After having a baby, many women find that their bodies have changed in ways that make them feel self-conscious and less confident. Pregnancy can leave behind stretched skin, excess fat deposits, and separated abdominal muscles. Even significant weight loss after pregnancy may not restore a woman’s body to its pre-baby shape. This is where a “mommy makeover” can help.
What is a Mommy Makeover?
A mommy makeover is a combination of cosmetic procedures designed to restore areas of a woman’s body impacted by pregnancy and childbirth. Choosing the right plastic surgeon is key to getting exceptional mommy makeover results. Prospective patients should look for a board-certified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience performing the specific procedures involved in a mommy makeover. Ask to see before and after photos and speak with former patients.
Choosing a Doctor
Beware of doctors offering deals that seem too good to be true. You need to work with the top plastic surgeons utah. Quality surgical care often costs more due to the expertise and credentials of the staff. However, the rewards of choosing the right surgeon are physical results that can boost confidence for years. Schedule multiple consultations and be selective until you find a surgeon who listens to your goals, explains options clearly, and operates in an accredited facility. This investment of time results in a trusted partner who can deliver the revitalized look you deserve. The most common procedures included in a mommy makeover are:
- Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty): This procedure removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and tightens abdominal muscles that may have separated during pregnancy. The results are a firmer, flatter, more toned abdominal profile.
- Breast lift: Pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause breasts to lose volume and skin elasticity resulting in sagging. A breast lift recontours the breast by removing excess skin and reshaping breast tissue to make breasts appear fuller and more youthful.
- Breast augmentation: If breast volume loss is significant, implants can be used at the time of a breast lift to increase cup size.
- Liposuction: Stubborn fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise can be removed from the hips, flanks, back, and other areas through liposuction.
- Fat grafting: Fat removed via liposuction can be purified and injected to add fullness to areas like the breasts or buttocks.
Anticipated Results
Mommy makeovers provide dramatic improvements to post-pregnancy bodies but do require incisions and recovery time. Most patients need two to four weeks off from work and daily activities following procedures. While pain, swelling, and soreness are common during the first week of recovery, most women experience a major boost to self-confidence once results become visible. Scarring from procedures is often easily hidden at cleavage, bikini lines, and undergarments.
Ideal Candidates
The ideal mommy makeover candidate is a woman who is done having children, close to her ideal body weight, and in good health without nicotine dependence. While cosmetic procedures cannot stop the aging process, results from a mommy makeover can often last ten years or longer if the patient maintains a stable weight.
What to Expect
Prospective patients need to discuss all aspects of the mommy makeover procedures and recovery in detail with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Establishing realistic expectations about outcomes will ensure satisfaction with transformations. Combining procedures in one surgery reduces costs and recovery times. However, patients should not feel pressured into undergoing multiple procedures all at once and can choose to space procedures out over time.
The financial investment for a mommy makeover often pays emotional dividends for years to come. Nothing can reverse all the effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, modern cosmetic procedures come remarkably close to providing women with their pre-baby bodies back. This restored confidence in physical appearance often energizes women to fully embrace the joys of motherhood.
