Nothing is more precious than your child. Nevertheless, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding can dramatically affect a woman’s body. Although having a child can be extremely fulfilling, a post-pregnancy body can make some women feel self-conscious and even depressed. Feeling attractive and sexy does not have to be given up as the price for having children. Many new mothers are having Mommy Makeover surgery to counter the physical effects that are not reversible through proper lifestyle changes alone, such as healthy eating and exercise. Our Charleston plastic surgeons can design a customized Mommy Makeover for women who would like to address multiple cosmetic concerns at once and restore their pre-pregnancy figure.
The term “Mommy Makeover” can mean different things to different people. In general, it is usually thought of as a series of treatments designed to improve areas of the body commonly altered by pregnancy and nursing, such as the abdomen and the breasts. Childbearing can create a variety of physical changes in the body, such as stretched abdominal muscles, deflated breast volume, an accumulation of stubborn fat—usually in the lower tummy and possibly the flanks—and increased skin laxity in the breasts and the abdomen. The breasts can undergo several different possible changes as a result of pregnancy. Most women’s breasts will enlarge with pregnancy, but then return either to their pre-pregnancy breast volume and may appear slightly droopier; end up larger than their pre-pregnancy size; or, most commonly, lose volume (especially in their upper pole) and possibly become droopier or exhibit more sag as well. A Mommy Makeover is customized to correct these changes and treat each patient’s unique areas of concern in one surgical plan, offering comprehensive improvement that is tailored to achieve your desired look.
Often overlooked, there can also be changes to a woman’s face after one or more pregnancies that can include skin pigment changes such as melasma (which usually resolves and reverses on its own) as well as early signs of aging, such as more noticeable nasolabial folds, or more visible dark circles or bags under the eyes. Even something as simple as worry lines from the stress which can often accompany being a young busy mom who experiences sleepless nights.
At Plastic Surgery of the Carolinas, our team can create an individualized Mommy Makeover plan for your body and face, customized to suit your busy lifestyle. Many plans include breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction for a relatively quick transformation, but other procedures can be included as well. Although one thinks of body surgery when considering a Mommy Makeover, the face can also begin to show early signs of aging. A proper skincare regimen may help you achieve a healthier overall complexion. Fine wrinkles around the corners of the mouth and crow’s feet can be corrected with injectables. Sagging eyelids can make you look tired or in need of sleep. In this case, you may in fact benefit from a blepharoplasty if those changes are present. Generally speaking, a Mommy Makeover can encompass a broad range of procedures. You may want to consider a Mommy Makeover if you have:
Breast augmentation, lift, and reduction procedures may be options for women who want their breasts to return to their pre-pregnancy or younger-looking shape. Because pregnancy may cause a woman’s breasts to sag or increase/decrease in cup size, these procedures can be combined with other procedures to shape, contour, and enhance the breasts.
Tummy tuck and body lift procedures can eliminate loose and stretched skin, as well as fat deposits that diet and exercise cannot. Tummy tuck surgery, or abdominoplasty, is designed to tighten the abdominal muscles and remove excess skin, reverting your midsection to its pre-pregnancy look (maybe even better). A tummy tuck can also be combined with other body lift procedures, such as an arm lift, thigh lift, or butt lift, to address additional problem areas.
Liposuction can safely and effectively remove stubborn pockets of post-pregnancy fat that will not respond to diet and exercise. New liposuction technology can offer less discomfort and bruising, as well as a quicker healing time than ever before.
Ultimately, we can help you determine which treatment options are the most beneficial to achieve your ideal aesthetic. At the time of surgery, your surgeon will perform any recommended surgery as part of your Mommy Makeover in a safe environment encompassed by an accredited, private outpatient surgical facility or hospital setting that serves your specific needs. The length, procedure types, anesthesia or sedation method, and recovery period will vary depending on your individualized treatment plan.
As a Mommy Makeover involves a highly customized treatment plan, the timeline for your care will depend on a variety of factors, not limited to your aesthetic goals and the number of procedures you decide to include. For optimal safety and satisfaction, most professionals recommend patients wait six months to one year after having a child before they pursue a Mommy Makeover.*
In addition, because pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing can all compromise the effects of cosmetic surgery, we typically advocate that patients complete their families before undergoing this treatment. With this in mind, we understand that every patient’s story is unique to them, and we will tailor your experience to suit your individual case.
In most cases, women who were able to breastfeed prior to their Mommy Makeover will still be able to do so afterwards. Especially when the surgery is in the hands of a qualified provider, breast contouring procedures generally do not affect a patient’s ability to breastfeed.* That said, some women are naturally unable to produce breast milk to begin with (i.e., regardless of whether or not they have undergone breast surgery).
It is also worth noting that while you may be able to breastfeed after surgery, breastfeeding can lead to ptosis (or sag), which is the reason many women opt to get breast surgery in the first place. For this reason, we often advise patients to wait to pursue a Mommy Makeover until after they have finished breastfeeding and/or having children.
The breasts may undergo various changes after pregnancy, whether or not a woman chooses to nurse her new baby (or babies). Sometimes, a woman may notice that with the inevitable weight gain that occurs with pregnancy, her breasts may have grown significantly larger. This can not only be a cosmetic concern, but a functional one as well, as the symptoms of large breasts often include back and neck pain or spasms, shoulder bra-strap grooving and discomfort, and even difficulty finding suitable clothing. Large breasts can also interfere with sports and exercise, often discouraging some women from an active lifestyle.
