overheard a woman say she was thinking about a "Mommy Make over". what is this? does it require lots of surgery? i had been considering a tummy tuck but maybe i should look into this instead??
What is a Mommy Makeover?
Doctor Answers (105)
Promoted Local Answer
The term mommy makeover has become very popular. I actually prefer to think of it as a post pregnancy makeover or postpartum restoration.
It usually refers to improvement of the appearance of the abdomen after childbearing as well as the breasts. In some cases it can involve liposuction or other procedures as well.
During childbearing the breasts tend to become in enlarged with milk and swell. After pregnancy the swelling goes down and the breasts can actually become smaller than they were before pregnancy and significantly droopier.
The abdominal wall muscles stretch after pregnancy and they rarely come back to normal without being tightened by surgery. The abdominal skin stretches and does not usually returned to normal.
Common procedures to help correct these problems are breast augmentation and or lift, and either a mini or full tummy tuck with or without additional liposuction.
I like performing these procedures in my practice because they are an effort to make my patients simply feel normal once again. It is very gratifying.
Your plastic surgeon will evaluate you and give you options as to which procedure may best accomplish your goals.
Tummy tuck, is simply one option in a mommy makeover package.
I hope that helps to clarify a question. I have attached a link to an article I wrote about mommy makeover that I hope will help you as well.
Web reference: http://www.atcosmetics.com/pdf/postpartum.pdf
Mommy Makeover is a surgery, or surgeries that help a woman look and feel more like she did prior to pregnancies and childbirth. Typically, the procedure consists of a tummy tuck and some kind of surgery. Possibly a breast augmentation, a breast lift, or a lift and an augmentation together.
Some women elect to have post baby body concerns addressed in a single surgery, Others prefer to stage surgeries for various reasons. In many women, it reasonable to perform both breast lift and a tummy tuck in a single surgery.
Pricing for this surgery will vary significantly, based on the extent of a tummy tuck, and also based on the training and expertise of a plastic surgeon. The most expensive plastic surgeon may not always be the best, but the lowest priced surgeon will almost certainly be cutting corners that could impact your safety and / or results.
Look for lots of before and after photos of tummy tucks, breasts lifts and mommy makeovers. Scars around the belly button are a dead giveaway of a tummy tuck. There should NOT be visible scars around the belly button. Fullness in the upper abdomen is a result that would not be the ideal for most patients. Plastic surgeons who are unable to create natural looking belly buttons, or who rush through surgery without addressing upper abdominal fullness may charge lower prices than plastic surgeons who have the training, ability and interest in providing the very best possible result.
Check the credentials of your plastic surgeon including membership of ASPS and ASAPS. Check for surgical suite accreditation and ask who will be in the OR with you when you have your surgery. If you like the many photos you see, you feel like your surgeon has received excellent training and you like the surgeons philosophy, schedule a consultation. You need to feel like your surgeon listens to you and understands your goals. You need to feel a connection with staff members and you should never feel pressured into scheduling surgery. Prior to scheduling surgery, you should be able to speak to previous patients who have had the same surgery.
Regardless of how you decide who you see, ask yourself the following questions after your consultation appointment(s):
Is this surgeon qualified to perform the surgery I am considering?
Do I like this person? Will I enjoy seeing them over the course of my surgery and recovery?
Was my complete medical history taken and examined in detail?
Did this physician truly listen to me as I explained my thoughts about the improvement I am seeking?
Does this physician share my aesthetic sensibility? Do they understand me and are they able to provide exactly what I am looking for?
Was I provided with a thorough understanding of all options available (both surgical and non-surgical)?
Was I shown photographic examples of surgical outcomes that give me confidence?
Was the office staff professional, friendly and accommodating?
Was I pressured in any way to proceed with surgery?
Does this surgeon perform aesthetic surgery exclusively or is aesthetic surgery a small percentage of the pratice?
Listen to what your heart and your gut tell you when you are evaluating your consultation experience. Only move forward if you can do so with confidence about the experience you expect to have in a given plastic surgery practice, and about your ultimate outcome as a surgical patient.
