Get your body back with a Mommy Makeover

Becoming a mother can be an amazing experience, but going through a pregnancy also can wreak havoc on your body. In many cases, women struggle to restore their body to pre-childbirth conditions no matter how much they exercise and diet. Luckily, advances in plastic surgery make it easier than ever for mothers to restore their bodies and improve their self-confidence. At Preminger Plastic Surgery, we offer New Yorkers a mommy makeover, which refers to a variety of corrective procedures tailored to fit the needs of mothers.

Postpartum plastic surgery is becoming increasingly popular. Data compiled by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shows this to be the case when evaluating procedures done between 2000 and 2010. In just a decade the number of tummy tucks done increased by 85 percent. Concurrently, the plastic surgery field experienced a 70 percent rise in the number of breast lifts and a 39 percent increase in breast augmentation procedures.

The results of pregnancy and getting your body back

A woman experiences drastic changes to her body during pregnancy and childbirth. Extra pounds can settle around the midsection or thighs. Adipose tissue can accumulate in the thighs, or in the lower leg all the way down to the ankle. Many women sustain permanent damage to their abdominal wall, which commonly manifests in stretch marks or excess skin. Diet and exercise will not resolve these issues because the stretched fascia between the muscles does not respond to muscle strengthening. The breasts, which increase in size and volume in anticipation of increased milk production, experience sagging and even diminished size compared to post-pregnancy volume after the period of nursing concludes.

Mommy makeovers typically involve some combination of the following procedures.

Tummy tucks address the stubborn accumulation of fat around the waist that can occur after childbirth. Clinically referred to as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck restores a flat, smooth abdomen. It even can reduce the prominence of scars in women who undergo a C-section during childbirth. Most plastic surgeons opt to perform a tummy tuck only on women who do not plan to have more children. This is because the abdominal muscles easily can separate again during another pregnancy.

Breast augmentation, also known as a breast lift, can reduce any sagging that developed during pregnancy or after childbirth. During a breast lift, which also is referred to clinically as a mastopexy, board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. B. Aviva Preminger, can raise the nipples or reduce their size by performing an areola reduction.

Liposuction is a simple procedure to remove stubborn areas of fat, resulting in a more contoured area. A liposuction procedure can target the waist, thighs, buttocks, or love handles.

A recent ASPS survey shows that 62 percent of pregnant women indicated they would be open to having cosmetic surgery to restore their body to its pre-pregnancy appearance and shape. This increased popularity stems, in part, from a more image-conscious culture and also is the result of advances in the science of plastic surgery that make it possible to perform even highly advanced procedures on an outpatient basis.

What to expect with a Mommy Makeover

A mommy makeover can combine multiple surgeries in one appointment to reduce the overall amount of downtime and recovery time following the procedures. The entire makeover can be performed in three to six hours, usually on an outpatient basis. Average recovery time takes 12 weeks—or often significantly less—but the results will last for years and years.