Summary

Pregnancy can leave lasting—and often unwanted—effects on your appearance, such as sagging breasts, stretched abdominal muscles, and loose, excess skin. Many women are discouraged when their breasts and body do not return to their pre-pregnancy shape, even with a healthy diet and exercise. By addressing unwanted changes of pregnancy and restoring the appearance you want, a mommy makeover can help you feel more like yourself, improving your comfort and self-confidence. A “mommy makeover” is the collective term for a personalized set of cosmetic procedures designed to help a woman address common effects of childbearing and aging on the face, breasts, and body and restore or improve upon her pre-pregnancy appearance. Mommy makeovers can include cosmetic surgery, non-surgical treatments, or a combination of both. Determining the right time for a mommy makeover is mostly a personal decision between you and your cosmetic surgeon. Typically, it is best to wait until you are finished having children before undergoing surgical “lifting” procedures, such as tummy tuck, breast lift, or lower body lift surgery; if you plan to become pregnant again in the future, non-surgical body contouring and skin treatments can be cost-effective options for interim procedures.

A “mommy makeover” is the collective term for a personalized set of cosmetic procedures designed to help a woman address common effects of childbearing and aging on the face, breasts, and body and restore or improve upon her pre-pregnancy appearance. Mommy makeovers can include cosmetic surgery, nonsurgical treatments, or a combination of both.

How Can a Mommy Makeover Benefit Me?

Pregnancy can leave lasting—and often unwanted—effects on your appearance, such as sagging breasts, stretched abdominal muscles, and loose, excess skin. Many women are discouraged when their breasts and body do not return to their pre-pregnancy shape, even with a healthy diet and exercise. By addressing unwanted changes of pregnancy and restoring the appearance you want, a mommy makeover can help you feel more like yourself, improving your comfort and self-confidence. Each patient has their personal goals with their mommy makeover, which often include one or more of the following:

  • Correct sagging and restore volume to breasts
  • Improve breast symmetry
  • Repair stretched or large nipple/areola
  • Remove excess, sagging skin from the abdomen
  • Repair stretched or separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti)
  • Reduce pockets of diet- and exercise-resistant fat
  • Improve the way clothing and swimsuits fit

When Should I have a Mommy Makeover?

Determining the right time for a mommy makeover is mostly a personal decision between you and your cosmetic surgeon; however, there are certain factors to consider when timing a mommy makeover and choosing the procedures you will have.

  • It would be best if you were fully recovered from childbirth before undergoing surgery.
  • If you are considering breast surgery, you should wait until several months after you are finished breastfeeding to allow the breasts to return to a regular size and shape.
  • I may not recommend specific nonsurgical treatments, such as injectables, while you are still breastfeeding.
  • Typically, it is best to wait until you are finished having children before undergoing surgical “lifting” procedures, such as tummy tuck, breast lift, or lower body lift surgery; if you plan to become pregnant again in the future, nonsurgical body contouring and skin treatments can be cost-effective options for interim procedures.
  • If you have a surgical mommy makeover, you will not be allowed to lift anything over 5-10 lbs. For the first few weeks after surgery, you will need help with childcare during this time, especially if you have younger children.

What is My Mommy Makeover Procedure Option?

Because pregnancy and childbirth significantly impact the breasts and body, mommy makeovers include breast enhancement and body contouring surgery. However, your mommy makeover may consist of any procedures that will help you address your concerns. Below are standard methods women choose to have as part of a mommy makeover. Most mommy makeover patients have one or more surgical procedures. In most cases, multiple procedures can be performed during a single operation, allowing patients to improve various areas with only one surgery and recovery period.

What are My Mommy Makeover nonsurgical Procedures?

Increasingly, women are including nonsurgical treatments in their mommy makeover plans. Such procedures can be a good option for those planning to have more children and those who are not willing or able to take several weeks off to recover from surgery. Nonsurgical treatments generally give less dramatic results than surgery but can still improve suitable patients.

Who is the Right Candidate for a Mommy Makeover?

Mommy makeover surgery is a highly individualized procedure. It would be best to do it for yourself, not fulfill someone else’s desires or try to fit an ideal image. You may be a candidate for mommy makeover surgery if:

  • You are in good medical health
  • You are at your ideal body weight
  • You have a positive outlook and realistic expectations
  • You are finished with childbearing

What Should I Expect During a Consultation for a Mommy Makeover?