Your experience with the consultation process is a good indication of what you are likely to receive as a surgical patient in any practice. If the process is well-organized and enjoyable, the staff is respectful and efficient, and the physician takes adequate time to understand your individual needs and communicates effectively, then you have a very high likelihood of being treated in a similar fashion if you become a surgical patient of that practice. If the process is disorganized or rushed, if the staff is discourteous or unprofessional, or if the physician does not give you confidence that your needs will be met, then don't expect things to get any better once you are a surgical patient.
You must be absolutely certain that your plastic surgeon's aesthetic sensibility matches your aesthetic goals. I have a very particular aesthetic vision, and I do not pretend to be the plastic surgeon for everybody. I strive to produce surgical results that are natural-appearing, results that do not advertise a trip to the operating room. For example, I do not perform breast augmentation for patients that are seeking an overly large and distinctly `done' breast appearance. And I have a particular distaste for cheek implants, as I think they rarely produce natural-appearing cheek contours, and instead prefer to enhance facial volume by means of structural fat grafting. Make sure that your plastic surgeon's philosophy and preferred approaches are consistent with the goals that you have in mind.
Adequate communication is obviously invaluable, and you should be able to communicate clearly and easily not only with your doctor, but also with your doctor's staff. Over the course of preparing for and recovering from aesthetic surgery, your doctor's staff will have an important and active role. Make sure that your interaction with the staff gives you confidence that you will receive the care and attention that you expect, and deserve, postoperatively.
Verify that major surgical procedures are performed in an accredited surgery center and that anesthesia care is provided by board-certified M.D. anesthesiologists.
Be confident enough to ask some `difficult' questions. Feel empowered to ask any physician questions like: What are your complication and reoperation rates for this procedure? Has a cosmetic surgery that you performed ever resulted in a lawsuit? Have you had any serious complications and unplanned hospitalizations after cosmetic surgery? Have you ever been disciplined by a state medical board? I am never offended by these kinds of questions, and no competent and qualified surgeon should be. In my opinion it is actually the savvy prospective cosmetic surgery patient who does this kind of `due diligence'.
Take your time evaluating before and after images. When a staff member discovered our images posted on another site without our agreement we were mortified. Yes, this can happen. When viewing photos in the office notice whether or not all the photos are taken with the same background, same lighting and with the same (at least 3) positions. Ask for information including patient's age, and how long after surgery photo was taken. Most importantly, ask, did you perform this surgery? Did you perform this as the primarly plastic surgeon? Has this photo been retouched?
There is no denying the fact that 'before and after' images are the most powerful and effective means for a surgeon to communicate their aesthetic sensibility. They give the prospective patient an immediate sense of what that surgeon envisions as a favorable postoperative result, and thus allow an individual to make a relatively quick decision as to whether or not that surgical practice is one that they should investigate further.
Prospective patients have a host of issues to consider when evaluating pre-op and postop images of cosmetic surgery patients. An outspoken plastic surgeon who is known for some keen observations is often quoted as saying that "A photograph is merely reflected light". Another telling maxim regarding cosmetic surgery photography is "Almost anything can be made to look good from at least one angle." Both of these observations speak to the fact that while such photographs should ideally communicate the true nature of a surgical outcome, there are inherent limitations to the two-dimensional nature of photography.
For this reason, as a consumer you should insist on consistency in preoperative/postoperative photography. The positioning of the subject and the size or 'aspect ratio' in the photographs should remain consistent. If one photograph appears to be taken from five feet away and the other from eight feet away, there is no way to meaningfully interpret the 'transformation'. The lighting and color saturation in all of the images should also ideally be identical, or at least comparable. If the pre-op image is in shadow and the postop image is well-illuminated, there is no way to determine how much of the postoperative 'improvement' was provided by surgical technique and how much is just better lighting. A bright flash can conceal a whole host of flaws.
