Mommy Makeover is a bit of a misnomer. The phrase was coined to describe a combination of procedures to restore a woman’s body to her pre-pregnancy state. As such, it typically involved some form of breast surgery and an abdominoplasty. However, my feeling is why discriminate? In my practice, there is no standard Mommy Makeover. Instead, it is the customized combination of procedures that I feel will best give you the body that you once had or the one that you always wanted.
Pregnancy Changes the Body
If you’ve had children then you understand intimately how pregnancy can change your body. The skin and tissues of your breast and abdomen stretch to accommodate the fetus. And if you decide to breast feed, your breasts may expand even further. Sadly, they often shrink in size once you are done. While pregnancy changes every woman’s body, how those changes manifest is always unique. This is why your breast surgery options include:
- Breast Augmentation
- Maxtopexy or Breast Lift
- Breast Lift with Implants
- Breast Reduction
- Fat Grafting to Breasts
The right choice for you is going to completely depend on your individual anatomy and needs. When it comes to the abdomen, pregnancy takes a distinct toll. The skin and muscles need to make room for the baby, but so does your “fascia”. This is the strong, thin layer of connective tissue that envelopes the abdominal wall muscles. The end result of this expansion is not just loose skin and muscle, but also often a separation of the rectus abdominus, which are the two vertical muscles at the mid-line of your abdomen.
360° Approach to Tummy Tuck
When it comes to changes in your body contour, however, age, hormonal fluctuations such a menopause and weight gain/loss can all have an adverse effect. This is why, to me, the Mommy Makeover is for everyone.
And while it is always customized, it usually includes an abdominoplasty since this is a problem area for so many women.
I never address the abdomen in isolation. Instead, I take a 360° approach with a tummy tuck, looking at how your abdomen interacts with your flanks and your buttocks. This is why your Mommy Makeover may include:
My goal is to rejuvenate your entire trunk so that your breasts look lifted and perky, your abdomen looks long and lean, your buttocks look firm and your waist appears smaller.
No Right Time for a Mommy Makeover
There is really no right season or age for a Mommy Makeover. I have performed them on patients from their 20’s to their 60’s and beyond. I do ask that my Mommy Makeover patients:
- Be finished having children
- Wait 2-3 months after breastfeeding
It is also best if you are within 10 pounds of a maintainable goal weight to have any kind of surgery as it will help ensure that your results stand the test to time. So, when it comes to my Mommy Makeover, I don’t suffer from tunnel vision on just your breasts and abdomen. Instead, I will include any procedure from your neck to your thighs that I think will help you look and feel like the best version of yourself.
To find out more about a Mommy Makeover or any surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Mark Epstein in Hauppauge, Long Island, contact us today or call 631-689-1100 to schedule a consultation.
