What is a Mommy Makeover Surgery?

The mommy makeover is one of the most popular operations performed by plastic surgeons. The procedure is a combination of cosmetic breast surgery, liposuction, and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). It has been designed to correct changes that occur normally with pregnancy.

During pregnancy and breast-feeding, the breasts typically increase in size. After pregnancy and breast-feeding, a variety of scenarios may occur. In some cases, the breasts may not return to their previous sizes. In this situation, a breast reduction may be necessary. In other cases, the breasts will shrink to their previous sizes, causing excess, saggy skin that may require a breast lift. Some patients will lose volume and require a breast augmentation, while others will have sag and volume loss and require a breast augmentation and breast lift. 

The abdominal wall is also affected. It becomes stretched and there is usually redundant, saggy skin, stretch marks, and weakened muscles. This will require abdominoplasty, mini abdominoplasty, or abdominal wall liposuction. Women also frequently note an increase in fat accumulation in their hips and thighs—these patients will typically require liposuction. 

There are multiple advantages in performing these procedures in combination. These include an improved overall result, lowered cost, and single recovery. Patients typically report increased self-esteem, self-image, and an overall improvement in the quality of their lives. For these reasons, the mommy makeover is one of the most popular operations that is currently performed in plastic surgery.

Is There An Age Limit for Breast Augmentation?

We frequently see women in their fifties and sixties who request breast augmentation. In the vast majority of these patients, breast augmentation can be performed without any difficulty.

It’s important to realize that as we get older, changes occur in our bodies.  These changes are often related to multiple pregnancies.  In many cases, they have developed loss of breast volume and associated breast sag.  For these reasons, many of these patients will need breast lifts at the time of their breast augmentation.

Surgical Drains Following Tummy Tuck Surgery

Drains are frequently used in the postoperative period in abdominoplasty patients to minimize the potential for seroma formation. Drains are usually left in place for 7 to 14 days following surgery. They are usually removed when drainage drops below 25 cc per 24 hours.

The management of surgical drainage varies from patient to patient. Each patient has a unique surgical anatomy and surgical procedures are modified for each individual patient for these reasons.

Simultaneous Mommy Makeover & Hysterectomy

Once a woman makes a decision to undergo a hysterectomy, it often represents the beginning of a new phase in her life. Many of these women hope to reverse the changes associated with pregnancy by undergoing a mommy makeover at the time of their hysterectomy. The mommy makeover often includes cosmetic breast surgery, abdominoplasty, and liposuction with a hysterectomy.

When a hysterectomy is added to a mommy makeover, it adds significantly to the operating room time. This usually results in the procedure being done on an inpatient basis, as opposed to an outpatient basis. It’s important to have good communication between the plastic surgeon and gynecologist so that the procedure is well-choreographed to minimize operating room time.

The Impact of Weight Gain Following Tummy Tuck

Significant weight gain can occasionally occur following tummy tuck surgery.  In the vast majority of abdominoplasty patients this is not a problem.  In abdominoplasty patients, life-style changes are often an important part of their recovery. They tend to watch their diet and exercise more frequently.

Unfortunately, when weight gain following abdominoplasty occurs, the impact upon the procedure can be significant. Many of the original problems such as loose, saggy skin, weakened muscles, and stretch marks can be recreated.

The Ideal Weight for Mommy Makeover Surgery

Weight gain often accompanies the typical changes that occur following pregnancy. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for women who want a mommy makeover to be overweight at their initial presentation. There’s no question that being close to your ideal body weight improves the results from mommy makeover surgery. It also decreases the potential for complications with this type of surgical procedure. For these reasons, we prefer that patients be within 10% of their ideal body weight at the time of surgery.

Breast Implants: Silicone vs. Saline

The type of breast implant used is one of the most important decisions facing patients undergoing breast augmentation. Silicone and saline implants both offer significant advantages for breast augmentation and are both associated with high satisfaction rates.

Although it’s hard to tell the difference between saline and silicone when looking at patients, there is a significant difference in how they feel. This difference is especially noticeable in women who have minimal amounts of breast tissue.

Silicone implants offer several advantages over saline implants. The most important advantage is how they feel. There is no doubt that they feel more natural than saline implants especially when there is minimal breast tissue present. In addition, silicone implants are less likely to cause rippling than saline implants.