Mommy makeover or, Keep the kids but erase the damage
I am confident every woman with children knows someone who has had a mommy makeover or seen it advertised. Perhaps this is something you have considered for years but are hesitant for a number of reasons. Let’s discuss and see if I can’t demystify this process enough to stimulate your interest further…
A mommy makeover is a general term that means ‘we’re going to fix baby damage.’ It is generally a combination of breast and body surgery but what those surgeries are is specific to each patient. We’ll break it down into upstairs and downstairs, so to speak:
Breast procedures:
The nature of breast surgery is driven by what you want to see different.
Fuller, firmer, perkier? Sounds like a breast lift with implants.
Just fuller because everything is lined up really well? Sounds like just breast implants to me.
Naturally there are many points to discuss with all surgical decisions, which is why I take at least half an hour to discuss mommy makeover with my patients. In general, breast implants are either silicone gels or saline. My preference is silicone gels because they look and feel so natural, but it is ultimately up to the patient. Whether an implant is placed over or under the muscle, the pectoralis major muscle to be precise, depends on how much natural breast tissue is present. The planning of incisions depends on whether or not a breast lift is part of the plan.
A breast lift and a breast reduction are effectively the same operation with a breast reduction removing significantly more tissue. Most patients believe the nipple is removed in this operation: that is not the case. The nipple remains attached to the tissue to protect nerve and blood supply. Yes, sometimes the nipple sensation can be altered with a breast lift or with breast implants but this is the exception, not the rule. Cosmetic breast surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure here at the office in the surgery suite at West Magnolia Surgery Center.
So, if the breasts are ‘upstairs’, the tummy might be considered ‘downstairs’. Perhaps you’re thinking that something else related to pregnancy and child birth is ‘downstairs’: yes, I have an answer for that, too. Wait for it…
Body procedures:
The work horse of a mommy makeover is a tummy tuck. This is my most favorite operation in the world to perform…it takes me about 2 hours to fix that baby damage and that makes me very happy. Most patients who consider a tummy tuck have other areas they would like to address at the same time, most often hips and thighs. Liposuction is the answer in most of these situations. This is routinely and safely combined with a tummy tuck to remove specific areas of fat: the muffin top, the saddle bags, the inner thighs. Don’t you love how all the girl areas of fat have unflattering names? I can erase your muffin top and remove your saddle bags…leave the unflattering names behind.
Liposuction is done under anesthesia, also outpatient, and easily combined with other procedures.
Getting back to my favorite operation: tummy tuck. I love it so much because it addresses loose and damaged skin (stretch marks) as well as disrupted abdominal wall muscles from pregnancy. A tummy tuck is like having SPANX on beneath your skin forever and ever. No more sucking it in…that is done for you. The surgery is done through an incision hip to hip, down low near the hairline and generally well hidden in clothing, including swim wear. An incision is made around the belly button so I can get above it and tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall from top to bottom. Many think a tummy tuck requires removal of the belly button or creation of a new one. Nope, you keep what God gave you.
Once the muscles are tightened, the skin is pulled down in the direction of the feet and trimmed. Sometimes patients have a vertical scar…right up the middle. There are many reasons for this and if I feel it might be part of patient’s final scar, this is discussed at the initial consultation. Tummy tucks often have a couple of drains in place for a week or so but some patients can avoid this with a drainless abdominoplasty. In this case a surgical super glue called TissuGlu is used to seal the skin down to the abdominal wall. Again, this is something specific to a patient’s build and would be discussed at the initial consultation.
Vaginal rejuvenation:
What about that other ‘downstairs’ I mentioned earlier? Vaginal rejuvenation is a hot topic for all women, not just mommies. The technique I offer is called ThermiVA®. It is radiofrequency energy that the body converts to heat, resulting in tightening of the tissues. After a series of treatments, performed in the office without need for any anesthesia, patients note improved vaginal tightness, and many are impressed with less stress urinary incontinence. Imagine doing jumping jacks without sprinkling a little…so exciting! ThermiVA® requires NO downtime and patients can even resume normal sexual activity the same day.
Obviously, there are many details pertaining to these procedures that cannot be fully discussed here. It would be a privilege to meet with you to discuss your mommy makeover, whatever that might mean to you. Hope to see you soon!
Contact our office at 817.870.4833 to book a consultation and get your mommy makeover journey underway!