Pregnancy is a beautiful thing. A woman glows and bonds to her child as she carries him or her for nine months and then delivers a human being to life. 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.
While there have been studies showing that breastfeeding helps a woman’s breast to regain its youthful look after pregnancy, multiple births and fluctuations 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 the hormonal changes and just basic body chemistry. These changes have led healthy, youthful women to want to regain some of their pre-pregnancy figure. Hence, the birth of the Mummy Makeover.
What is a Mummy Makeover?
An increasingly popular procedure that usually combines breast surgery (augmentation, reduction or a lift) with a tummy tuck and liposuction where needed, Mommy Makeovers target all the problem areas after pregnancy. In fact, it targets problem areas most women have as they age, even without giving birth. The main culprit is gravity, weight gain and then weight loss, which leaves 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’s a large increase in size, you may have trouble carrying the load and will need a breast reduction and then a lift. If you lost volume and there is sagging, a lift or a breast augmentation with a saline or silicone implant might be appropriate.
Some women even choose to have surgery before pregnancy, which 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.
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty will help you pull all the muscles and skin in your stomach area together. This is a procedure you want to have when youíre 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 Mummy Makeover is designed to make a woman feel like she has regained her body back, it could also include ancillary procedures such as female rejuvenation procedures or a lower body lift.
Is it really popular?
Statistics from The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery show that breast augmentation and liposuction are the top two surgical procedures nationwide. Tummy tuck isn’t trailing too far behind and the 35-50 age group is the largest for plastic surgery procedures. Women make up 90% of all procedures. Add up the math and it’s clear – Mummy Makeovers are here to stay.
In a recent news article, two women told their story, which are very similar to the ones I hear in the office. They worked out and lost the extra baby weight, but couldn’t 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 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 Mummy Makeover. So why not look your best?
What about the recovery and risks?
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 wouldn’t have to recover twice. Also, she compared the recovery to her C-section recovery. It is similar – no heavy lifting for a few weeks, but you can walk around after surgery and should be almost back to normal 4-6 weeks after surgery.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s best to walk around after surgery. No lying around bed-ridden for weeks. It’s important to get up slowly and move around to help circulate the blood and avoid blood clots. Exercise and heavy lifting should be done with more caution – be sure to be cleared by the doctor’s office before starting anything intense.
Patient Safety
It is hard to see and hear 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 is necessary. A Mummy 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.