Mommy Makeover

Having a child is one of the most joyous events in a woman’s life. The physical toll pregnancy can have on the post-pregnancy female body, however, can be drastic. Despite adherence to a good diet and exercise regimen during pregnancy, the anatomical and hormonal changes to a woman’s body, especially the abdomen and breasts, are unavoidable. Fortunately, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Brian S. Glatt can restore your figure to its pre-pregnancy appearance or even better! 

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About Mommy Makeover

A “mommy makeover” consists of a combination of procedures designed to address post-pregnancy changes to multiple areas. Common procedures that may be included as part of a mommy makeover are abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), liposuction and breast surgery, such as breast augmentation, breast lift (mastopexy), or breast reduction.

Performing multiple procedures at once has the advantage of reducing costs to the patient, as well as reducing overall recovery time. 

Mommy makeover surgery can take from three to six hours, depending on the number of procedures being performed. It also requires general anesthesia, and most often an overnight stay in the hospital is needed. Dr. Glatt performs mommy makeover surgery at Morristown Medical Center, a nationally recognized hospital in Morristown, NJ.

Mommy Makeover Consultation

Candidates for Mommy Makeover

Ideal candidates for a mommy makeover are relatively healthy individuals who have realistic expectations for their mommy makeover procedure. If you are unhappy with your post-pregnancy body or face and are looking for a change, a Mommy Makeover with Dr. Brian Glatt of the Premier Plastic Surgery Center of New Jersey can help you achieve your aesthetic goals. If you believe you are a candidate for mommy makeover in New Jersey, contact Premier Plastic Surgery Center of New Jersey today to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Glatt.

Body Procedures

Diet and exercise will help a woman lose her pregnancy pounds, but some women experience changes that even the best fitness routine cannot reverse. As the abdominal wall is stretched during pregnancy, the rectus abdominis muscle (your “six-pack abs”) which runs down the front of the abdomen on the right and left sides separates into two halves to make room for the developing baby. After pregnancy, the muscles commonly move back towards the middle of the abdomen, but never reach their tighter, pre-pregnancy position. 

The area where the muscles separate stays loose and is often impossible to tighten with exercise since the anatomy has been irreparably damaged. One can think of it as the skin as well as the soft tissues of the abdominal wall have been stretched beyond the body’s capacity to fully recover and shrink back. This condition, called diastasis recti, is routinely repaired during abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) surgery. During a tummy tuck, excess skin and soft tissue are removed to further flatten the abdomen. 

Additional contouring with liposuction is frequently performed concurrently to provide even better results and shaping. The size and shape of the belly button (umbilicus) is also improved during tummy tuck surgery. For women who have undergone a cesarean section, there are varieties of reconstructive techniques to reduce the appearance of the c-section scar.

Women often choose to have liposuction of the hips, the areas commonly referred to as “saddlebags”, inner or outer thighs, knees, or buttocks to achieve the contoured silhouette they have always wanted. Since many women struggle with achieving desirable final results with diet and exercise alone, liposuction can help augment their weight loss efforts.  

Liposuction effectively removes the excess fat from under the surface of the skin using a thin tube, called a cannula. The cannula is expertly guided to achieve the curves you desire. The skin of the treated area should conform to the new underlying shape.

Breast Procedures

Since most women experience changes to their breast volume, as well as stretching of the skin after having children, especially if they have breastfed, the third component of a mommy makeover is breast surgery. This may include breast lift surgery, breast augmentation, breast reduction, or a combination of procedures.

As the breasts increase in size due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, delicate tissue can stretch and lose elasticity, leading to stretch marks or drooping of the breasts. Sometimes, all that is needed is a mastopexy (breast lift) which removes excess skin while lifting the breasts to a higher position. A reduction in areola size is routinely performed as part of a breast lift or reduction. 

Dr. Glatt may also suggest including a breast augmentation at the same time as a breast lift, in order to restore volume to your breasts. Breast augmentation surgery uses an implant to increase the size of the breasts and provide volume. Breast implants can help to fill out the stretched, loose skin. Patients have the option to use saline or silicone gel breast implants for their breast augmentation. There are also a variety of surgical techniques to lessen the potential for scarring.

Preparing for a Mommy Makeover

It is advised that you lose most of your pregnancy weight and have stopped breastfeeding prior to mommy makeover surgery. This surgery is generally performed no earlier than six months after the birth of your baby. It is also strongly advised that you delay your mommy makeover until after your last pregnancy to avoid the need for repeat surgery as significant weight fluctuations and a subsequent pregnancy can compromise your results. Recovery from mommy makeover is considerable and involves restrictions on lifting for a period of time. These limitations should be considered when deciding to undergo a mommy makeover.

Contact Dr. Glatt for a Mommy Makeover Plastic Surgery Consultation in Morristown

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Additional Resources

1. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (2020). Mommy Makeover. Retrieved from https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/mommy-makeover
2. American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. (2020). Mommy Makeover. Retrieved from https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/procedure-learning-center/body-procedures/mommy-makeover/