After pregnancy and childbirth, many women grapple with stubborn physical changes that diet and exercise alone can’t address. It’s no wonder that mommy makeover procedures have become increasingly popular, offering a comprehensive solution to post-pregnancy body changes.
This blog post will explore what a mommy makeover typically includes, providing insights into the procedures involved and how this comprehensive approach can help women reclaim their pre-pregnancy bodies.
What Is a Mommy Makeover?
The traditional mommy makeover, which pairs a breast lift with implants and a tummy tuck, allows women to recapture the body contours they once had or always desired.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and significant weight loss can lead to noticeable changes in a woman’s body. Some patients notice diminished breast volume, sagging breasts, excess skin around the abdomen, loose or separated abdominal muscles, and labia minora hypertrophy. A mommy makeover can address all these concerns with customized procedures performed as part of a single surgery.
Mommy Makeover Procedures
These procedures are often included in a mommy makeover:
Breast Enhancements
Breast enhancements often involve a standard breast augmentation—either dual-plane or subfascial—which can be paired with a breast lift if needed. The nipple’s position, especially if below the inframammary fold, and any significant loose skin can necessitate a lift. Opting for larger implants usually won’t replace the need for a breast lift to achieve the desired look.
Breast augmentation revision surgery is an option for patients with aesthetic concerns about previously placed implants. Revision surgery can be straightforward or complex, requiring possible site or pocket changes or revisions, materials such as scaffolding and mesh, and perhaps a breast lift. For patients whose soft tissues have been significantly stretched, a piece of bioresorbable mesh called “Galatea” is used to support the implant and reduce the chances of “bottoming out.” Enhancing breast contours may also involve fat grafting from the abdomen and flanks.
Breast surgery during a mommy makeover typically lasts 1 to 5 hours.
Redefining the Abdomen
The abdomen is often the primary concern of mommy makeover patients. Typical issues include skin looseness in the mid and lower abdomen and muscle separation (diastasis recti), which causes the abdomen to protrude. Additionally, excess fatty tissue can accumulate in areas such as the flanks, upper abdomen, and back.
The tummy tuck is designed to address these concerns. Performed through a low horizontal incision (two-piece bathing suits are still an option post-procedure), the tummy tuck removes excess skin and tightens and reconstructs the abdominal wall with permanent sutures to create dramatic recontouring of the entire abdomen. Liposuction is often performed on the upper abdomen, flanks (love handles), and even the back to create a true 360° result.
Your safety is our top priority. Following a tummy tuck or mommy makeover, we administer blood thinners to patients for 5 days to minimize the risk of blood clots (DVT) in the calves. In addition, patients receive sequential compression devices that squeeze the calves to further lower DVT risks. After surgery, our attentive nursing staff monitors patients closely in our post-op recovery care center.
Depending on the extent of the work required, the mommy makeover’s abdominal component can take 3 to 4 hours to perform.
Labiaplasty in the Mommy Makeover
Some mommy makeover patients present with an enlarged or asymmetrical labia minora, a condition known as labia minora hypertrophy. This can lead to pain or discomfort while sitting or during intimacy. Labiaplasty offers a solution, correcting these issues by removing the excessive tissue.
Various surgical techniques can be applied, and the specific technique will vary based on the surgeon’s preference or the patient’s anatomy. Post-surgery, swelling, and minor discomfort may persist for 1 to 2 weeks, but the recovery journey is generally straightforward.
When incorporated into a mommy makeover, labiaplasty extends the procedure by about 30 minutes.
The Mommy Makeover Surgical Experience and Recovery
The mommy makeover procedure is performed under general anesthesia in our in-office operating room. The surgery typically takes 4 to 8 hours, depending on the procedures performed. Most patients stay in our recovery center facility with 24-hour nurse monitoring overnight. The overall downtime for recovery is around one month. At about 8 weeks, all restrictions are typically lifted.
Benefits of a Mommy Makeover
A mommy makeover is about more than just aesthetic enhancement. Here are a few of its profound benefits:
- The surgery restores—or improves upon—the patient’s pre-pregnancy body.
- Improved physical appearance often leads to a more positive emotional and mental outlook.
- With proper care and a healthy lifestyle, mommy makeover results can be enjoyed for years.
Take the Next Step
By tapping into both the physical and emotional facets of the patient’s well-being, mommy makeover surgery can be a truly transformative experience. To schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons, call our office today at (480) 423-1973 or request a consultation.
Visit the before-and-after galleries of Dr. Sigalove and Dr. Cohen to see the remarkable results experienced by previous mommy makeover patients.
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