What Exactly Is A Mommy Makeover?

In the modern era, the term “mommy makeover” gets used a lot on websites and in marketing. In my own practice, I call it postpartum restoration, which I think sounds more professional and true to the actual focus of the surgery.

But whether you call it a makeover or a restoration, the goal is the same. It’s about making women who have had children feel normal again and it is one of the most rewarding parts of my practice. 

What Is A Mommy Makeover?

A mommy makeover refers to a combination of plastic surgery procedures designed to help women address common effects of childbearing and aging on the body. It often focuses on the breasts and abdomen. The goal is to restore or improve post-pregnancy bodies, helping women regain their pre-pregnancy appearances.

Typically, a mommy makeover will include a mix of breast augmentation, lift or reduction, tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), and liposuction. Sometimes, it might also incorporate other procedures like buttock augmentation or labiaplasty, if a patient so desires. Even non-surgical procedures can be added in to boost results and achieve a more comprehensive effect.

The main procedures in a mommy makeover complement each other by lifting and tightening sagging skin, reducing excess fat deposits, and restoring volume and shape to the body. However, this is not a substitute for weight loss and requires candidates to be in good health and at a stable weight.

Recovery from a mommy makeover varies, depending on the combination and extent of the procedures performed, but it generally takes several months to see the full effects.

The Components Of A Mommy Makeover

There are usually two components to this kind of restoration: breast enhancement and rejuvenation of the abdomen. 

Breast Enhancement 

In a rather cruel way, the breasts enlarge with childbearing, but they often deflate after the weaning phase, unfortunately leaving even less volume than before pregnancy. This makes the breasts sag. My patients who have had children complain of feeling “deflated” after pregnancy and they just want to feel and look normal again, nothing more, nothing less. Through breast augmentation or a breast lift – and sometimes both – I help to restore for them the balance of what used to be.

Tummy Enhancement 

The other part of a mommy makeover is the tummy. While sometimes the skin of the tummy will shrink back on its own well after delivery, often it does not. Some women will do well with their first pregnancy but not with the second. The usual treatment here is commonly known as a tummy tuck.

“What?”, I hear you ask. “A tummy tuck, not liposuction?”

Yes, when the skin becomes loose, wavy saggy or irregular it needs to be tightened. Liposuction makes skin looser, not tighter. This is because it removes fat and does not affect the way the skin is connected to the body. 

I guide my patients by first pinching on their tummies before making any plans for the procedure. If the skin tone is good (which is unusual for the postpartum period), I will often recommend liposuction. If the skin is loose I may recommend a full or mini tummy tuck depending on how much I can pinch, which varies from patient to patient. 

More Than Meets the Eye

“My husband says I should just go to the gym and work it off…” is something I hear daily. What the men often don’t understand is that the problem isn’t the muscles at all. The problem is the “overstretched” skin, which cannot be changed or removed by exercise no matter how often a mom goes to the gym. Women with loose skin who diet, exercise and do everything right usually see weight loss. 

Paradoxically the weight loss leads to even more loosening of the skin and, therefore an even greater need for a visit to me for a tummy tuck.

Ready For Your Mommy Makeover?

No matter what they need, each mom is different, and each may need her own subtle surgical variations. I know this well and tailor each and every procedure to the individual patient. That way, they are clear about what will happen and are happiest with the results.

If you feel loose or deflated after childbirth and would like some advice, please contact our office today and schedule a free consultation. You can contact us online.