If you’re in the middle of raising children, it can be difficult to think about doing something for yourself, especially something as personally transformational as getting mommy makeover surgery. It can be a rewarding experience, but it’s important that patients first ask several questions before scheduling the procedure—which combines tummy tuck surgery with breast augmentation—at our Gilbert, AZ, practice near Scottsdale.
Getting the answers to these 6 questions—some of which you should ask yourself—will help give you peace of mind and ensure you’re prepared for the reality of undergoing a major operation and the recovery that follows.
Do I Really Know What a Mommy Makeover Is?
The procedures typically included in a mommy makeover operation are all designed to address physical changes that occur during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), liposuction, and cosmetic breast surgery—a breast lift, breast augmentation, or a combination of both—are all typically included in the procedure.
But we can customize a mommy makeover to meet a specific patient’s goals. The procedure might include additional body contouring, such as an arm lift or liposuction, in other areas of the body.
Am I a Good Candidate?
Most women in good general health who want to regain their pre-pregnancy body contours can be good candidates for mommy makeover procedures. Additionally, women thinking about a mommy makeover should consider some other factors, including:
- Do you intend to have more children?
- Are you still breastfeeding?
- What are your cosmetic goals?
Even though you can still get pregnant after a mommy makeover, it’s likely that having another child will compromise the results. Additionally, it’s best to wait at least 6 months after weaning your breastfeeding child so that your breasts are no longer changing size or shape. Finally, a mommy makeover creates remarkable results, but it’s also important to have realistic expectations.
Will I Need a Breast Lift?
Women often ask if they can improve the appearance of their breasts with augmentation alone. If your breasts remain relatively perky and you simply want to restore or add volume, then breast augmentation is the correct approach. Many patients, however, benefit from combining a breast lift with augmentation. Implants add volume but don’t create the lifted appearance that patients want.
What Will My Recovery Be Like?
Most women return to work 2 to 3 weeks after a mommy makeover (it’s longer if the job is physically strenuous). The length of your recovery will depend on the type and number of procedures that you choose to include. It’s important to plan for child care if you have young children at home. During the first few weeks of recovery, you’ll need to take it easy and avoid heavy lifting, including lifting small children. Expect to experience some swelling, bruising, and tightness during this first stage of recovery, but these symptoms should gradually diminish as you continue to heal.
Is It Safe To Combine Procedures?
Patient safety is our top priority, so we take this question very seriously. Because a mommy makeover combines several procedures, it is generally one of the more time-consuming aesthetic surgeries. Some procedures can take 5 to 6 hours. One of the benefits of a mommy makeover is that patients have to plan for only one recovery. Having said that, in some cases, we may recommend performing a mommy makeover in stages.
How Long Before I See the Final Results?
If you’re planning a beach vacation and want to be sure you can show off your enhanced contours, you should schedule your operation at least 4 to 5 months ahead of time. This gives your body time to heal fully and for your breast implants to settle into place (if breast augmentation was part of the operation).
Need some motivation? Check out our gallery of mommy makeover before-and-after photos featuring actual patients to get a glimpse of the remarkable results the procedure creates. Besides using the online form to request a consultation, you can also give us a call at (480) 466-7355 to schedule an appointment.
Leave a Reply