The term “Mommy Makeover” seems to be coming up in the media more lately, and as a result, I’m seeing more patients at my Naples-Fort Myers, FL practice with questions about the transformative combination procedure. One of those top questions is how to know whether you’re a good candidate.
What we label as a Mommy Makeover can really be any combination of procedures you see fit. The classic combination is tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast augmentation or lift, but some of my Fort Myers, FL patients take the opportunity to pursue other options, as well. Brazilian butt lifts are becoming a more popular add-on component to our Mommy Makeover procedures, for example.
Here are a few ways to judge whether this combination approach is a good fit for you.
Your body has changed in multiple areas.
Most people think being a mommy is the first prerequisite to the procedure, but that’s not true. The procedure is called a Mommy Makeover because it targets several areas of the body that usually change after pregnancy, and many patients who choose the treatment are indeed mothers. However, weight loss and even the simple passage of time can change the body in similar ways. If you have seen your breasts lose volume or sag, your abdomen lose a firm contour, and fat collect around your body, you may be a good candidate.
Your stomach looks “flabby,” no matter how many crunches you do.
I hear this all the time from my patients. When what used to be a very reliable workout routine is no longer slimming your abdomen, lost skin elasticity may be to blame. Even as the underlying muscles strengthen and your workouts burn body fat, the skin and tissue that expanded to create your baby’s womb may not be able to recede to the same place as prior to pregnancy. The same goes even if you haven’t been pregnant but you’ve lost a lot of weight around the midsection. If you’ve shed the fat but your pre-pregnancy wardrobe just doesn’t feel right, that’s where the tummy tuck portion of the procedure can help.
The shape of your breasts has changed.
It’s quite common for mothers to notice a difference in their breast contours after breastfeeding their children. Skin and ligaments stretch as the mother nurses, but they don’t “bounce back” once the nursing is done. Similarly, women who gain and then lose weight are often left with sagging breasts, which can also simply be a result of aging. The solution is a breast lift, breast augmentation, or another enhancement surgery to restore volume and lift the breasts to a perky position.
You are happy with your current weight but unhappy with fatty areas.
This is arguably one of the most important points when considering the timing of your procedure. If everything else has returned to normal and you’ve come to a stable weight since having your last child, your body has likely settled into a state that’s ready for surgery. For most women, there are also some stubborn bulges of fat that remain despite good diet and exercise habits. This is where the liposuction component of a Mommy Makeover comes in, targeting fat pockets in the midsection, thighs, hips, buttocks, or virtually any other area.
For the sake of preserving your results, it’s also important that you have decided not to have any more children. (It’s certainly possible to have another child following a Mommy Makeover, but it will have an effect on your results.)
Ultimately, what matters most in determining your candidacy is understanding what you would like to change about your body. If you’re considering the procedure, I invite you to contact our office for a consultation.
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