You should also insist on seeing images from multiple angles, as this is the only way to get some idea of the quality of a surgical result in three dimensions when reviewing two-dimensional photographs, and to confirm that it isn't just from one direction that the result looks acceptable. The photography set-up and photographic background should be consistent. Images taken in the pre-op area in front of a bare wall with an exposed electrical outlet and the patient's gown pulled up but hanging down into the image should not inspire much confidence. Body position and facial position should also be consistent. I have seen breast lift (mastopexy) before and after photographs in which the patient's arms were at her sides in the 'before' images, and then the arms were lifted above the head in the 'after' images. Raising the arms overhead produces an instant 'breast lift', so it is impossible to objectively assess the effect of surgery in photographs where body position is inconsistent.
You are trusting a plastic surgeon with your health and well being, and also to make a permanent change in your body. take your time doing your research.
Some women elect to have post baby body concerns addressed in a single surgery, Others prefer to stage surgeries for various reasons. In many women, it reasonable to perform both breast lift and a tummy tuck in a single surgery.
Pricing for this surgery will vary significantly, based on the extent of a tummy tuck, and also based on the training and expertise of a plastic surgeon. The most expensive plastic surgeon may not always be the best, but the lowest priced surgeon will almost certainly be cutting corners that could impact your safety and / or results.
Look for lots of before and after photos of tummy tucks, breasts lifts and mommy makeovers. Scars around the belly button are a dead giveaway of a tummy tuck. There should NOT be visible scars around the belly button. Fullness in the upper abdomen is a result that would not be the ideal for most patients. Plastic surgeons who are unable to create natural looking belly buttons, or who rush through surgery without addressing upper abdominal fullness may charge lower prices than plastic surgeons who have the training, ability and interest in providing the very best possible result.
Check the credentials of your plastic surgeon including membership of ASPS and ASAPS. Check for surgical suite accreditation and ask who will be in the OR with you when you have your surgery. If you like the many photos you see, you feel like your surgeon has received excellent training and you like the surgeons philosophy, schedule a consultation. You need to feel like your surgeon listens to you and understands your goals. You need to feel a connection with staff members and you should never feel pressured into scheduling surgery. Prior to scheduling surgery, you should be able to speak to previous patients who have had the same surgery.
Regardless of how you decide who you see, ask yourself the following questions after your consultation appointment(s):
Is this surgeon qualified to perform the surgery I am considering?
Do I like this person? Will I enjoy seeing them over the course of my surgery and recovery?
Was my complete medical history taken and examined in detail?
Did this physician truly listen to me as I explained my thoughts about the improvement I am seeking?
Does this physician share my aesthetic sensibility? Do they understand me and are they able to provide exactly what I am looking for?
Was I provided with a thorough understanding of all options available (both surgical and non-surgical)?
Was I shown photographic examples of surgical outcomes that give me confidence?
Was the office staff professional, friendly and accommodating?
Was I pressured in any way to proceed with surgery?
Does this surgeon perform aesthetic surgery exclusively or is aesthetic surgery a small percentage of the pratice?
Listen to what your heart and your gut tell you when you are evaluating your consultation experience. Only move forward if you can do so with confidence about the experience you expect to have in a given plastic surgery practice, and about your ultimate outcome as a surgical patient.
Your experience with the consultation process is a good indication of what you are likely to receive as a surgical patient in any practice. If the process is well-organized and enjoyable, the staff is respectful and efficient, and the physician takes adequate time to understand your individual needs and communicates effectively, then you have a very high likelihood of being treated in a similar fashion if you become a surgical patient of that practice. If the process is disorganized or rushed, if the staff is discourteous or unprofessional, or if the physician does not give you confidence that your needs will be met, then don't expect things to get any better once you are a surgical patient.
You must be absolutely certain that your plastic surgeon's aesthetic sensibility matches your aesthetic goals. I have a very particular aesthetic vision, and I do not pretend to be the plastic surgeon for everybody. I strive to produce surgical results that are natural-appearing, results that do not advertise a trip to the operating room. For example, I do not perform breast augmentation for patients that are seeking an overly large and distinctly `done' breast appearance. And I have a particular distaste for cheek implants, as I think they rarely produce natural-appearing cheek contours, and instead prefer to enhance facial volume by means of structural fat grafting. Make sure that your plastic surgeon's philosophy and preferred approaches are consistent with the goals that you have in mind.
