After childbirth, most women’s bodies don’t spring back to their pre-baby shape. The breasts can become saggy and deflated, and the abdominal skin that stretched over your growing baby bump may not tighten up, leaving you with crinkly skin below your belly button.

My plastic surgery partner, Lucio A. Pavone, M.D., and I hear comments like these from women every day:

“Ever since I had my kids, this loose belly skin won’t go anywhere.”
“I lost all my baby weight, but this extra hang from my stomach won’t go away.”
“My breasts aren’t perky anymore.”

Some moms are fine with these body changes, and that’s great! But many women want their pre-baby bodies back, and diet and exercise aren’t enough to achieve their desired results. If this sounds like you, consider a procedure that’s helped thousands of women in the Chicagoland area get the bodies they deserve — a mommy makeover.

What’s a mommy makeover?

A mommy makeover is a procedure in which a plastic surgeon reshapes your breasts, abdomen, or both after you’re done having children. The benefit of the combined approach is that all areas of your body are addressed in one procedure, which can be more budget-friendly and also can save downtime during recovery.

The components of a mommy are determined by each patient’s unique anatomy as well as her desires. During a consultation with Dr. Pavone or me, we will discuss your goals and help you choose the cosmetic surgeries from our mommy makeover options to help you get your body back. Schedule a consultation online today.

Which procedures can I choose from?

These are the four most common procedures performed as part of a mommy makeover:

1. Breast lift (mastopexy)

If you want your breasts to be “perky” again, a breast lift can provide noticeable, natural results. This procedure doesn’t add size or volume. Rather, we remove a little skin from the breast, tighten up the remaining skin and raise the position of the nipple. The result is breasts that are the size you’ve always had — but back where they used to be!

2. Breast enlargement (augmentation)

If you’ve always wanted bigger breasts or yours deflated substantially after pregnancy and breast feeding, you may consider getting a breast enlargement. You can get the size you desire with safe, natural-looking implants. We offer a variety of options, and Dr. Pavone and I will help you choose the right type of implant to achieve your goal.

3. Breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty)

Tired of wearing two or three sports bras during workouts? A reduction can be a good option if your breasts are so large that they cause back pain. This procedure reduces your breasts to a manageable size. We’ve seen women experience dramatic, immediate results with breast reduction — you’ll likely feel lighter and have less back pain from the moment you wake up from the procedure.

4. Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)

Pregnancy can stretch the abdominal wall and create redundant skin in the lower abdomen which doesn’t respond to diet and exercise. As a result, a tummy tuck is usually a component of a mommy makeover. A tummy tuck removes extra skin and fatty tissue from the lower abdomen and tightens the abdominal wall muscles, creating a flat abdomen. This procedure often is combined with liposuction to remove stubborn fat deposits.

A few important notes about the tummy tuck procedure:

• It only removes skin and fatty tissue from the lower abdomen, so some women might want liposuction to target other fat deposits.
• It is not a weight loss surgery. Rather, it’s a skin removal and reshaping procedure.
• Tightening the abdominal wall can help with diastasis recti, a separation of the abdominal muscles during pregnancy that does not heal after delivery.

Who can get a mommy makeover?

Though many of our patients are moms, any woman with loose stomach skin or breast changes due to aging or natural weight loss can get the procedure. To be eligible for a mommy makeover, a woman ideally should be:

• Done having children.
• In good general health, physically and emotionally.
• At least one year past delivery: The body changes a lot during this time period, and we want your results to last.
• A non-smoker: We’ll ask you to quit for at least six weeks prior to surgery because smoking interferes with blood flow to the skin, increasing the risk of healing issues
• At or near ideal weight: Significant weight loss after surgery can affect the aesthetic outcome of the procedure. As such, we encourage patients to achieve their ideal body weight before surgery for the results to last longer.

How long does it take to recover?

Breast lifts and augmentations generally have a relatively short recovery time, with most discomfort lasting only a few days after surgery. Nevertheless, complete recovery without any restrictions can take 4-6 weeks. Tummy tucks usually cause a little more discomfort because we tighten and suture the abdominal muscles. For breast or abdominal mommy makeover procedures, patients are limited to light activity for two weeks after surgery. After six weeks, most women can return to their normal activities and exercise routines.

You deserve to feel confident about your appearance. If you’re ready to get your pre-baby body back, come see us for a mommy makeover consultation. Call us today at 630-646-6020 or schedule a consultation online.