5 Mommy Makeover Myths
It's not easy for many women to jump back to the pre-pregnancy body after childbirth and breastfeeding. New moms often struggle with an excess of skin and fat on the tummy and flanks, deflated or droopy boobs, stretch marks, and a lack of firmness in the abdominal area.
With a balanced diet and some regular physical activity, we can address the excess weight issue and even get back in shape. However, when it comes to saggy breasts without volume and the belly pooch, there is not much that can be done that doesn't include plastic surgery.
Mommy Makeover is a package of plastic surgery procedures created to address women's most popular concerns after pregnancy and childbirth. The Mommy Makeover addresses all the areas affected by pregnancy and focuses on the breasts and tummy.
Mommy Makeover procedures
This package of plastic surgery procedures is personalized to cater to the needs of each and every patient. In other words, there are no two Mommy Makeovers alike. During the consultation with the plastic surgeon, you will discuss the procedures that will benefit you and if it is better to have combined procedures performed or have them done in multiple operative sessions.
The plastic surgeon might recommend a breast lift or a breast lift associated with implants or a breast reduction for the breasts. Breast augmentation can also be performed to add more volume to the breasts. Liposuction might be necessary to address the areas of the body with localized fat deposits. The tummy tuck is often needed to correct diastasis recti (a condition of the abdominal muscles that can occur during pregnancy – a gap is created between the right and left abdominal muscles), to strengthen the muscles and eliminate excess skin. Other procedures, such as the thigh lift or neck liposuction, might be performed to better define the body and help the patient achieve the desired results.
The Mommy Makeover is an efficient solution that allows patients to get back their pre-pregnancy bodies. However, like it is the case with other plastic surgery interventions, there are plenty of myths going around that can give you a false impression regarding what this intervention is and what it can do for you.
Common Mommy Makeover surgery myths
1. New mothers can get Mommy Makeover surgery as soon as they want after childbirth
A popular belief is that you can jump straight from the delivery room into the operating room to get a Mommy Makeover. Some even suspect this is what celebrities do to get back in shape so soon after childbirth. However, this is not something that a responsible board-certified plastic surgeon would ever recommend. The body needs time to recover after childbirth and get back to the initial shape, or at least as close to it as possible. Usually, the Mommy Makeover procedure can be scheduled after at least six months have passed since the patient stopped breastfeeding. However, it might be better to wait even more, for a whole year, before taking the necessary steps to get your pre-pregnancy body back.
More than this, keep in mind that it is better to have the surgery when you are not planning to have more children in the future. A new pregnancy, as well as ulterior weight loss or weight gain, can alter the results achieved with the Mommy Makeover.
2. The Mommy Makeover is only for young mothers
Even if the procedure's name suggests that the intervention is for mothers, you don't need to have children to be eligible for the surgery. The ideal candidate for the Mommy Makeover intervention is a woman who:
- Is in good health and emotional condition;
- Has a normal weight;
- Has realistic expectations from the surgery;
- Has droopy boobs and excess skin and fat on the tummy.
Deflated breasts and aesthetic issues in the abdominal area are also common for people who lost a lot of weight, so they might be suitable candidates for the Mommy Makeover too. And the age is never the main criteria for your eligibility for any plastic surgery intervention. There are other factors much more important, such as the health condition, for example.
3. Plastic surgery is an easy alternative for women who do not exercise and eat right
As mentioned before, one of the conditions that contribute to the unpleasant aspect of the tummy is diastasis recti. With the growth of the uterus, the muscles of the abdominal wall can get separated. As a result, the tummy doesn't look flat and firm after childbirth, not even if the patient is thin and fit. To correct this condition, a tummy tuck is performed. During the surgery, the plastic surgeon will suture the right and left abdominal muscles on the median line to strengthen them and create a flat tummy. If the diastasis recti is severe, the condition can't be fixed with physical exercises; however, it can get worse.
When it comes to saggy breasts or overly large breasts that lack volume, once again, there is not much one can do to correct them. Saggy skin needs to be excised in order to be corrected.
A regular exercise routine and a healthy diet can help you achieve a normal weight and good muscular tonus; however, it can't help you bounce back to your pre-pregnancy body.
4. The scars after the Mommy Makeover are not worth it
Plastic surgery has come a long way in the last decades. The surgical techniques have developed to leave behind fewer and smaller scars. Even if the Mommy Makeover is a complex procedure, the scars are minimal and positioned in areas where they are not visible, not even if the patient is wearing just underwear.
The tummy tuck scars are located in the suprapubic area, and it's just one fine line that can be easily masked in the folds on the skin. Liposuction scars are barely visible after the recovery process is completed. The scars left at the breasts' level after breast augmentation, breast lift, or breast reduction are also small.
5. The recovery time is very long
Like it is the case with all surgical interventions, the recovery time is dependent on the health condition of the patient and the complexity of the procedures performed. The main benefit of undergoing a Mommy Makeover intervention – which is a combination of plastic surgery procedures – is the shorter recovery time. When combined procedures are performed, there is just one recovery time. The recovery time after the Mommy Makeover is usually of a few weeks. After the second week, the patient can resume most of the daily activities.
To find out all the details about the Mommy Makeover procedure, and check if you are an eligible candidate for the intervention, schedule an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon. If you are in Fort Lauderdale, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Essie Yates at The Yates Institute.