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Renew Your Body: Mommy Makeover

Our Torrance plastic surgeons perform Mommy Makeover surgery to help women from Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Long Beach, and other nearby Los Angeles communities regain—as closely as possible—their pre-baby bodies. Many end up looking better than ever!

These personalized combination procedures usually include a breast enhancement procedure such as breast augmentation, lift, or reduction plus a tummy tuck to address stretch marks and excess tissue in the tummy area. Sometimes, these combination procedures also include liposuction to address unwanted pockets of fat.

The Breasts & Belly Might Not Bounce Back

Many of our South Bay plastic surgery patients come to us after the frustration of attempting to get their post-baby bodies back into shape through diet and exercise. Although working out and eating right are essential for good health, the stretching and expansion that occur during pregnancy often permanently change the shape of a woman’s midsection. Pregnancy and breastfeeding often cause permanent changes in the breasts, leaving Mom with either deflated, sagging breasts or less often, breasts that expanded through pregnancy and breastfeeding and never returned to their pre-pregnancy size and shape.

The Causes of Post-Pregnancy Belly

During the second or third trimester, the two large parallel bands of abdominal muscles–that usually meet in the middle–pull apart to accommodate the growing infant. This creates a condition called diastasis recti. While almost all women experience diastasis recti during their pregnancies, and in about 50% of women these muscles move back into position within about 6 to 8 weeks after delivery, many women experience a permanent separation of the muscles after pregnancy is over. A tummy tuck is the only way to “close the gap” between the 2 muscles to create a tighter, flatter tummy.

How a Tummy Tuck Can Help

When a tummy tuck (AKA abdominoplasty) is performed, an incision is made from hip to hip as low on the abdomen as possible. The skin and fat above the incision are lifted from the abdominal muscles up to the rib cage. The space between the muscles is corrected with sutures, creating an “internal corset.” Excess skin is removed, and the tummy is pulled down like a window shade and then sutured in place. (Don’t worry, you’ll still have a belly button!). So long as you don’t gain weight or become pregnant again after your tummy tuck, aside from aging, the results are permanent.

How Breast Enhancements Fix Post-Pregnancy Breasts

During pregnancy, your breasts naturally expand. Breastfeeding further affects the size and shape of your breasts as milk is produced and your baby nurses, forcing the skin around the breasts to expand and contract.  After breastfeeding ends, many women’s breasts are saggy and deflated, while other women find that their large “pregnancy breasts” remain larger than they were before pregnancy. Depending upon the woman’s needs, a breast augmentation, breast lift and/or breast reduction can create breasts that are lifted, full, and natural-looking. Our Torrance plastic surgeons use breast implants or fat transfer to augment the breasts.

How Soon Can You Have a Mommy Makeover?

A mom needs at least 6 months after delivery before undergoing a tummy tuck to ensure that she has lost as much “baby weight” as possible. Also, hormones affect your skin’s elasticity, so we want to be certain your hormones are back to your normal state prior to the procedure. Last, you cannot lift anything heavier than 15 pounds for 6 to 8 weeks after your procedure, so many women wait until their youngest child is walking. Alternatively, you can make sure you have help at home during recovery to lift young children in and out of strollers, car seats, highchairs, and bathtubs. There’s no point in having a tummy tuck only to undo the results by strenuous lifting and/or exercise too soon afterward.

Can a Woman Be “Too Old” for a Mommy Makeover?

As long as you are in good health, you’re never “too old” for an aesthetic enhancement that makes you feel better about your appearance!

Review our online photo gallery to see the difference breast augmentation (or another breast enhancement procedure) and tummy tuck surgery can make.

If you’re interested in a Mommy Makeover in the Los Angeles area, contact us online or call (310) 784-0644 and ask our cosmetic coordinator to schedule your appointment with one of our South Bay plastic surgeons. In about an hour, you’ll understand what kind of Mommy Makeover will give you the results you desire!

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