What is a Mommy Makeover?
It can wreak havoc on the body.
Even after the child's birth, diet and exercise may not be enough to return the body to its pre-baby appearance.
This has led to many women choosing a mommy makeover.
During pregnancy, the stomach begins to expand.
This can lead to the separation and weakening of the abdominal muscles.
If the skin is not elastic enough, stretch marks will appear.
Weight gain in the lower body, especially the hips, waist and thighs is common.
Breastfeeding can also take a toll on a mother's body.
While pregnant, fat is stored in the breasts.
Breastfeeding pulls on these fat stores to provide nutrition to the child.
The added fat in addition to the heaviness of the milk can cause the breasts to droop.
When the fat stores are depleted, the breasts often appear deflated.
A mommy makeover is designed to correct these issues, allowing mothers to regain their pre-baby body.
In most cases, this surgery is actually a series of surgeries.
Depending on the individual problems, it can include a breast lift or augmentation, liposuction, a tummy tuck or a buttock lift.
Some mothers will only need a few of the procedures, while others may find they need all of them.
A breast lift is a surgical procedure to correct sagging breasts.
During the procedure, the surgeon removes excess tissue, fat and skin.
In some cases, the nipple may also be repositioned.
The surgery allows mothers to regain their perky breasts.
If the breasts are severely deflated, the breast lift may be combined with another procedure called a breast augmentation.
In this procedure, implants are inserted into the breasts to give them a fuller appearance.
When done in combination with a breast lift, the surgeon is often able to use the same incisions for both, reducing the number of scars.
An abdominoplasty, better known as a tummy tuck, is often included in a mommy makeover to remove the oft-lamented pooch.
The surgery will repair and strengthen loose muscles while also removing excess skin and tissue.
If there is only a small pooch and no weakened muscles, the plastic surgeon may recommend a mini tummy tuck, which results in a smaller incision.
Weight loss can help remove some of the excess fat that remains after giving birth.
However, fat loss doesn't always happen where it is wanted.
For stubborn areas, liposuction is an option.
This can be done in a variety of areas, allowing patients to pinpoint the specific area they wish to lose fat.
Liposuction is sometimes used during a tummy tuck to help regain a flat stomach.
The buttocks are another problem area for some women after having children.
A buttock lift is an option to correct this problem.
During this procedure, excess skin is removed from the upper part of the buttocks to lift them.
This may be combined with liposuction, implants or fat injections to contour the buttocks.