planning a mommy makeover

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BY

Dennis J. Hurwitz, M.D. SENIOR SECTIONAL EDITOR

updated March 12, 2015

Source: http://www.docshop.com/education/cosmetic/body/mommy-makeover/planning

Childbirth offers a wealth of rewards, but it also takes a tremendous tollon the body. Pregnancy always involves a degree of weight gain, whichcan result in retained fat deposits after childbirth and a compromise inthe elasticity of the skin. The breasts increase in size during breastfeeding, and this can cause them to sag and lose their youthful shapewhen lactation ends. Childbirth causes the greatest changes in theabdomen. The abdominal muscles can become separated, skin canstretch and sag, and the lingering effects can generally change awoman's figure in ways that make her feel less confident about her

Planning a Mommy Makeover

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appearance.

Fortunately, modern plastic surgery makes it possible for mothers tolook as young as they feel. "Mommy makeover" is a term that hasbecome common in today's plastic surgery lexicon, and it describes aspecial approach to body contouring that caters to mothers who wish torestore a youthful, flattering figure. With the technology and techniquesavailable today, this procedure is better than ever, and helps manywomen experience renewed confidence during motherhood. A mommymakeover can include virtually any combination of treatments deemednecessary to help the patient achieve her goals, but the most commonlycombined treatments include liposuction, lift procedures focused on thetrunk and limbs, and breast enhancement.

A mommy makeover is a fully customized treatment tailored precisely toa mother's goals. If you are considering this popular treatment, thoroughplanning is the absolute best way to achieve beautiful results and long-term satisfaction. Though you may not have the expertise to knowprecisely which procedures you want, it helps to have specific ideas ofwhat you hope to accomplish. By describing these goals to yoursurgeon, he or she can recommend the right combination and extent oftreatments to help you look and feel your very best. You should alsospend ample time thinking about whether you wish to have morechildren in the future. In most cases, a mommy makeover provides thebest long-term results for women who do not wish to have any morechildren. Spend plenty of time researching surgeons in your area,gathering as many word-of-mouth recommendations as possible,scheduling consultations with several prospective surgeons, and closelyanalyzing the results those surgeons have provided for other patients. Amommy makeover can help you experience even greater satisfaction inlife as a mother, and you owe it to yourself to plan a treatment that canhelp you feel confident, attractive, and youthful.

Your Consultation: Establishing Your Goalsand Receiving Expert RecommendationsYou should schedule consultations with two or three surgeons beforemaking a final decision. If you have friends who have undergone thisprocedure and achieved satisfying results, consider meeting with their



surgeons. As you browse practices near you, take a look at prospectivesurgeons' credentials, reviews, and examples of the results they haveprovided for others. Make certain that the surgeon is especially adept atbody contouring, liposuction and breast augmentation.It is veryimportant that you feel comfortable with your surgeon. He or she shouldtake plenty of time to note your goals, review your health history andcurrent health, and provide you with plenty of options.

The women who approach mypractice have experiencedchanges in their body as a resultof childbirth, and they want toenhance their figures. Mostcommonly, they have had theirchildren, and plan to have nomore. It is acceptable to moveahead even if further family isbeing considered, but it may limitthe scope of treatment.

By the time we sit down the theconsult, the patent can tell me exactly what they wish to accomplishthrough a mommy makeover. In many other cases, the patient will comein with one idea of a procedure they believe would help them meet theirgoals, and I will recommend other treatments I believe wouldcomplement that treatment for further enhanced results. During myconsultations, I spend time creating digital 3D imaging using high-quality standardized photography, especially for the breasts. One of themost important tools I use is a full-length mirror, which allows us tolook at all angles necessary, so the patient can more thoroughly explainher goals and help me to make recommendations. After acomprehensive evaluation, I provide a range of options, and they selectprocedures a la carte from that menu.

It can be very helpful if patients have pictures of models or celebrities togive me an idea of the features they wish to achieve. I would adviseanyone considering a mommy makeover to gather visual referencepoints like this to help their surgeon gain a better understanding of theirgoals.

