There’s a saying which says there are only two absolutes in life: death and taxes. Well, for women, here’s a third: pregnancy will change her body. Some changes are subtle with little to no visible changes while others are noticeable, and some changes affect some women more prominently than others. Here’s a fact: when a woman has a baby, her body changes.
With many of these changes, there are aesthetic resolutions which are achievable through plastic surgery. Here are a few changes which concern many mothers and the associated procedure to resolve each cosmetic concern.
Larger or Smaller Breasts
Your breasts may deflate and shrink after childbirth whether you breastfeed or not. Generally, they enlarge during pregnancy because of weight gain and the anticipation of providing milk, so they often change shape when they stop producing milk. Also, fat loss beneath the skin tissue will cause sagging breast tissue with many mothers.
Larger breasts appear with some mothers after pregnancy as well. There is no telling what a mother will end up with after having children—with about a third having larger breasts, a third with smaller breasts, and the other third remaining the same cup size.
Breast surgeries, including augmentation, a breast lift or a combination of the two, will improve the size, shape, elevation, and firmness of your breasts. Women who want to reduce their breast size may consider a breast reduction as well.
Excess Skin and Stretch Marks
Because a mother’s skin stretches in more ways she can imagine during pregnancy, excessive skin may remain after childbirth. Also, stretch marks may form, leaving unwanted blemishes, especially around the abdominal area. These post-pregnancy effects are different from one mother to another, with some having small amounts of loose tissue while others deal with much more.
Another problem in the abdominal area is its wall becomes so stretched, it fails to provide enough support, and the mother’s tummy will hang and sag.
Body contouring procedures, like a tummy tuck and a body lift, are designed to eliminate loose skin and leave the target areas taut and firm. With the elimination of skin, the procedure can eliminate stretch marks as well; however, patients should expect some scarring after surgery.
Persistent Fat Deposits
Pregnancy may leave the mother with stubborn fat deposits which seem to ignore diet and exercise. These fat pads are common on the hips, abdomen, upper arms, and inner thighs. For mothers who desire to be tone and firm and work hard to attain a tight body, this effect can be frustrating.
Liposuction is an ideal procedure to eliminate unwanted fat pads and give a woman the body she has worked hard to achieve. Once she is finished with having children and has attained her ideal body weight (or close to it), liposuction can be the finishing touch to have her clear the final hurdle of getting the body contour she desires.
Putting It All Together
Mothers who have multiple effects from pregnancy and breastfeeding may need more extensive work to achieve their pre-pregnancy body. A mommy makeover combines two or more body contouring procedures to help reverse the effects of bearing children and breastfeeding. A consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. George Landis will help you identify which procedure will work best for you.
Learn More
To learn more about how plastic surgery can help reverse the effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding leaving you with a firmer, tighter body contour, call us today to schedule a consultation.
Call Dr. Landis at 952-562-5940 or schedule a consultation today