Few things change your body more than pregnancy and childbirth. It’s a fact of life, and though many moms will tell you that it’s well worth it, adjusting to and accepting those changes can be difficult. That’s why mommy makeover procedures continue to grow in popularity. “‘Mommy makeover’ is a bucket term that refers to a combination surgery. For most women, it involves procedures that affect the areas of the body that change the most after having a baby, typically the breasts and abdomen,” explains Dr. Ashley Amalfi, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Rochester, New York. The specifics can vary, but this can be anything from a breast lift or breast augmentation plus an abdominoplasty and/or liposuction, she adds.
The big caveat here, underscored by every doctor we spoke to, is that there is simply no type of minimally invasive or noninvasive treatment out there that will yield results that are equivalent, or even close to, those of a surgical mommy makeover. Still, for moms who don’t want to go under the knife or may not necessarily be good candidates for surgery, there are alternative options that can help address some of the concerns traditionally targeted during a mommy makeover.
Here, six nonsurgical mommy makeover procedures for breasts, belly, and more.
Emsculpt Neo
“While not a substitute for a tummy tuck, this can be either a nice adjunct treatment after one or even done on its own,” says Dr. Amalfi. The treatment relies on electromagnetic energy to stimulate and build muscle coupled with radiofrequency energy that can help destroy a small amount of fat. “This treatment won’t fully repair diastasis recti, as the only way to do so is through surgery that brings the separated muscles back together,” she notes. However, it can strengthen the core, leading to a more toned appearance as well as often helping to alleviate some of the back pain that women have post-baby, she adds.
Morpheus8
If abdominal skin texture and laxity are your primary concerns, Dr. Marnie Nussbaum, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says this radiofrequency microneedling treatment is worth considering. It won’t address any muscular changes; rather, it targets sagging skin and fat, she explains: “It works by creating tiny microchannels that prompt the skin to repair itself, stimulating the production of new collagen and elastin. The radiofrequency energy helps heat the deeper layers under the skin, to both stimulate collagen growth as well as melt away fat.” Just plan on having at least three treatments, once every four weeks, which can cost about $1,500 each.
Breast thread lift
Other than finding a well-fitting, supportive bra, there’s not much outside of surgery that can be done to lift or tighten the breasts, says Dr. Amalfi, who doesn’t recommend breast thread lifts. However, Dr. Samuel Lin, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Boston, says that there may be some instances in which someone would consider this procedure. (As is the case for face thread lifts, it involves the insertion of threads made of a surgical-grade, dissolvable material that are used to lift sagging or loose skin.)
“If the breasts haven’t dropped drastically—more specifically, if the nipple is only slightly descended rather than all the way to the breast fold—a more minimally invasive approach could be warranted,” he says. A breast thread lift may yield a subtle change when it comes to how lifted the breast looks, although it won’t change the size and results will last just a few months on average, says Dr. Lin. Point being, it may be worth considering if you just want a little oomph for a special occasion or you’re okay with repeating the treatment regularly, but it’s by no means a home run.
Avéli
While cellulite is an issue for many women, childbearing or not, it can become more of a problem post-baby. Hormone changes affect weight distribution, meaning moms may start to see cellulite in areas they previously hadn’t, says Dr. Amalfi. For this, she recommends Avéli, an FDA-cleared, minimally invasive treatment for the buttocks and thighs that works by actually cleaving the tight septal bands under the skin that cause cellulite. (These bands pull down on the skin, creating a dimpled and bumpy appearance.) It takes about an hour, and once some residual bruising dissipates, the results are fairly immediate and very long-lasting; most patients are still very happy with how their skin looks a year later, she notes. (RealSelf members give it a 90% Worth It Rating.)
Emsella
While less of a cosmetic issue, stress incontinence can be a very real problem for new moms—no matter whether they gave birth vaginally or via C-section, says Dr. Amalfi. Emsella is manufactured by the same company as Emsculpt and also utilizes electromagnetic technology, but it targets the pelvic floor muscles. “Essentially, it’s doing Kegels for you and strengthening the entire pelvic floor,” she explains. Dr. Lin adds that this treatment can work preventively as well, keeping the muscles from becoming stretched out and atrophied in the first place. A series typically involves two treatments spaced a few weeks apart, although yearly maintenance sessions thereafter are recommended to maintain the best results.
Clear + Brilliant
Melasma, a type of widespread hyperpigmentation, is so common during pregnancy that it’s often referred to as “the mask of pregnancy.” It’s caused by the overproduction of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that are produced during pregnancy, says Dr. Nussbaum. While it can be tricky to treat while you’re pregnant (given the fact that most devices and even topical ingredients are off limits), she says the Clear + Brilliant laser is a top choice for fading discoloration after the fact. “It works by creating tiny injury zones that the body then replaces with healthy tissue. In doing this, the darker pigment that’s seen with melasma is lifted and the skin is left lighter and bright,” she explains. It’s fairly quick (taking only about 20 minutes) and comes with no real downtime, and the best results are usually seen after four treatments, each performed monthly. (Expect to pay around $650 per treatment.) It’s often referred to as a ‘baby Fraxel,’ because it is a much less intense laser, which, in this case, is actually better. Because Fraxel penetrates the skin at a deeper level, it causes more thermal damage, which can actually end up exacerbating melasma and making it darker, Dr. Nussbaum notes.
