women, we are typically very self-conscious about the way we look during and after pregnancy. Having a baby is a life changing and body changing experience. While diet and exercise helps the new Mom to shed the weight she gained during her pregnancy, there used to be little she could do to regain the youthful and attractive body she selflessly sacrificed in order to have a child. While some women choose to wear their post-pregnancy bodies as badges of honor, the majority of us would prefer to look good in a swimsuit again. Thanks to Dr. Frank Timothy, this is now possible.
Mommy Makeovers: Breasts
A Mommy Makeover is a fairly extensive, corrective cosmetic surgery procedure. The process includes augmentation of the breasts, either with the addition of implants or a breast lift (Mastopexy) or a combination of both. Whether a new Mom breastfeeds or not, the tissue and skin of the breasts are never the same once you’ve had a baby. Weight gain during pregnancy can cause rapid growth of the breast size, resulting in unsightly stretch marks. Once the patient is finished breast feeding, the breasts do decrease in size but the excess skin and absence of firm breast tissue makes the breasts look saggy or droopy. A breast lift alone can remove the excess skin and reshape the breast around the tissue that still remains, but for the breasts to regain their youthful pre-pregnancy fullness and firmness, implants may be necessary.
Mommy Makeovers: Tummy Tuck
In addition to the breast rejuvenation, Dr. Frank Timothy Plastic Surgeon also performs a tummy tuck (Abdominoplasty) with the Mommy Makeover. The tummy tuck reverses the damage done to the abdominal area by the massive changes it went through during pregnancy and returns the patient’s abdomen and waist to close to how it looked pre-pregnancy. Feminine contours are re-established, excess skin and wrinkled skin is removed, and after the procedure the abdomen appears flat, and the waistline regains its original youthful curves. Even stretch marks are made to look less noticeable, as many of them are removed along with the excess abdominal skin and with tighter skin, the stretch marks don’t “pucker” like they did when the skin was loose. The abdominal skin looks tighter, firmer and with a regular exercise routine patients often say they look better than before they were pregnant!
A post-pregnancy body can be somewhat of a shock to both the new Mom and her partner, especially if this is their first child. Pregnancy changes our bodies dramatically; the good news is that it can be fixed. If the patient is planning on having more children, Dr. Hess may recommend waiting until she is finished having children to do this procedure since it is so extensive. Recovery time is about two weeks which means the patient cannot go to work, exercise or perform even light duties around the house because of the post-op restriction of movement, pain and discomfort. Dr. Hess will prescribe medicine to control the post-procedure pain but primarily what the patient needs to recover properly is as much rest as possible for at least two weeks. Patients who have had the procedure say that it’s the best thing they could have ever done for themselves and that they are extremely happy with their rejuvenated bodies which more than makes up for the temporary discomfort during recovery.