Mommy Makeover in One Week and Im Scared! Is 6 Hours Too Long?

I am 28 & mom of 2(4 yr old & 6 month old). I had them both via c-section, so needless to say my stomach is a mess and my breasts sag to the bottom of my stomach. I've wanted this ever since I had my son. But I am so scared! I have good & bad days. Some days Im excited & others, I am terrified, like today. This is because when I spoke to my friend that is a nurse about my decision to get surgery, she told me an awful story about a friend who was 28 and died from PE after the very surgery. Help!

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by SuburbanMomTX in Houston, TX

Doctor Answers (7)
Community Comments (1)

You should tolerate the surgery well.

Six hours for a "mommy makeover" is not unusual depending on the extent of the breast surgery and the extent of the tummy tuck. Neither procedure has much blood loss and since you are young, your recovery time from the surgery and anesthesia should not be too prolonged. Expect it to be about three weeks for your recovery from the tummy tuck and less from the breast surgery. Since your children a little, you will need some help for the first week in taking care of them. I usually have my... more

6 hours of cosmetic surgery is too long

I do not recommend 6 hours of general anesthesia for cosmetic surgery. An abdominoplasty takes about 4 hours and a breast reduction takes about 4 hours. I perform each of these procedures individually. Sequential compression devices are used to prevent pulmonary embolism but it can still occur but is very rare. Best Wishes, Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Concerned and Scared before Mommy Makeover Surgery...

Anxiety you are experiencing prior to surgery is quite common. Many moms have great concerns about undergoing elective plastic surgery and worry about returning safely to their families. Many patients experience feelings of anxiety and/or guilt prior to the procedures. Although every operation does carry risk, the risk of major or fatal, conditions are relatively small assuming that you are in good health, your procedures are being done by a well experienced... more

Worried about mommy makeover

It is entirely natural to be worried about an upcoming surgery. Hopefully that same concern guided you to an experienced board certified plastic surgeon, and you are having your procedure in fully accredited facility. It always seems that the closer the surgery comes, the more the butterflies outweigh the reasons you are having the surgery in the first place. This is especially true for young mothers, who are concerned about having a problem when they have small children... more

Mommy Makeover is usually safe and effective.

Thank you for your question. Yes, all surgery carries risks. Fortunately, the risk of fatal PE (although it possible) is a rare occurence. You will need to speak with your plastic surgeon and make certain that appropriate prventative measures are taken. As long as you are young, healthy and don't have specific risk factors for DVT, such as smoking, obesity, or taking birth control pills, the risks should be low. To be sure, discuss this fully with your surgeon to... more

Butterflies about your Mommy Makeover

It is normal to be nervous before your surgery. If you are healthy, then you should do very well. Please make certain that your surgeon is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In addition, make sure that your procedure is being performed in a fully accredited surgical facility/center. It is very common for mommy makeovers to include both breast and tummy procedures and can last from 4-7 hours... more

Hello

It is very normal to have the concerns you are having now. If you’re doing things the right way you should have nothing to worry about. You need to make sure after your surgery even though you will be in pain to get up and walk around every 2-3 hours for 20 min to keep your blood circulating. A lot of patient’s don’t think its real surgery and it’s important to follow your PS post instructions.