During your mommy makeover consultation, be ready to discuss:

  • Your surgical goals
  • Medical conditions, drug allergies, and medical treatments
  • Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco, and drug use
  • Previous surgeries

Your plastic surgeon will also:

  • Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
  • Examine your breasts, abdomen, genitalia, and/or buttocks and take measurements of their size and shape, skin quality, and skin thickness
  • Take photographs
  • Discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment
  • Discuss likely outcomes of mommy makeover surgery and any risks or potential complications

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon questions. It’s essential to understand all aspects of your mommy makeover. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, whether excitement for your anticipated new look or a bit of preoperative stress. Don’t be shy about discussing these feelings with your plastic surgeon.

What are the Risks of a Mommy Makeover?

The decision to have mommy makeover surgery is highly personal. You’ll have to decide if the benefits will make your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to make sure that you fully understand the procedures you will undergo and any risks or potential complications. The possible risks of mommy makeover surgery include, but are not limited to, bleeding, infection, poor healing of incisions, hematoma, seroma, loss of nipple sensation, inability to breastfeed, implant leak, capsular contracture, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, unfavorable scarring, recurrent looseness of the skin, fat necrosis, deep venous thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications, asymmetry, persistent pain, contour deformity, fat embolization, and anesthesia risks. You can find further information about risks for mommy makeover surgery on the pages related to the proper procedures:

  • Breast augmentation
  • Breast Reduction
  • Breast lift
  • Buttock augmentation
  • Liposuction
  • Tummy tuck

How Should I Prepare for a Mommy Makeover?

In preparing for mommy makeover surgery, you may be asked to:

  • Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
  • Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
  • Stop smoking
  • Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding.

Mommy makeover surgery is typically performed in a hospital and will likely use general anesthesia. You may perform some follow-up procedures on an outpatient basis, and local anesthesia with sedation may be used. These decisions will be based on the requirements of your specific method and in consideration of your preferences and your doctor’s best judgment.

What are the Steps of a Mommy Makeover Procedure?

Step 1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best option for you.

Step 2 – Surgical procedures

The steps for the various methods that could be a part of your individualized mommy makeover surgery can be found below:

What should I Expect During My Mommy Makeover Recovery?

Following your mommy makeover surgery, gauze or bandages will be applied to your incisions. An elastic bandage or support bra will decrease swelling and support the breasts. A compression garment may also be used to control swelling in the abdomen, waist, and buttocks. You will be given specific instructions that may include:

  • How to care for your surgical site(s) following surgery
  • Medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the risk of infection
  • Specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health
  • When to follow up with your plastic surgeon.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your recovery period:

  • Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
  • What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
  • Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery? When will they be removed?
  • Will there be drains? For how long?
  • When can I bathe or shower?
  • When can I resume regular activity and exercise?
  • When do I return for follow-up care?

Healing will continue for several weeks as swelling decreases and the shape of the breasts, abdomen, waist, genitalia, and buttocks improve. Continue to follow your plastic surgeon’s instructions and attend follow-up visits as scheduled.

Life after a Mommy Makeover

Since mommy makeovers are personalized to patients’ needs and goals, surgery protocols and recovery times vary. A good rule of thumb is to expect a recovery similar to that required of the most extensive procedure you are having (in most cases, this is a tummy tuck). Many patients have their procedures while their children are very young. Doing so allows them to get back to their desired appearance earlier but requires careful planning concerning childcare during recovery. Most surgical procedures restrict lifting for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery; you will need to have someone else do tasks that require a child to be picked up or carried while you heal. How soon your results will be last also depends on the procedures you have. Typically, patients feel comfortable and confident wearing a swimsuit within three months after surgery.

