to how, where, and what kind of implant would be placed.
Breast Lift
You can see some of the most dramatic changes as far as rejuvenating the breasts with this procedure. Depending on what technique you and your surgeon decide on, that will give you the results you desire; it may leave more considerable scarring behind. It is also relevant to say that many women find this method in combination with breast augmentation restores not only the shape but volume and perkiness their breasts once had, as shown in the images below.
Breast Reduction
This procedure has the main result of reducing the overall size of the breasts due to enlargement that has left the breasts aesthetically unappealing, or if they are causing a great deal of discomfort in your daily life.
Tummy Tuck:
Generally, this procedure will involve sewing the abdominal muscles together to create a firmer and flatter stomach, and cutting off any excess skin around the abdominal area. Generally, this leaves some scarring, but it can easily be hidden under the panty line.
Liposuction
Though there are a variety of specific methods to approach liposuction, the main goal of the procedure is to remove excess fat, usually through suctioning of the troublesome area.
Mommy makeover surgery recovery
A primary reason that women may consider a mommy makeover may also be due to the fact that it is both time and cost-efficient. Though there are studies that are concerned about the recovery of a combination in procedures, a majority of studies disprove this concept and claim that there is no higher risk of combining procedures than having them individually done.
This is important for mothers that may have less downtime to recover from multiple procedures or that are working with a budget, as most clinics will offer some discount for choosing to have more than one procedure.
You should expect to take some time off for your recovery, particularly if you are having more than one procedure done. The surgeon and the patient will discuss in more detail the plan that will be created, as well as the expected steps to recovery. As a general rule of thumb for most procedures, expect swelling and bruising to occur for the initial first few weeks.
You may need a special bra to help shape your new breasts and a compression garment to mold your body into the desired shape after body contouring surgery. Vigorous activities should be limited until around four weeks after the initial surgery, or when your surgeon gives you the clear.
Mommy makeover surgery before and after
As mentioned, there are a variety of possible options that you can follow to reach your desired results. Some possibilities were shown above with their procedure. The image below is of a woman that had a combination of surgical procedures to achieve the ‘mommy makeover.
If you are a woman who’s been dreaming of reverting your body back to what it used to be, or maybe even hoping for improvement, it is a more than achievable dream with a mommy makeover procedure and the variety of options it entails. Though the recovery may be somewhat difficult, the procedure itself is cost and time-efficient due to combining multiple procedures into one. If you are hoping to begin this process as soon as possible, contact us at Seoul Guide Medical, where we will be more than happy to connect you with a board-certified plastic surgeon that will help you achieve optimal results.
FAQ:
How long does a mommy makeover surgery last?
This will vary depending on each mother’s circumstances. If you get pregnant again, many of the results will likely become undone due to the new pregnancy. Therefore, it is highly advised to undergo this procedure once you are no longer planning on having any more children. As long as there is no significant weight gain, the results should last just as they would through healthy aging.
How much weight can you lose with a mommy makeover?
It depends on which procedures you opted for. Expect for fluid retention, which is expected to occur initially, your weight may not change so much at first. If you had a breast fat transfer the scale may not change in number, but the balance between the body fat may be more proportional. If you had implants inserted, they will also slightly add to your weight. If you underwent liposuction, a maximum of 5 liters of fat is allowed to be removed from the body for safety reasons.
Do I need to lose weight before a mommy makeover?
It is not necessary to lose weight before your procedure, though it certainly can help the final results.
How long does it take to recover from a mommy makeover?
This will vary entirely based on which procedures and how many you decided to undergo. Discuss this with your surgeon once a plan of what your course of treatment will be.
