How to Choose the Right Procedures for Your Mommy Makeover
Over time, a woman’s body goes through a myriad of changes. From weight fluctuations to the unavoidable effects of hormones and gravity, there are some days when you may feel like you’re looking at a stranger in the mirror. That’s where a Mommy Makeover comes in. In this blog, we’ll discuss the most common procedures included in a Mommy Makeover, who the surgery is for, and how to decide if a Mommy Makeover is right for you.
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What Is a Mommy Makeover?
A Mommy Makeover is a set of cosmetic surgery procedures initially created for women who want to reclaim their pre-baby body after pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, even though it has “mommy” in the name, a Mommy Makeover is for ALL women who wish to refresh and restore their body contour.
What Are the Most Common Procedures Included in a Mommy Makeover?
Because a Mommy Makeover is designed to address the areas of a woman’s body most commonly impacted by pregnancy and breastfeeding, the surgery most often includes a tummy tuck, liposuction, and a breast lift or breast augmentation.
Tummy Tuck
During pregnancy, your abdominal muscles often separate vertically down the midline of your torso. Known as diastasis recti, ab separation occurs when the pressure of your expanding uterus stretches the band of tissue (linea alba) that keeps your abs together, causing them to separate. In some cases, the linea alba can spring back after pregnancy, but when it doesn’t, you end up with diastasis recti.
Diastasis recti can cause both cosmetic and physical issues. If your abs are separated, it weakens your core, which can lead to issues with back, pelvic, or hip pain, urinary incontinence, and poor posture. Cosmetically, it causes your stomach to pooch out, and no amount of dietary changes or exercise can remedy the problem.
A tummy tuck not only repairs diastasis recti but also addresses any loose skin, excess flab, and even unsightly stretch marks that occur after pregnancy or weight loss.
Liposuction
Whether due to age, pregnancy, or weight gain and loss, you may notice that you’re carrying fat differently than you used to. You may have pockets of stubborn fat that refuse to budge no matter how well you eat or how often you exercise, causing lumps and bumps that affect how well your clothes fit and make you feel self-conscious.
Liposuction is a minimally invasive treatment designed to smooth and contour your body, eliminating excess fat and giving you a slimmer, more attractive shape.
Breast Procedures
If you have had children and breastfed them, you may notice significant changes to the appearance of your breasts. Breasts that were once perky and round suddenly resemble deflated balloons with large or stretched-out areolas. Even without having children, the effects of age and gravity may mean that your breasts are riding much lower on your torso than they used to. You may also be dealing with excess skin due to a loss of elasticity, which makes it even easier for gravity to affect the placement of your breasts.
If your breasts look deflated, breast augmentation can restore their shape and fullness. For breasts that are sagging due to loose skin and are gradually migrating downward, a breast lift can eliminate extra skin while lifting and reshaping your breasts. You can also combine a breast lift with breast augmentation for the best of both worlds.
Mommy Makeover vs. Individual Procedures: Which is Right for You?
One of the reasons a Mommy Makeover is so popular is because combining cosmetic procedures can cut down on both cost and recovery time. If you already know that you’d like to undergo more than one cosmetic surgery, a Mommy Makeover is an excellent option because you only pay for surgeon’s fees, facility fees, and anesthesia costs once instead of multiple times. And while your recovery time will still be around six to eight weeks, combining procedures allows you to make time for one recovery period instead of multiple.
However, if you only wish to get one procedure at a time, that’s ok too. Some patients choose to space out their cosmetic surgeries according to their schedule, or for health or financial reasons. Cosmetic surgery, whether a Mommy Makeover or individual procedure, is elective, meaning you choose what works best for you. Additionally, even though Mommy Makeovers are often advertised as three procedures or as containing three specific procedures, the reality is that they are entirely customizable under the guidance of your surgeon.
Learn More About Mommy Makeover Surgery in San Diego
If you are looking for a way to address several areas of your body simultaneously, a Mommy Makeover may be the right choice for you. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Pollack to create your customized cosmetic surgery treatment plan. Call our office today at (858) 450-9100 or complete the online contact form.