Adequate communication is obviously invaluable, and you should be able to communicate clearly and easily not only with your doctor, but also with your doctor's staff. Over the course of preparing for and recovering from aesthetic surgery, your doctor's staff will have an important and active role. Make sure that your interaction with the staff gives you confidence that you will receive the care and attention that you expect, and deserve, postoperatively.
Verify that major surgical procedures are performed in an accredited surgery center and that anesthesia care is provided by board-certified M.D. anesthesiologists.
Be confident enough to ask some `difficult' questions. Feel empowered to ask any physician questions like: What are your complication and reoperation rates for this procedure? Has a cosmetic surgery that you performed ever resulted in a lawsuit? Have you had any serious complications and unplanned hospitalizations after cosmetic surgery? Have you ever been disciplined by a state medical board? I am never offended by these kinds of questions, and no competent and qualified surgeon should be. In my opinion it is actually the savvy prospective cosmetic surgery patient who does this kind of `due diligence'.
Take your time evaluating before and after images. When a staff member discovered our images posted on another site without our agreement we were mortified. Yes, this can happen. When viewing photos in the office notice whether or not all the photos are taken with the same background, same lighting and with the same (at least 3) positions. Ask for information including patient's age, and how long after surgery photo was taken. Most importantly, ask, did you perform this surgery? Did you perform this as the primarly plastic surgeon? Has this photo been retouched?
There is no denying the fact that 'before and after' images are the most powerful and effective means for a surgeon to communicate their aesthetic sensibility. They give the prospective patient an immediate sense of what that surgeon envisions as a favorable postoperative result, and thus allow an individual to make a relatively quick decision as to whether or not that surgical practice is one that they should investigate further.
Prospective patients have a host of issues to consider when evaluating pre-op and postop images of cosmetic surgery patients. An outspoken plastic surgeon who is known for some keen observations is often quoted as saying that "A photograph is merely reflected light". Another telling maxim regarding cosmetic surgery photography is "Almost anything can be made to look good from at least one angle." Both of these observations speak to the fact that while such photographs should ideally communicate the true nature of a surgical outcome, there are inherent limitations to the two-dimensional nature of photography.
For this reason, as a consumer you should insist on consistency in preoperative/postoperative photography. The positioning of the subject and the size or 'aspect ratio' in the photographs should remain consistent. If one photograph appears to be taken from five feet away and the other from eight feet away, there is no way to meaningfully interpret the 'transformation'. The lighting and color saturation in all of the images should also ideally be identical, or at least comparable. If the pre-op image is in shadow and the postop image is well-illuminated, there is no way to determine how much of the postoperative 'improvement' was provided by surgical technique and how much is just better lighting. A bright flash can conceal a whole host of flaws.
You should also insist on seeing images from multiple angles, as this is the only way to get some idea of the quality of a surgical result in three dimensions when reviewing two-dimensional photographs, and to confirm that it isn't just from one direction that the result looks acceptable. The photography set-up and photographic background should be consistent. Images taken in the pre-op area in front of a bare wall with an exposed electrical outlet and the patient's gown pulled up but hanging down into the image should not inspire much confidence. Body position and facial position should also be consistent. I have seen breast lift (mastopexy) before and after photographs in which the patient's arms were at her sides in the 'before' images, and then the arms were lifted above the head in the 'after' images. Raising the arms overhead produces an instant 'breast lift', so it is impossible to objectively assess the effect of surgery in photographs where body position is inconsistent.
You are trusting a plastic surgeon with your health and well being, and also to make a permanent change in your body. take your time doing your research.
Web reference: http://www.michaellawmd.com/before-after-photos.html
Mommy Makeover typically involves a Tummy Tuck and a Breast Augmentation and or a Breast Lift.
After pregnacy, especially multiple pregnancies or unusually large births or twins, women find that it is very difficult to return their body to their pre pregnancy shape. In spite of dieting and very serious exercise, they find that loose skin of the abdomen will not tighten and the breast are smaller and have lost shape.
