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WHAT IS A MOMMY MAKEOVER?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can definitely take a toll on a woman’s body, resulting in excess skin with stretch marks, stubborn fat deposits, and sagging breasts. These changes can be difficult to correct with diet and exercise alone. A mommy makeover is a combination of procedures that address the breasts and body, helping to restore a woman’s pre-pregnancy figure for a boost in confidence.
Mommy Makeover Benefits
A mommy makeover can benefit women who feel self-conscious about the physical changes that accompany pregnancy and childbirth. The procedure can restore your body contours by addressing loose skin, sagging breasts, and stubborn fat. It can improve your physical appearance and your confidence after having children.
WHO IS A CANDIDATE?
Women who have experienced childbirth and are now unhappy with the appearance of their bodies can often benefit from a mommy makeover. The mommy makeover aims to address stretched skin, loose tissue, stubborn fat, and other body concerns related to pregnancy. It is important that candidates be at their ideal body weight, be finished with child-bearing, and are in good medical health. Candidacy can be further discussed during a consultation with Dr. Fichadia.
Common Mommy Makeover Procedures
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck removes excess skin and tightens the abdominal muscles, resulting in a flatter, more toned midsection. This procedure is particularly beneficial for women with stretched or sagging skin around the abdomen due to pregnancy.
Breast Lift
A breast lift can rejuvenate the appearance of sagging breasts by lifting and reshaping them for a more youthful contour. This procedure is ideal for women whose breasts have lost their firmness and shape after breastfeeding.
Breast Augmentation
For those looking to restore or enhance breast volume after pregnancy, breast augmentation can provide fuller breasts. This procedure can be combined with a breast lift for comprehensive breast rejuvenation.
Facelift
While not traditionally associated with mommy makeovers, a facelift can address facial aging that some women may experience during or after pregnancy. This procedure can help restore your appearance.
Brazilian Butt Lift
A Brazilian butt lift enhances the shape and volume of the buttocks using fat transfer, creating a more sculpted and contoured silhouette. This also allows you the opportunity to remove body fat from specific areas.
Liposuction
Liposuction targets stubborn fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. It can be performed on the abdomen, thighs, and hips to create a more toned appearance.
Vaginal Rejuvenation
Vaginal rejuvenation can address changes in the vaginal area that may occur after childbirth, such as laxity or discomfort. This procedure can improve both the aesthetic appearance and comfort of the vaginal area.
THE PROCEDURE
The mommy makeover procedure is a highly individualized one and can consist of a number of procedures, including breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, tummy tuck, and more. The most common procedures performed during a mommy makeover include:
- Breast Augmentation– Can increase the size of the breasts using breast implants for a fuller, more proportionate breast contour. This is offered to patients who suffer from loss of volume and flattening of the breasts but have minimal to no sagging.
- Breast Lift– Can lift drooping or sagging breasts to a more youthful position. It can be done with or without implants.
- Breast reduction– Can reduce and lift the breasts.
- Liposuction– Can remove stubborn deposits of fat on almost any area of the body.
- Tummy Tuck– Can eliminate excess skin from the abdomen, as well as tighten weakened or separated abdominal muscles for a flatter abdominal contour.
However, there are many additional treatments, such as a body lift, or cosmetic injections that can be performed during a mommy makeover, depending on your specific concerns.
The number and variety of treatments chosen, as well as your general health determines whether your mommy makeover will be completed as one combined procedure, or as a series of surgeries performed over a greater period of time. If done as single stage, the mommy makeover can last from four to five hours.
The procedures included in your mommy makeover can be discussed during your consultation with Dr. Fichadia, during which an examination will be done.
PREPARING FOR SURGERY
It is important that you are as close to your goal weight as possible at the time of surgery. In addition, Dr Fichadia recommends that you stop smoking 4-6 weeks before surgery. It is important to arrange for childcare for the first 1-2 weeks after surgery, when you will be recovering. With surgeries like tummy tuck with muscle repair, you may not be able to lift your little ones for about 6-8 weeks. We encourage you to be as open and specific as possible about your goals from your mommy makeover. For breast surgery, this may mean bringing photographs of your desired size. Having a routine of healthy, high protein diet, hydration and exercise before surgery help with easier recovery. We recommend probiotics, such as Nancy’s yogurt or kefir, for replenishing beneficial gut bacteria. These help with constipation, which can happen from anesthesia, or prescription pain medicines after surgery. Another way to prevent post-operative constipation is to ensure a high-fiber diet (prunes, bran, berries, beans, whole grain, etc) or to take a fiber supplement, such as Metamucil. It helps to fill all your prescriptions before the day of surgery.
DAY OF SURGERY
You will need someone to drive you to and from the surgery center. Dr Fichadia will draw on the surgical area. You will meet a friendly nurse and anesthesiologist. After getting an IV, you will be wheeled into the operating room, where you will be placed under general anesthesia.
RESULTS AND RECOVERY
Because this procedure is customized for each individual, recovery will differ from patient to patient depending on the combination of procedures done. Mommy makeover is usually an outpatient procedure. For combination procedures that take longer, you may spend the night at a hospital. You will likely be in a pressure garment for the abdominal part of the procedure. Swelling, bruising and discomfort are normal, and can be managed with prescribed pain medication. If present, drains usually come out in 1-2 weeks. Surgical bandages are usually removed within a week. In general, let pain be your guide to increase activity. Restrictions specific to each procedure will be explained to you before and after surgery. Return to work/activities will depend on the combination of procedures performed.
Although you will have scarring from surgery, scars fade significantly over time. It is important to follow a healthy lifestyle following the surgery to maintain your results long-term.
If you are looking to restore your pre-pregnancy figure, a mommy makeover can help! Contact our Portland office today to schedule your consultation and get started on your mommy makeover journey!
Risks of Mommy Makeover
A mommy makeover carries some risks, including infection, scarring, and anesthesia-related complications. Discussing these risks thoroughly with Dr. Fichadia ensures you are well-informed and confident about your decision. Additionally, because a mommy makeover often involves multiple procedures, it is necessary to have realistic expectations and understand that recovery may take longer than a single surgery.
What to Expect During a Consultation
During a consultation with Dr. Fichadia, you will discuss your concerns and goals for your mommy makeover. Dr. Fichadia will review your medical history, assess your physical health, and discuss the specific areas you want to address. You will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs and desired outcomes. This consultation is also an excellent time to ask any questions you may have about the procedure, recovery, and results.
Mommy Makeover FAQS
What does a mommy makeover cost?
How do you prepare for a mommy makeover?
What is the recovery time for a mommy makeover?
Do you have to lose weight before a mommy makeover?
What is all included in a Mommy Makeover?
Can you transfer fat to your breasts?
Can a tummy tuck be considered medically necessary?
How many plastic surgeries can be done at once?
How long does it take to recover from a mommy makeover?
How much do you have to weigh to get a mommy makeover?
Do you lose weight after a mommy makeover?
Are Mommy Makeovers dangerous?
What is included in the mommy makeover?
Dr. Fichadia is a double board-certified, comprehensively trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon. She completed general surgical training at St Elizabeth’s Medical Center, an affiliate of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA, and subsequently completed a highly competitive plastic surgery program at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR. She has presented research from her time in Boston and Portland at national and international surgical meetings such as Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons and annual meeting of American Society of Plastic Surgery.
