The Decision: Is a Mommy Makeover Right for Me?
In determining if you should undergo a Mommy Makeover, education is key. Make certain that you do your research. All too often, people spend more time researching a car purchase than they do plastic surgery. Do not be easily persuaded by uneducated friends’ suggestions, disingenuous physicians, or over-promising marketing ploys. There is an abundance of information available--you simply have to do your part to sift through it.
While the information in this manual will provide generalized data, it may not fully relate the procedure to you. For this reason, your decision to undergo a Mommy Makeover is always dependent upon a personal consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. If you have any lingering questions after reading this manual, refer to the rest of the website or schedule a consultation to see Dr. Rahban.
Overview
Because a Mommy Makeover is a major surgery, it is not a procedure to be taken lightly. While some physical effects of pregnancy are irreversible, such as loss of volume in the breasts or excess skin on the stomach, many changes can be improved without surgery. If you simply have a bit of extra weight to lose, it is important to exhaust all non-surgical approaches, such as diet and exercise. Surgery should never be used as an alternative to a healthy lifestyle. It is crucial that you are at a stable place in weight, health, body and mind prior to embarking upon surgery.
In deciding if you want a Mommy Makeover, in addition to being physically prepared, you want to make sure that other aspects of your life are aligned. Factors such as a good support system and financial stability are crucial to ensuring the surgery is successful and as unstressful as possible.
Some questions to ask yourself are:
- Am I emotionally prepared?
- Do I have support of friends and family?
- Can I afford it?
- Am I at my ideal weight?
- Am I done having children?
Cosmetic Candidacy
From a solely cosmetic perspective, candidates for a Mommy Makeover are unhappy with some aspect of their appearance after giving birth to one or more children. They may find the skin on their stomach has become stretched out or their breasts have become a bit saggy. More specifically, candidates for a Mommy Makeover will be dissatisfied with the following physical changes:
Breast:
- Small breasts, or feeling one’s breasts are not large enough
- Large breasts, or feeling one’s breasts are too big
- Sagging breasts, or feeling one’s nipples are pointing downward
- Breast asymmetry, in which one breast appears larger than the other
- Enlarged areolas and nipples, in which the areola appears stretched out and the nipples are too prominent
- Breast stretch marks
Abdomen:
- Excess skin above and below the belly button
- Abdominal wall bulging, also known as the “pooch”
- Stretch marks
- Stubborn pockets of fat along the hips, thighs, buttocks and flanks
- Protuberant belly button, or possible umbilical hernia
- Unsightly c-section scar
Other:
- Prominent and sagging pubic area, or mons
- Enlarged or lengthened labia
- Excess skin along flanks or lower back
Further Factors
Candidates for a Mommy Makeover should be in good general health and close to their ideal body weight or a stable body weight. There are two primary reasons for this. Firstly, a patient close to her ideal body weight is in better shape to undergo the rigors of surgery. Second, in order for the Mommy Makeover to have the best results, one should not experience significant weight fluctuations after surgery, as loose skin of the breasts and abdomen will recur.
Lastly, women considering a Mommy Makeover should not undergo the procedure if they are planning on having more children, as this will likely result in the need for revision surgery.
The Final Verdict
The final verdict is between you and your physician. The advice and consultation of a board-certified plastic surgeon can never be replaced by any amount of data you collect online. Therefore, spend adequate time researching a surgeon or surgeons you feel will have your best interest at heart and will take the time to determine whether you are truly a good candidate. For more information, please visit Choosing Your Surgeon.
