A mommy makeover is a combination of procedures that are designed to rejuvenate your body after the changes that it underwent with childbirth. Common target areas include stubborn tummy fat, loss of breast fullness, and drooping nipples. These areas are often times addressed with a combination of procedures performed during the same operation to produce a full body makeover. Usually a mommy makeover surgery involves either a breast augmentation (possibly combined with a breast lift) and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) or liposuction. By undergoing several procedures at once our mommy makeover patients can lessen their overall recovery time after surgery and save money by limiting the cost of the surgical facility and anesthesia charges. Dr. Kerr performs all of his mommy makeover surgeries in the safety of a hospital (St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center), and you have the option for an overnight stay in the hospital if you would like a little extra help recovering from your surgery.
Who is a good candidate for Mommy Makeover?
A good candidate for a mommy makeover is any healthy patient who wants to rejuvenate areas of her body that underwent undesirable changes with pregnancy. Smoking is a definite contraindication to undergoing many of these procedures so potential candidates should make sure they quit at least one month prior to any surgery. Otherwise, good candidates are patients who have the time and resources to take about 10-14 days off for the initial recovery if a full abdominoplasty and breast lift are performed. After a tummy tuck you can't lift more than 10-15 lbs. for 6 weeks so it's important to make sure your lifestyle can accommodate this restriction. Breast augmentation and basic liposuction have a much quicker recovery time but patients still need about 5-7 days at a minimum before they feel back to normal.
What important safety facts should I know about a Mommy Makeover?
Important safety facts about a mommy makeover include understanding clearly the risks and benefits of each procedure involved. For a tummy tuck and breast augmentation the common risks include but are not limited to: a small risk of bleeding, infection, seroma (fluid collection under the skin that has to be drained in the office), scarring or contracture around the implants, and asymmetry of breasts or abdominal scars. While these risks are real, they are not very common and most healthy patients undergo surgery and recovery without any major problems besides some pain and discomfort for the first few days that is managed with pain medication and muscle relaxants.
What results can I expect?
While each person has a different body shape and size most moms can achieve a very nice result from just a few combined procedures. Taking the time to meet with Dr. Kerr during your complimentary consultation is a large part of determining what types of results are possible. We also have many before and after photographs available on our website at: http://www.synergyplasticsurgery.com/photo-gallery. While all results are variable, finding a patient with a similar body type to yours online is a good way to start thinking about what you could look like after surgery.
Dr. Mahlon Kerr
Plastic Surgeon