Pregnancy is a beautiful thing. A woman glows and bonds to the child she carries for nine months and then delivers. This miracle can happen for most women multiple times with relatively low risk for the mother and her children.

The only downside to this amazing cycle is what happens to mom afterward, and how her body changes.  Multiple births and fluctuations in weight will ultimately lead to saggy breasts. Whether you have a C-section or go through natural childbirth, the stomach wall will loosen, and excess skin will hang down. Any extra weight gain might hang around due to hormonal changes and just basic body chemistry. These types of changes have led healthy, youthful women to want to regain some of their pre-pregnancy figures. Hence, the birth of the Mommy Makeover.

What is a Mommy Makeover?

The Mommy Makeover is an increasingly popular procedure that usually combines breast surgery (augmentation, reduction, or a lift) with a tummy tuck and liposuction where needed.  Mommy Makeovers focus on all the problem areas after pregnancy.  The procedure actually targets problem areas most women have as they age, even without giving birth. The main culprit is gravity, weight gain, and then weight loss.  These affected areas leave loose skin no matter how hard you diet and work out.

Why and when do I do it?

In the breasts, gravity and an increase or decrease in volume could really cause a lot of havoc. If there is a large increase in size, you may have trouble carrying the extra weight and will need a breast reduction and then a lift. If you lost volume and there is sagging, then a lift or a breast augmentation with a saline or silicone implant might be appropriate.

Some women even choose to have surgery before pregnancy.   This is completely fine because implants and surgery do not usually affect breastfeeding. Also, having a revision or another breast surgery after pregnancy is normal, and depending on the timing, could be a good option for maintaining your implants and breast health.

An abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck) will help you pull all the muscles and skin in your stomach area together. This is a procedure you want to have when you’re certain that you will not have more children. Like liposuction, it is best to have lost any extra baby weight and be a healthy size before undergoing this procedure. It is not a weight loss method, but instead, a way to contour your body, remove excess skin, and tighten areas that need it.

Because a Mommy Makeover is designed to make a woman feel as if she has regained her body back, it could also include ancillary procedures such as female rejuvenation procedures or a lower body lift.

Is the Mommy Makeover really popular?

Statistics from The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery show that breast augmentation and liposuction are the top two surgical procedures nationwide while the tummy tuck isn’t trailing too far behind. The 35 to 50 age group is the largest for plastic surgery procedures. Women make up 90% of all procedures – so if we add up the math it’s clear: Mommy Makeovers are here to stay.

What about the recovery and risks?
In a recent news article, two women told their stories, which are very similar to the ones we hear in the office. They worked out and lost the extra baby weight, but were unable to do anything about the loose and saggy skin. After going to a qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon, who was also an ASAPS Member, and undergoing standard medical exams, they were cleared for surgery and got amazing results.

These stories are becoming more and more common. Women want to feel good physically while raising their children and being active into the later years of their life. Many even say that they look the best they have ever looked after their Mommy Makeover.

In that same article, one woman had already undergone two C-sections, which separated her muscles and left her stomach in bad shape. She already knew the struggle of healing from those two operations, so she figured she would do it all together so she wouldn’t have to recover twice. Also, she compared her Mommy Makeover recovery to her C-section recovery. It is similar – no heavy lifting for a few weeks, but then you can walk around after surgery and should be almost back to normal 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually best to walk around after surgery. No lying around bedridden for weeks. It’s important to get up slowly and move around to help circulate the blood and avoid blood clots. However, more strenuous exercise and heavy lifting should be done with more caution – be sure to be cleared first by your doctor before starting anything intense.

Patient Safety
We see and hear from patients who have gone to an unaccredited clinic or MedSpa and received bad plastic surgery. It’s in the news and unfortunately shows up at our doorstep more often than it should. A Mommy Makeover is extensive surgery and all parts of the procedure require special training, experience, and sanitary conditions. Lack of any of those three and you could be open for infection, complications, or worse.

Put yourself in the hands of an experienced and qualified board-certified surgeon.  Call Dr. Perlman’s office today at (281) 644-0013 to schedule your consultation!