face-and-neck-rejuvenation

Facial and neck aging results from the complex interplay between the body skeleton, facial retaining ligaments, soft tissue envelope, face, and neck fat compartments, and the overlying skin elasticity due to genetic and extrinsic factors. Gravity is responsible for a lifetime of downward pull upon the face and neck tissues. Coupled with a loss of ligamentous support and localized fat collection, it results in skin redundancy and loss of smooth skin contours. The First step for successful treatment is to diagnose skin problems; dark spots, red spots, scars, wrinkles, or skin folds. Improving the skin’s condition is mainly done with resurfacing procedures, laser and light therapy, daily skincare, and ultraviolet (UV) protection. Type two rejuvenation is more profound, and targets decreased collagen, disorganized glycosaminoglycans, and elastin, manifested by superficial rhytides and is best treated with non-ablative mid-infrared lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL). Rejuvenation type three is most in-depth and targets deep dermal collagen disorders and skin laxity; here comes the role of fractional lasers, radiofrequency, infra-red light, ultrasound are the most effective). Loss and redistribution of sub-¬dermal fat in aging is handled with liposuction and Liquid facelift (Botox, fillers, and fat). Correction of soft tissue ptosis is usually surgically treated with a brow lift, mid-facelift, and lower face rhytidectomy or non-surgically by energy-based technologies such as radiofrequency or ultrasound. Clinical experience shows that combining multiple aesthetic therapies targeting numerous aspects of the aging process provides optimal results, with greater overall efficacy and a higher level of patient satisfaction. The goal of facial cosmetic surgery is to improve and refresh the appearance of the face and neck without any signs of apparent surgical intervention.

body-in-shape

There is increasing public, medical, and scientific awareness about the many hazards of obesity. Western culture and media often promote a slim body image. Excess body fat poses systemic health problems. Unwanted local fat deposits negatively affect body shape and image. Diets, exercise, medications, and/ liposuction, or gastric surgeries may effectively control obesity. Body shaping can dramatically improve the shape and proportion of your body, enhancing your appearance and boosting your self-confidence. Improvements to your body’s shape and overall body shaping in one surgical session or stages depending on your overall health, the type and extent of procedures, along with the outcome from discussions and recommendations of Prof. Moawad during the consultation process. Body shaping, also called body contouring, is the overall term used to describe a range of aesthetic surgical procedures designed to reshape and improve the appearance of your body. Body shaping (body shaping) can include both surgical (body lift and liposuction) and non-surgical procedures. There is an increasing number of transcutaneous energy delivery devices currently available. They are classified according to the type of energy they deliver to their target—mechanical (e.g., suction, massage), radiofrequency, ultrasound, cryolipolysis, and laser. Of these, radiofrequency devices are the most popular for non-surgical skin tightening and fat reduction.

cosmetic-breast-surgery

One of the primary goals of any aesthetic procedure is to restore aged or otherwise injured structures to a rejuvenated and youthful appearance. In many respects, quality breast surgery is as much a product of intelligent preoperative preparation and planning as it is an excellent technical skill. Breast implants continue to evolve; we now have shaped, highly cohesive implants with a high fill ratio. The technique of autologous fat-graft injection to the breast is applied to correct breast asymmetry, breast deformities; breast reconstruction; trauma-damaged tissues, explanation of deformity for the improvement of soft-tissue coverage of breast implants, and the aesthetic enhancement of the bust. Although breast reduction is often performed to address medical issues, patients who do not have the symptoms of macromastia (large breasts) can still pursue breast reduction as an aesthetic procedure. With liposuction, from thirty to fifty percent of breast volume can be removed with good elevation, along with reduction of the size of the areola without post-surgical wound side effects or the disfiguring inverted T-shaped scar. One of the primary goals of any aesthetic procedure is to restore aged or otherwise injured structures to a rejuvenated and youthful appearance. The youthful ideal serves as a template for nearly every aesthetic procedure commonly performed in plastic surgery today.  In many respects, quality breast surgery is as much a product of intelligent preoperative preparation and planning as it is an excellent technical skill. This approach has made these results more consistent and helped tremendously.

medical-spa-services

The variety of spa equipment reflects the preference and experience of Prof Moawad, the medical director and owner of MSI. Professor Moawad and his qualified team offer MSI medical spa services. Services include; microdermabrasion, medical facials, photorejuvenation, cellulite treatment, radiofrequency, non-surgical skin tightening, non-surgical fat reduction, mesotherapy, and stretch marks improvement. More invasive procedures such as resurfacing, sclerotherapy, liposuction, fat transfer, other laser-assisted treatment such as tattoo removal are discussed under cosmetic dermatology.