If your body has changed after having children or as a result of weight fluctuations or the aging process, the idea of a mommy makeover is probably intriguing. But what exactly is a mommy makeover? Unlike most cosmetic surgery options, which focus on one aspect of your appearance, a mommy makeover is a combination of procedures. What is that combination? Is it the same for all women? If not, what does it typically include and how do you choose the combination for a mommy makeover that’s right for you?
The most common procedures in a mommy makeover are a tummy tuck, breast surgery (breast augmentation, breast reduction, or breast lift, as needed), and liposuction. But other procedures and treatments can be included, too, and you don’t need to include the most common choices in your mommy makeover if you don’t need them.
What is a Mommy Makeover?
A mommy makeover is a set of surgical procedures, combined, most often, to give your body younger and more toned and attractive contours. Depending on your needs, a mommy makeover can flatten and firm your abdomen, reshape your breasts, remove stubborn pockets of fat, smooth and tighten loose skin, or make other improvements to your appearance. The selection of procedures for your mommy makeover will be made in consultation with your plastic surgeon to address your aesthetic concerns in the safest and most effective way.
What Procedures are Included in a Mommy Makeover?
The procedures most often included in a mommy makeover are:
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, flattens, smooths, and firms your abdomen while also pulling in your waist. In a tummy tuck, the plastic surgeon removes excess skin and fat to correct sagging and bulging. When pregnancy and weight changes have caused abdominal muscles to weaken and separate, the procedure also reconnects and tightens the muscles to restore a flat, firm, and more toned belly. A tummy tuck is usually one of the more transforming elements in a mommy makeover as it so effectively improves the appearance of a woman’s midsection.
Breast Surgery
Breast surgery is also commonly included in a mommy makeover, but for different reasons for different women. A breast lift corrects sagging to restore a rounder, younger-looking shape to the breasts. Breast augmentation, using implants or your own tissue, adds volume and fullness to the breasts. Breast augmentation can be combined with a breast lift to add volume and correct sagging. If overly large breasts are a concern, breast reduction can be performed as part of a mommy makeover to bring the proportions of the body into better harmony.
Liposuction
Liposuction is the third procedure that’s commonly included in a mommy makeover. Liposuction removes pockets of excess fat that resist slimming with diet and exercise, and that can develop after having children, as you age, or as an effect of weight gain and loss. Liposuction can remove fat from your hips, thighs, buttocks, upper arms, neck, under your chin, or around your waist.
Other Procedures
While those three procedures are often included in a mommy makeover, not all women have all three, and some women include other procedures and treatments in their mommy makeovers. For example, your mommy makeover might include an arm lift, thigh lift, facelift, brow lift, or eyelid surgery.
Your mommy makeover might also include non-surgical facial rejuvenation with dermal fillers, Botox, or a chemical peel. If you’re having liposuction as part of your mommy makeover, some of the extracted fat might be used in a fat transfer treatment to add volume to your lips or cheeks, below your eyes, or another part of your body where you need more volume.
Are You a Good Candidate for a Mommy Makeover?
Your cosmetic surgeon can tell you if you are a good candidate for a mommy makeover in your consultation. You are probably a good candidate if you:
- Are unhappy with the appearance of your abdomen, breasts, or other parts of your body because of loose or sagging skin, pockets of stubborn fat, and/or a bulging belly due to weakened abdominal muscles
- Are in generally good health
- Are not significantly overweight
- Do not smoke, or are willing to quit for several weeks before and after the surgery
- Have realistic expectations for the outcomes of treatment
Note that body contouring procedures, including tummy tuck and liposuction, are not substitutes for weight loss with healthy eating and exercise habits. For optimal and long-lasting results, wait to have a mommy makeover until you are at a healthy weight and your weight has remained stable for several months.
Because another pregnancy can change your body again, it’s usually best to wait until you have finished having children before having a mommy makeover.
What Are the Benefits of a Mommy Makeover?
A mommy makeover can transform your body’s contours if you’re unhappy with your appearance after pregnancy, weight loss, or the changes of aging. A mommy makeover can:
- Remove excess skin that has stretched and remains loose or saggy — on your abdomen, thighs, upper arms, or elsewhere on your body
- Remove pockets of abdominal fat that are resistant to weight-loss efforts
- Flatten and firm a bulging belly by reconnecting separated abdominal muscles
- Lift and reshape your breasts for a younger and more attractive look
- Reduce or increase the size of your breasts
- Restore breast symmetry
- Pull in your waist for greater definition
A mommy makeover can also include surgery or non-surgical treatments to reverse signs of facial aging.
The changes made in a mommy makeover can make you look younger, fitter, and more attractive. That transformation can make you feel better about your body, your appearance, and yourself.
What is the Recovery Time for a Mommy Makeover?
Recovery time after a mommy makeover varies with the combination of procedures, but whatever you include in your mommy makeover, you’ll need some time to rest and heal at home after your surgery. How much time and the extent to which you’ll need to limit your activities will depend on what procedures you have. If a tummy tuck is included in your mommy makeover, you should plan to take about two weeks off from work — longer if your job requires lifting or strenuous activity. You can then gradually build up to more strenuous activity over the next few weeks. If a tummy tuck is not part of your mommy makeover, you may be back to work in as little as a week and back to normal levels of activity in as little as a month to six weeks.
No matter what procedures you have in your mommy makeover, you should expect to experience some discomfort in the first few days, which you can manage with over-the-counter or prescription pain medication. You may also experience some swelling and bruising in the treated area. You’ll likely need some help with ordinary household tasks for the first few days.
Your surgeon will provide you with detailed instructions on
- how to take care of yourself as you recover
- when to come back for follow-up appointments and how to reach him [the practice] with any concerns
- when to resume light activities and exercise
- when to begin building up to more strenuous activities and exercise
How Do You Prepare for a Mommy Makeover Surgery?
The first step in preparing for a mommy makeover is to schedule a consultation with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. They will examine you, ask questions to learn your medical history and understand your goals, listen to your concerns, and answer your questions.
When your surgery is scheduled, your surgeon will give you instructions on steps to take in the weeks and days before your procedure. These will include when to stop smoking (if you smoke), stop taking anti-inflammatory medications or other medications that could increase risks from the surgery, and what to have at home for your recovery. You’ll also need to arrange for someone to drive you home after your procedure and stay with you for the first night. You may need to arrange for someone to help you with household tasks for the first few days, especially if a tummy tuck is part of your mommy makeover.
How Long Do the Results of a Mommy Makeover Last?
The results of a mommy makeover are long-lasting, but the surgery doesn’t stop the aging process. You can expect to enjoy your recontoured figure for many years if you maintain a stable weight with healthy eating and exercise and if you don’t have another pregnancy.
A mommy makeover can make you look and feel younger, fitter, and more attractive. It can restore curves and contours that have changed over time in unwelcome ways. It can free you to wear the clothes you want, revealing and accenting rather than hiding your body. And by giving you back a body that you’re proud of, a mommy makeover can make you feel great about yourself.
Partner with Dr. Michael Cash for Your Nashville Mommy Makeover
Contact Nashville Plastic Surgery online or by calling (615) 454-2271 to schedule a consultation for a mommy makeover with Michael Cash, M.D. He will examine you, ask questions to understand your goals, and give his recommendations for the safest and most effective approach. Patients in metro Nashville and throughout middle Tennessee choose Dr. Cash as their cosmetic surgeon because of his ability to create stunning results and the caring attention he and his staff provide.