Women show such remarkable strength in their ability to carry, grow, and birth beautiful bundles of joy. Although the journey of pregnancy is so beautiful and extraordinary, it does take a major toll on our bodies. From childbearing to breastfeeding and everything in between, our bodies experience a major transformation. To address pregnancy-related changes, many board-certified plastic surgeons came up with a series of procedures to help women with post-pregnancy body issues–Mommy Makeovers.
Although our mommies are so beautiful, to begin with, we love to give them the opportunity to restore their bodies and get back into shape; we want them to look and feel like the Wonder Women that they truly are. To learn more about a Mommy Makeover in Brentwood or Nashville, TN, contact our plastic surgery practice today. From breast reconstruction to tightening up the abdominal area, a mommy makeover can rejuvenate and restore your appearance and confidence from the inside out.
Is a Mommy Makeover an Option for Me?
A Mommy Makeover is perfect for women who have given birth and are done breastfeeding. The body needs time to heal from giving birth. It can take months for hormones that relax and loosen muscles, relaxin and progesterone, to leave the body. The uterus will need to size back down. Even breastfeeding can create ongoing changes in the body of a new mom. It is recommended to wait at least 6 months after you have stopped breastfeeding to get a mommy makeover. This is to ensure your body is done changing so that your doctor can give you lasting results.
Let’s take a look at a few components that Mommy Makeovers are comprised of.
What is included in a mommy makeover?
A Mommy Makeover can include several procedures: breast augmentation, tummy tuck, liposuction, stretch mark removal, and even vaginal rejuvenation. The choice of what you need will be up to your doctor and what they recommend best for your body. Your doctor will determine the order of each procedure if they are not done at the same time, but the most common order is breast augmentation, tummy tuck, liposuction, and then stretch mark removal.
Tummy Tuck – Abdominoplasty
A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a common procedure performed in a Mommy Makeover. This is a surgical procedure that includes the removal of excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen, tightening stomach muscles, and closing up any abdominal imperfections after pregnancy. After pregnancy, many women experience a change in their stomach shape and size, and in the event diet and exercise aren’t providing them with the results they are looking for, many women turn to tummy tucks.
A tummy tuck can restore the stomach’s firmness while removing loose skin. Common tummy tuck procedures include the traditional tummy tuck, extended tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, and reverse tummy tuck.
Most tummy tuck incisions are made at the pubic bone, allowing for the healed scar to be easily concealed by bathing suits/undergarments. The length and type of the incision are dependent on the amount of skin that needs to be removed.
A tummy tuck can remove excess fat from under the navel as well as tighten muscles of the abdominal wall. The results are usually long-lasting as long as a healthy diet and exercise plan are maintained.
Breast Enhancement – Breast Augmentation
Breast enhancements can be done with breast enlargements or implants, and sometimes combined with lift procedures. This will help to increase the size and restore the shape of the breasts and create a similar look they had before childbirth.
After pregnancy and breastfeeding, women can experience excess sagging as tissue loss in their breasts. To restore shape and size, many women lean towards breast enhancement procedures–another procedure often performed in Mommy Makeovers. Common breast enhancement procedures include breast lift and breast implants. Breast enhancement surgery is the most commonly performed plastic surgery.
Typically, breast lifts are a solution women look for to correct sagging breasts or loss in breast volume–mainly for women who are comfortable with their current breast size and simply want more ‘perkiness’. Whereas, breast implants are for mommies who want to restore the fullness and size of their breasts. Breast enhancement procedures are often sought after by women who have had children to restore volume lost in the breast area.
Liposuction – Fat Removal
Fat removal, aka liposuction, is a common Mommy Makeover procedure that’s typically done in conjunction with tummy tucks. Fat removal procedures done with tummy tucks help surgeons to contour the waist properly and add excellent definition to the abdomen. Of course, fat removal is not limited to the stomach; mommies can receive fat removal treatments on their arms, legs, backs, chins, etc.
Liposuction can remove fat from targeted areas with small incisions, where it will be relocated to other parts of the body or contour the area just treated with liposuctioning. Fat removed with liposuction can be transferred to the buttocks, hips, thighs, bust, to improve contours. This is known as fat transfer.
Stretch Mark Removal
Stretch marks result from rapid weight gain during pregnancy. Due to the significant weight gain and loss that occurs during pregnancies, many women are left with stretch marks on the stomach, breasts, thighs, butt, and hips. The skin does not have enough time to adjust and new collagen production cannot keep up with the growth, leaving behind red/pink lines on your skin after it has healed. Some women are more prone to getting stretch marks than others no matter the amount of lotion and products applied.
For the beautiful mommies whose stretch marks don’t seem to be fading, there are certain treatments available to help reduce their appearance. Stretch mark removal treatments are highly popular in a Mommy Makeover and can be done in a few different ways. Many Mommy Makeovers offer laser skin-resurfacing treatments that will help reduce stretch marks, or for more severe stretch marks, tummy tucks can remove or reposition them.
If stretch marks are an issue, it is best to make sure the doctor performing your Mommy Makeover has plenty of stretch mark removal experience. This can be done by asking for examples of before and after photos.
Schedule a Mommy Makeover in Nashville Tennesee
As one of the most popular combination plastic surgery techniques, a Mommy Makeover addresses the common issues women face after pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you are a mommy who is closing the childbearing chapter in your life and need a little assistance getting back to normal, you may want to consider a Mommy Makeover.
Before participating in elective surgery, be sure to talk to your doctor to see if you are a good candidate. At Garza Plastic Surgery in Nashville, we want you to be informed about your choices and prepared for the procedure.
Dr. Garza has extensive experience in Mommy Makeovers and can help you understand what is involved with this type of surgery. If you have more questions or are ready to schedule your makeover, give us a call at 615.620.7800.