As you browse practicesnear you, take a look atprospective surgeons'credentials, reviews, andexamples of the resultsthey have provided forothers



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Of course, not every woman's goals are cosmetic. Following herpregnancy, my patient Patty had very large breasts that made activitieslike riding horses and jogging extremely difficult. She enjoys leading anactive lifestyle, and during our consultation, she explained that wantedto be unencumbered by the physical changes she experienced as aresult of pregnancy.

"I guess my pregnancy just did not treat me well," Patty said. "I thoughtit was time to do something about it. Now I am able to do thingsphysically that I was not able to do prior. I have been a lot morephysically active, and I have a lot more self-confidence."

Establishing ExpectationsThe important next step in planning a mommy makeover is establishingrealistic expectations. While modern cosmetic surgery is capable ofproviding incredible results, it has its limitations.My approach to amommy makeover has as much to do with expectations as reality.

You and your surgeon have to discuss what is likely to beaccomplished. You must realize that the surgeon does not always knowfor certain what is going to happen in terms of shape and proportions.The best thing you can do is choose a surgeon whose judgement youtrust, and depend on him or her to do their absolute best in achievingyour goals. Your surgeon may actually be able to exceed yourexpectations, but you should be willing to undergo some additional workif necessary.

Choosing the Necessary TreatmentsA crucial step in planning your mommy makeover involves decidingupon which treatments to combine. The most common treatmentsperformed during a mommy makeover include:

Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift: Throughout pregnancy andbreastfeeding, the breasts can experience a drastic increase in sizethat subsides once lactation has ceased. The skin of the breast canbecome stretched during this time, resulting in sagging and an overall



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loss of youthful contour. By combining a breast augmentation and abreast lift, I can restore a youthful and perky contour to the breast. Iremove excess skin and tissue, while adding projection by placing abreast implant. Patients must choose either a silicone or salineimplant, choose an implant size, and decide whether it should beplaced above or below the pectoral muscle. Each of these options hasunique benefits. For example, while many patients believe thatsilicone implants provide the most natural look and feel, others aremore comfortable with saline implants because they carry a reducedrisk of capsular contracture (the tightening of scar tissue surroundingthe implant, resulting in a distorted shape).

Abdominoplasty: During pregnancy and childbirth, the midsectionexperiences the greatest fluctuations. The considerable strain placedon the skin as the fetus develops can not only result in sagging skinand a loss of definition, but also a separation of the abdominalmuscles. Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, is a process of removingexcess skin, using liposuction to remove excess fat, and tighteningthe abdominal muscles to restore a fit, lean midsection. A tummy tuckcan be limited (focusing on the lower abdomen and involving someskin and fat removal as well as abdominal tightening), moderate(involving a greater degree of skin and tissue removal), or extended(involving a greater degree of liposuction extending into the flanks, orlove handles).

Liposuction: Stubborn fat deposits that developed during pregnancyand refuse to respond to diet and exercise can be eliminated throughliposuction. Your surgeon will create tiny incisions in the treatmentarea, and use a special tool called a cannula to gently suction the fatfrom beneath the skin. I personally use a system called VASERlipoTMthat incorporates ultrasound waves to liquefy the fat before it isremoved, providing more predictable results. Extracting fat using thismethod is an especially effective approach if the patient wishes toundergo a fat transfer.

Fat Transfer: There is a movement toward adding fat to augmentcertain features, such as the breasts, buttocks, and face. Fat transfercan be a great way to achieve leaner contours in one area, enhancecontours in another, and eliminate risks such as rejection that canaccompany the use of synthetic implants. In some cases, fat transfercan also be a great complement to implants.

Your doctor will provide you with options, and explain the benefits and



risks of combining certain treatments. While most patients would preferto have the full extent of their treatment carried out in a single surgicalsession, this may not always be advisable.

Phasing TreatmentYou and your surgeon must decide if the full scope of treatment can besafely and realistically performed in one treatment, or if carrying outyour treatment in phases is a better option.

Some surgeons feel confident carrying out very complex procedures,while others don't want to go beyond performing one treatment at atime. In my efforts to serve patients as comprehensively as possible, Ihave learned when to avoid overly complex operations that carry highrisks. I'm aware of situations such as a patient being over age 50,overweight, or diagnosed with medical conditions, when an extensiveprocedure is not advisable.

