Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Surgery For Moms After Pregnancy

Many new mothers discover that the changes that occurred to their bodies during pregnancy may be more permanent than they expected, and can result in problems which good eating and exercise alone simply can’t counteract. These include excess fat and skin around the abdomen, stretchmarks, and saggy breasts. As a result, more and more women are seeking surgical options to return their bodies to the way they were before pregnancy.

Introducing the Mommy Makeover

New Hampshire plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Zeff offers the increasingly popular “Mommy Makeover” which is designed to restore the bodies of mothers to their pre-baby shape. He has seen more and more mothers approach him over the years for effective plastic surgery options on issues which they haven’t been able to correct through diet and exercise.

A recent study from the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery shows a jump of 162% in both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures since 1997. Among the people seeking plastic surgery is a growing number of new mothers, suggesting such makeovers are catching on fast.

Dr. Zeff has had visits from new mothers from many walks of life, all of whom have experienced one or more of the typical effects of pregnancy, including sagging breasts, stretched abdominal skin (resulting in excess skin folds and stretch marks), as well as unwanted fat in other areas of the body. Many women find that even with rigorous diet and exercise regimes they are unable to return to pre-pregnancy shape. Dr. Zeff has helped pioneer the Mommy Makeover, which combines surgical and/or non-surgical procedures which are individually designed for each patient.

What Does the Typical Mommy Makeover Entail?

The most common operations in the Mommy Makeover are the tummy tuck and breast lift, which aim to correct the problem of excess skin which remains after stretching during pregnancy and/or weight loss after pregnancy. It is also common for patients to combine these with liposuction, to help remove excess fatty deposits around the hips and thighs, which may also be a consequence of pregnancy, and can be very difficult to remove by exercise and diet alone.

Many women combine liposuction with abdominoplasty and may decide to include either a breast lift or a breast augmentation to counteract their saggy, and sometimes deflated, breasts. Dr. Zeff will caution his patients that not all procedures may be necessary to help the body return to pre-pregnancy state, and even suggests that some patients take a “wait and see” approach, as their bodies may improve over time and require less intensive surgery. He generally doesn’t recommend that women have abdominoplasty procedures until their abdomens have stabilized, which can take some time after birth. He also cautions women that they should only undergo abdominoplasty if no future pregnancies are planned.

Dr. Zeff explains that he discusses every aspect of a procedure in detail to his patients during the initial consultation period. This is also the time he addresses a patient’s concerns and questions. He also emphasizes that he advises new mothers, as well as all his other patients, to ensure they do their research and feel completely comfortable with the plastic surgeon they ultimately choose.