Mommy Makeovers Pick Up Where Diet and Exercise Fail. Expert Advice to Achieve a New You.
New mothers may be perfectly thrilled with their babies, but less-than-ecstatic about the physical changes they’ve experienced from carrying their little ones. That’s where an increasingly enticing plastic surgery option – the Mommy Makeover – can step in, restoring the body’s features after pregnancy and weight loss.
Typically involving a combination of procedures such as a tummy tuck, liposuction, and a breast lift and/or augmentation, classic Mommy Makeovers target the areas that “take the biggest hit” with pregnancy – the abdomen and breasts. And according to Dr. Deborah White, a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and recognized Top Doctor in the field of plastic surgery, it’s immensely gratifying for both a surgeon and patient to fix things that even diet and exercise can’t correct.
“I don’t think most people understand how powerful it is to get rid of hanging skin and regain an attractive contour without heavy-duty shapewear,” says Dr. White, who has more than 20 years of experience and practices in Scottsdale, Arizona. “It’s very frustrating to do all that hard work and still wear Spanx and padded bras. That’s why Mommy Makeovers are so popular.”
The best Mommy Makeover candidates are women who have reached a stable weight and don’t plan to have more children. “You don’t have to be skinny – you can be healthy at a higher weight – but you definitely don’t want to yo-yo up and down, because you can eat your way out of a tummy tuck,” Dr. White explains.
“You don’t have to be skinny – you can be healthy at a higher weight – but you definitely don’t want to yo-yo up and down, because you can eat your way out of a tummy tuck,” Dr. White explains.
It’s also important to minimize any risk factors for surgery, which means keeping conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes under control. Also, women taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy will need to stop before the surgery – at least temporarily – to lower the odds of blood clots.
“If patients are healthy, we do all the Mommy Makeover procedures together,” Dr. White says. “If not, we separate them out. But our goal is always to keep the number of surgeries to a minimum, if possible.”
Few downsides exist to getting a Mommy Makeover, although candidates should be aware they’re “definitely trading scars for the shape,” she explains. “But women who have an apron of skin on their abdomen can cover up a scar, but not the extra skin if they want to wear something tightly fitted.”
Dr. White offers key insights into what to look for in a plastic surgeon for those interested in a Mommy Makeover. Seeking out Board Certified physicians who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons and members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and/or American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery demonstrates that these surgeons are specially trained, she says.
On the other hand, if a doctor cannot perform the procedures at a hospital and tells you they’re only able to do so at their office, that’s a red flag. “They can’t get hospital privileges unless they document their training,” Dr. White points out.
Ultimately, most women who undergo Mommy Makeovers are thrilled with the results. “One misconception is that cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is just for rich celebrities, but most of our patients are just regular people,” she says. “Most just want to look like they did before pregnancy or feel attractive whether in or out of clothing. Feeling good about yourself is very powerful.”