About 75 percent of the time, I can satisfy the patient's expectations in asingle stage, including treatments involving work in the upper and lowerbody. An example of a complete package I often perform in a singlestage would include breast reshaping with implants, a breast lift,abdominoplasty, and liposuction.

Because of my experience in total body contouring, my in-house teamand I are able to perform a number of treatments simultaneously in afew hours of a working day. Increasingly, I have found that I cancombine more treatments with liposuction for strikingly attractiveresults. In total, four to five hours is usually enough time to carry outthe full scope of treatment.

About 75 percent of the time, I cansatisfy the patient's expectations in asingle stage



Ambulatory Centers: Where Will SurgeryTake Place?Many surgeons, including myself, have their own surgical suite. If thepatient requires extensive liposuction, or if they have conditions such asdiabetes or another chronic illness, I may recommend that we performthe procedure in a hospital. In this setting, there are more resourcesavailable to address any complications.

AnesthesiaGeneral anesthesia, or complete sedation, will be necessary during yourmommy makeover surgery. While local anesthesia (the numbing of thetreatment site) is sufficient for some standalone procedures, theextensive nature of this surgery requires general anesthesia to ensureyour comfort throughout treatment. In some cases, you will have achoice of having anesthesia administered either by a nurse or ananesthesiologist.

I have found that in many cases, nurse-administered anesthesia is asafe option that comes at a lower cost. However, patients who arediabetic, have high blood pressure, or suffer from other conditions thatplace them at a higher risk of blood loss are well advised to spend theextra money to have an anesthesiologist on hand. For some patients, ananesthesiologist simply provides greater peace of mind. Whileconsulting with surgeons, find out exactly which anesthesia options areavailable, be upfront about your health and your concerns, and make achoice based on your surgeon's recommendation.

Determining FinancingBefore proceeding with surgery, you will need to choose a financingoption. A mommy makeover is a predominantly cosmetic procedure, butin some instances, portions of the procedure may be eligible forinsurance coverage. This can include the removal of excess skin thatcauses rashes and discomfort, and a breast reduction to relieve backpain and others symptoms. However, it is important to understand that



insurance will cover only the amount of treatment needed to relievesymptoms, and if you are seeking more comprehensive treatment, youcan expect to pay out pocket to achieve the aesthetic enhancement youdesire. Practices always accept cash and credit cards. Many work withthird-party financing companies, or finance procedures internally. If youchoose to finance your surgery or use a credit card, make certain thatyou understand your obligations, and plan carefully to be certain youcan make your scheduled payments.

Recovery TimeThe planning and anticipation of a mommy makeover can be veryexciting, but it is important to consider the weeks of recovery time youwill likely require following surgery. When combining several bodycontouring procedures, it can often require twice as much recoverytime as a single procedure. Four to six weeks of downtime is definitelynot uncommon. Checkups will be necessary during that time, and yoursurgeon may recommend additional treatments to aid in recovery. Ioften include VelaShapeTM therapy, which uses ultrasound to improvedrainage and reduce swelling. In total, this treatment can reduce youroverall recovery time and discomfort, as well as your risk of needing arevision surgery.

Depending upon the extent of your treatment, you will probably needhelp for three to four days to a week to get around the house and carryout everyday tasks. If you work, you should definitely try and save up asmuch vacation time as possible leading up to your surgery. If possible,you may wish to speak to your employer about working from home. Ifyou have very young children, it may also be a great benefit to you andyour family to arrange for childcare during your recovery.

Planning for Long-term Emotional andAesthetic SatisfactionCareful planning of a mommy makeover can help you enjoy a calm andcomfortable experience from your initial consultation until the time youhave fully recovered. Audition several surgeons, ask plenty of questionsso you can make informed choices about your treatments, and make the



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necessary arrangements so that your recovery time is relaxing. Withproper planning, your mommy makeover can make parenthood evenmore enjoyable.

References & Resources

Source:http://www.docshop.com/education/cosmetic/body/mommy-makeover/planning

Author: Dennis J. Hurwitz, M.D.

Publisher: DocShop

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http://www.hurwitzcenter.com/



planning a mommy makeover

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