Mommy Makeover (Post-Pregnancy Surgery) - San Diego, CA

The joy of having a child often comes with changes to the body from pregnancy and childbirth that cannot be restored through a healthy diet and exercise. Stubborn pockets of fat may appear throughout the body and stretched skin may not return to its previously tight condition. The mommy makeover combines several plastic surgeries, including lifts, liposuction, and augmentation to restore a woman's body and enhance her self-confidence. In the San Diego area, Dr. Champaneria customizes each patient's treatment plans to her needs, but many common procedures that are included are a tummy tuck, liposuction, and a breast lift and/or breast augmentation. Women who are finished with their plans to have children, but haven't been able to regain their pre-pregnancy body should consider a mommy makeover plastic surgery to reclaim their body.

The surgical techniques used during a mommy makeover vary based on the condition of each of the body parts the patient wishes to improve. For the breasts, common issues include sagging and loose skin and a loss of breast volume. Some women will have breasts that remain enlarged. Surgeries that may be considered include breast reduction, breast augmentation and/or a breast lift. For many, a combination of these techniques creates a youthful, beautiful post-pregnancy breast appearance. The most common example is a breast augmentation with a lift. For the lower body, it is normal to see loose skin, surface irregularities such as stretch marks, and persistent pockets of fat. These are normally addressed with liposuction and by trimming away excess skin and ‘lifting’ the remaining skin to a new position. 

A mommy makeover covers a sizeable area of the body. It is considered an invasive surgery and in many cases will require an overnight stay at the hospital. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia in an accredited surgical facility and can take 3 hours or longer to complete. Most women find the recovery to be a slow process. Walking upright is difficult in the first several weeks, and it is recommended that patients take it slow during the initial recovery phase. Depending on what was addressed during surgery, it could take between 6 months to a full year for the final results to appear. With that being said, most patients can go back to a normal routine in an average of 3 weeks; however, exercise is discouraged until at least 6-8 weeks after surgery.

A mommy makeover, because of the combined nature of surgeries, is considered an invasive procedure. Anytime a combination surgery takes place, the overall risks increase. For this reason, it is extremely important that patients find an experienced plastic surgeon that has the training and skill to perform multiple procedures in one setting. Under the hands of an experienced surgeon, the risks are greatly reduced and complications are rare.

It is recommended that all pregnancies are completed before a patient decides to have a mommy makeover. Pregnancy may compromise the results of the surgery, because additional skin stretching and weight gain is inevitable. Patients who are uncertain if they will have additional children should consult with their surgeon to discuss the best approach to take.

Stretch marks may be minimized when the excess skin is removed. The tightening of the skin and underlying tissues will also help in making the marks less visible. Remaining stretch marks can also be minimized after surgery with skin rejuvenation treatments such as laser and chemical peels.

While a mommy makeover creates a beautiful new shape and figure for a woman, unfortunately, it does include some scarring. The scars are most common with a breast lift procedure and a tummy tuck. The surgeon will make every effort possible to create clean incisions, as well as take great care in minimizing scarring as much as possible. Any scars that result from this surgery will be able to be concealed with undergarments or swimsuits.