More commonly, a woman may notice that her breasts may have gotten smaller in volume after pregnancy, either with or without associated sagging or drooping. Sometimes a breast lift (mastopexy) alone may be beneficial, and other times a breast augmentation is necessary to enhance the appearance of the breasts. Occasionally, both might be the best solution. This combination surgery, known as a breast lift with implants or “augmentation mastopexy,” can be accomplished as one operation or in multiple stages.
Breast enhancement surgery, be it reduction, lift, or augmentation, can go a long way in boosting a woman’s confidence and self esteem.
Just as the breasts may undergo stretching and resultant sagging with pregnancy, these effects can most certainly occur in the abdomen. Both the skin and underlying musculature will stretch as the baby grows. It is no secret how especially true this can be with twin or triplet pregnancies, which are much more prevalent today because of the remarkable successes of IVF. Sometimes, the skin will return to an acceptable state, but often it can be overstretched and appear unattractive, crinkled instead of smooth, protruding instead of flat, or loose instead of tight. These concerns can usually be corrected nicely with an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
This surgery will almost always include a tightening of the abdominal musculature, and may also include repair of a rectus diastasis (separation of the muscles), or even repair of a ventral or umbilical hernia. In addition, stubborn fat removal via liposuction is also common. All of your options will be determined during an office consultation. If a hernia does exist, the hernia repair is usually a covered procedure and may offset some of the costs associated with surgery. If a C-section was performed in delivering your baby, sometimes that scar can heal with a sunken-in appearance or an unattractive scar. This can be corrected either with an isolated scar revision procedure, or as a part of abdominoplasty.
Although pregnancy may not result in any overt facial changes, a patient can sometimes experience melasma, a condition in which patchy pigmentation can appear on the face and remain. This can be treated with bleaching creams, Retin-A, or IPL treatments. Moreover, because a young mother can sometimes feel overwhelmed and constantly fatigued, this can manifest physically with bags under the eyes, stress lines, frown lines, etc. Part of being a good mom includes taking care of yourself, and besides eating healthy and trying to exercise regularly, looking your best can also allow you to feel as good as possible. Our team can tailor a proper skincare regimen to your specific skin type and concerns. If a little more improvement is desired, BOTOX® Cosmetic, Dysport®, or other fillers such as Restylane®, JUVÉDERM®, or RADIESSE® can help restore youthful facial contours.
While each patient’s recovery period will differ depending on their individual treatment plan, those who have undergone a Mommy Makeover can generally expect some degree of bruising, swelling, and/or tenderness in the treated areas. Most patients can return to their normal non-strenuous routines within one to two weeks after surgery, depending on your unique rate of healing and which procedures were pursued. For most breast surgeries, it will be four weeks of avoiding exercise; for most tummy procedures, it will be six weeks. Our team will walk you through your recovery period and provide detailed after-care instructions when you are seen in person.
Although the details of Mommy Makeover recovery vary from patient to patient, there are a few general tips that can help facilitate a smoother recovery period:
My results are very natural – I look like I did before I had my children & could not be more pleased!
The nature of your post-surgical scars will depend on which surgical procedures were part of your Mommy Makeover. For example, liposuction incisions are typically very small and placed near the treated area. In breast surgery, the usual incision sites are located around the borders of the areolas and/or along the natural contours of the breast crease. Depending on the nature of your breast enhancement, you may have an anchor-shaped scar, a lollipop-shaped scar, or a scar that simply surrounds the borders of the areola. Many patients report that their scars from breast surgery fade over time and become much less noticeable. The tummy tuck procedure generally involves a low incision across the pubis that extends from hip to hip. The resulting surgical scar is often easily covered by underwear or bikini bottoms. In any case, your surgeon will take great care to place incisions in discreet locations for minimized visibility of scarring.
The treatments included in a Mommy Makeover vary; as such, the longevity of results will depend on the procedures you choose. With this in mind, it is very important that you adhere to a healthy lifestyle after your Mommy Makeover regardless of the specific treatments included. Exercising regularly and eating a well-balanced diet can help you maintain a stable weight and, by extension, preserve the effects of your cosmetic surgery. Moreover, as mentioned above, we generally advise patients to finish having children prior to pursuing a Mommy Makeover, as hormonal changes are liable to alter the results.
Although an accurate cost estimation of your Mommy Makeover cannot be determined until your needs are assessed in a consultation, we understand that the price of treatment is a major consideration when pursuing cosmetic surgery. Your personalized quote will ultimately be calculated based on which procedures are included in your Mommy Makeover, the cost of breast implants (if applicable), and other factors pertaining to your unique needs.
Our office will provide you with a complete price breakdown at the time of your consultation. To make the cost of a Mommy Makeover more affordable, we work with highly reputable plastic surgery financing companies that can allow qualified applicants to receive the enhancement they desire while accommodating any budgetary needs. These companies offer an array of payment plans with low monthly installments, as well as low- to no-interest rates, to help patients pay for their treatment over time, rather than in a lump sum. For questions about our accepted payment methods, please don’t hesitate to contact our practice to speak to a friendly member of our team.
If you are interested in a Mommy Makeover, we encourage you to contact Plastic Surgery of the Carolinas today.
Our Mt. Pleasant plastic surgery practice is looking for an experienced CMA to join our team in a full time position. If you are a self starter who take initiative and enjoys working with patients, we’d love to hear from you.
Please send your resume to jacque@plasticsurgerycarolina.com
