Mommy Makeover Surgery After Pregnancy

Hi! This is Dr. Barry Lycka, Edmonton Cosmetic Dermatologist. I’m so glad to be writing articles for you about some of the newest advances in the world of beauty and cosmetic surgery. In this article I share the conversation I had with Dr Robert Kratschmer, where we talked about the issues and recovery following from Mommy Makeover surgery.

Mommy Makeover Plastic Surgery: Does It Work?

Yes, it does really exist and it does really work! Mommy Makeover plastic surgery is the name given to a number of procedures which are aimed at getting a woman back to her shape before she was pregnant. It can cover a number of procedures and body areas but typically the main areas concentrated upon are the breasts and the waist.

Starting with the waist area.

This is an area that after pregnancy doesnt always respond to exercise or diet – no matter what the mother tries; sometimes her waist will not just go back to how it was before her pregnancy. It is important to understand that this is not always anything to do with what the mother is (or is not) doing. If certain tissues are weak and damaged, then they will need to be repaired and re-structured. Diet and exercise will not do that.

Fixing Stretch Marks

A particular case in point is stretch marks – these are actually tears in the elastic fibers of the skin and they will not just go away. Something has to be done with them.

There is also often just too much skin which needs to be removed, and that would be done with a tummy tuck also known as an abdominoplasty. This is major surgery and requires careful recovery time, which can be difficult for a mother to have.

A nice alternative to having tummy tuck surgery is smart liposuction (smart lipo).

This has been available for a few years but has changed over time and is more advanced than it was. It is great for fat removal and also provides nice, better, skin tightening then previous versions. Mothers really like this less invasive procedure. It is an awake, walk-in procedure with good, faster recovery and provides the skin tightening they are looking for. It also does well with stretch marks, it improves, flattens, shrinks them.

Typical Breast Problems & Solutions

Many mothers notice that their breasts are less firm, tend to droop more and can often see a loss of volume and size.

For drooping breasts, then a breast lift will restore the breast to a more youthful, higher position.

For loss of volume, with breasts now a smaller size than they were pre-pregnancy then the mother would want a breast augmentation with implants to enable her to restore the volume and size of her breasts.

Implants would be either saline or silicone. Having implants can be enough to restore the breasts so that a breast lift is not required.

Recovering From A Mommy Makeover

Women should wait at least 6 to 9 months after giving birth before having any of these procedures. They need to be sure their weight has stabilized, that they are no longer breast feeding and that they actually have time to have these procedures done.

Dr Kratschmer has very strict guidelines for the post-operative recovery period for a tummy tuck to dictate what is allowed and what is not allowed in terms of activities, particularly lifting.

The key period is the 3 weeks after the operation. If a problem does arise, invariably they have been caused by the mother lifting too much, doing more than she should, reaching, grabbing, sudden movements and so forth.

Its imperative that the mother receives adequate help with looking after babies & children and with household tasks. These procedures also affect the husband and the household as the mother needs that recovery time.

It is essential that the husband be at the pre-operation consultations so that both parents understand what it will be like after surgery and what challenges they have to address. As with any surgery there are risks and benefits to understand.

The majority of patients are typically very satisfied with results from their Mommy Makeover with most coming back for more procedures and becoming repeat customers, because they are so happy with what they have achieved.

I look forward to connecting with you and if you have any questions for me on cosmetic surgery procedures, skin cancer and skin care, then please contact me via any of the methods listed in the ‘About The Author’ box below, ask your question, (it goes directly to me) and I will be back with a private answer for you !

And keep looking out for more articles featuring cosmetic surgery & skin care advice, scar treatments and the latest in cosmetic procedures, cellulite treatment and anti-aging treatments