Your body changes with pregnancy, giving birth, weight gain and then loss. The abdomen and breasts often becomes the focus of dissatisfaction due to the changes that our tissue and skin undergo despite our attempt to maintain a healthy diet and stay active. Dissatisfaction is resulted from loosing volume in the breasts, stretched out skin causing the breast to be droopy or ptotic, excess skin with or without excess fat and laxity of the abdominal wall (diastasis) causing contour deformity and asymmetry. Mommy makeover is a combination of typically 2 procedures to restore the body to a more youthful state if the patient is a candidate.
What is a Mommy Makeover surgery?
Mommy makeover focuses on restoring the breast, abdomen and waist. The surgery is done under general anesthesia. Typically 2 procedures can be combined in the same surgery if the patient is the right candidate. Typical procedures includes tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, breast lift, breast augmentation, and liposuction. A surgical plan will be customized to your specific need after evaluation. Liposuction specifically should only be done in the flank and back areas to reduce the risk of tissue necrosis.
Who are candidates for Mommy Makeover?
Ideal candidates are non-smoker, healthy individuals who have maintained an active lifestyle. The optimal result are for patient who are at least 1 year post giving birth and have not breastfed for at least 6 months. This time frame allow optimal tissue retraction after your body has gone through the changes. If you do smoke/vape or use any nicotine product, you need to stop using for at least 2-3 months prior to surgery and remain nicotine free for 3 months after surgery to optimize healing. It’s essential to have your diabetes controlled and stop using nicotine products before and after surgery. Otherwise, your risk of skin and tissue necrosis and open wound is extremely high that surgery should not be pursued. Hypertension must also be well controlled because of high risk for bleeding and hematoma after surgery if blood pressure remains high.
What is the recovery process?
Patient typically goes home on the same day. Pain is controlled with pain medication and typically patients only take tylenol and ibuprofen after 2-3 days. Bruising usually resolves by 2 weeks, but swelling can take 6-8 weeks to resolve. The drains remain in place for 1-2 weeks. Most patients feel back to base baseline around 1 week. Abdominal binder or compression garment is worn for about 6 weeks to help reduce swelling and improve the contour. Walking is extremely important immediately after surgery to reduce risk of blood clot forming in the legs. Having assistance at home to help you move around and walking is essential to your recovery. Strenuous exercise is not recommended for at least 6 weeks.
What are the complications of a Mommy Makeover?
As with any surgery, there is risk of bleeding, infection, hematoma, fluid collection despite drain placement and after drain removal, tissue necrosis, open wound, contour deformity, scarring, asymmetry, decrease or no sensation in the surgical area, and need for further surgery. One of the most serious complications is blood clot forming in the legs and traveling to the lungs. Hence, it is extremely important to mobilize and walk immediately after surgery to reduce this risk. It’s essential to have your diabetes controlled and stop using nicotine products before and after surgery. Otherwise, your risk of skin and tissue necrosis and open wound is extremely high that surgery should not be pursued.
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