A combination of a Tummy Tuck and Breast augmentation and or Breast Lift can often help these patients achieve the shape and feeling that enhances their feeling of well being and fitness.
Web reference: http://drseckel.com/surgical-procedures/mommy-makeover/
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The term mommy makeover has been used to describe the common surgical procedures used to improve the changes that women see with their bodies after pregnancy. Most people consider the mommy makeover to include a tummy tuck procedure along with some type of breast procedure (breast augmentation, breast lift, or both).
A mommy makeover is a lay term for plastic surgery that improves the areas most affected by having babies.....the tummy and breasts. A mommy makeover combines abdominal improvement with breast enhancement surgery.
The abdomen is improved by either liposuction or tummy tuck. The breast is improved by performing a breast augmentation, lift or reduction. The operations are customized to the patients exact needs. Combining these operations in one procedure makes recovery easier since recovering from combined procedures is not much different than recovering from a single procedure. In our clinic mommy makeovers are becoming very popular and give patients great results.
In most cases, Mommy Makeover involves a tummy tuck and breast lift with or without breast implants. I also add in some liposuction at the same time to achieve the best results. However, each procedure is tailored to the individual patient.
Web reference: http://www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com
Thanks for your great question. In our San Francisco area practice we frequently perform mommy makeovers.
A mommy makeover can be any procedure or combination of procedures designed to correct cosmetic issues that can happen after pregnancy.
The most common procedures considered as part of a mommy makeover include:
Abdominoplasty
After pregnancy there can be significant excess skin and separation of your rectus (six pack) muscles which can cause an unflattering abdominal contour. A tummy tuck can correct this.
Breast Lift / Augmentation
After pregnancy and breast feeding the breast can have significant shape changes, usually losing volume and becoming more saggy.
Liposuction
Sometimes after pregnancy, even when you're back to your pre-pregnancy weight there can be excess fat or contour problems in places that you didn't have issues with before. Liposuction can help correct this.
These are the main three but in our San Francisco area practice we also consider correction of hyperpigmentation, c-section scar revision and other procedures as part of a mommy makeover.
Be sure to find a board certified plastic surgeon to help with your concerns.
I hope this helps!
Web reference: http://www.trivalleyplasticsurgery.com
Pregnancy affects each woman differently.
The following can all play a role:
* Age
* Genetics
* Weight fluctuations
* Luck
We all can think of a Mom whose body bounced back quickly after pregnancy – this is often not the norm!
Most women have PERMANENT CHANGES following pregnancy, including:
* Stretch marks
* Breast deflation, drooping
* Excess abdominal skin and fat
* Loss of abdominal muscle tone
WHY a “Mommy Makeover”?
How a mother feels about herself as a mother and a woman is integral to her self image and self esteem. For a mom to want to take care of herself and feel youthful, sexy and confident is NOT self-centered or vain!
“Mommy Makeover” plastic surgery is a cosmetic procedure aimed at making a mother’s breasts and body look the way before she had children… or perhaps even better than when she started!
Procedures usually include some or a combination of the following:
* Breasts - Lift, Augmentation or Reduction
* Tummy - Tuck (Abdominoplasty), “Mini”-Abdominoplasty
* Body - Liposuction
Be sure to visit a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon with extensive experience in these types of surgeries. Ask to see before-and-after pictures of typical results, and to speak to other patients to learn about their experience with the surgeon.
Do your homework! Any surgery is a major event in your life, and affects your family as well as you.
A "mommy makeover" can be a wonderful experience, as long as it is done for the right reasons, by the right surgeon, at the right time in your life.
Mommy makeover is usually the combination of a breast operation and an abdominal procedure.
The breast operation can be an augmentation, a lift or a combination of the two. The abdominal operation is usually a mini or a full abdominoplasty.
It is an excellent procedure to deal with stretched out skin and abdominal weakness after pregnancy and breast feeding.
Hello,
A "Mommy Makeover" is a series of procedures meant to rejuvenate a woman after childbearing. It can include a breast lift with or without implants, tummy tuck, liposuction and at times, thigh lifts. The term does not refer to one specific procedure. It is more of a generic category.
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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