What made you decide to have a mommy makeover?
I had lost a total of 135 pounds and had a lot of skin that needed to be taken off. Some of the skin was from the weight loss from gastric bypass surgery and some of it was from having my daughter. My breasts were droopy and deflated for both reasons as well. My mommy makeover included a tummy tuck, a breast lift, and liposuction on my flanks, inner thighs, arms and back.
Were you surprised by anything in regards to the tummy tuck procedure? Was it harder to go through that you thought?
The tummy tuck is a big procedure but it’s really worth it. The surgery takes 4+ hours, then you’re in post-op for a while before you go home. You have drains and a compression garment and you need people at home to help take care of you. The hardest part is to try to maneuver your body with the drains. When you wake up, your stomach feels tight—I remember after two weeks it felt really tight—all that skin was gone. I had some muscle work done too. It had been so long since I had a taut stomach.
It wasn’t harder than I thought—there is just a lot of recovery time—most people go to work in two or three weeks but you are still doing some gradual recovery after that time. You need to make sure that you are healing correctly and that you don’t have excess fluid build-up.
What were your thoughts about the breast lift?
After the procedure I felt like I was breast feeding; the pain and tenderness was similar to when I was breast feeding and the breasts were engorged. And as for the results, there’s a huge change in the way my new breasts look—how they look in a bra—the shape of a bra that fits. I don’t even have to wear a bra with every dress if I don’t want to. I can wear a shirt with a built-in bra. My breasts look like real breasts now. Before I just had two long “socks” hanging there. Now my nipples are back up where they should be instead of pointing to the floor.
Patients often ask about the results of liposuction. What was your experience?
It took 2 -3 months to see the full results of the lipo because of the fluid they add when they are doing the procedure. It is a bruising pain; like you’ve been in a fight. My flanks are so much better; I don’t have the love handles I did before. I had a total of 5 pounds of fat removed from my arms, flanks and thighs. My inner thighs look much different; they don’t touch like they used to and they don’t rub. It just changes everything. All of a sudden when the swelling went down, I noticed that things were “smoothing out”. When I put the paper panties on for the “after” photos they didn’t fit at all like they used to.
What are your thoughts about the overall results of your mommy makeover?
When I sit I don’t have those two rolls of skin hanging over my pants. I’m single, and after I had the procedure I went on a date and I had a tight-fitting black shirt on. Usually I would be so self-conscious of someone seeing me from the side with my stomach hanging out, or I would worry that they would see my wrinkled breasts. Now I can go out with a smooth tummy and my breasts are where they should be. It’s just so nice to put my shirt down and have it lay flat on my smooth tummy. Nothing is sticking out or folding when I sit.
When I first put on a bra after the breast lift it was so weird. It’s incredible to look at yourself in a mirror and see that your nipples are where they should be. The nipples are not folded up or off to the side. The breasts are perky and the nipples are pointing forward.
What has the reaction been from your family and friends to your new figure?
People have said “Oh you look fantastic”, “phenomenal”. My dad saw me before the surgery and saw me once after the surgery while I was still swollen, but when I saw him three months after the procedure he said “Oh my gosh… you look amazing!!” I’ve never heard my dad react with such excitement; not even when I graduated from college. His reaction made me feel so good.
And… I got my first two-piece swimsuit ever this year and that has been a huge milestone!
Did you prepare for the surgery by getting smaller clothes etc.?
I did all that afterwards. It was so nice to put clothes on and have a flat tummy to zip up or button around. Clothes just look and lay better and feel better. They are so much more comfortable because I don’t have a “tube of skin” there anymore
What would you tell other women that are considering a mommy makeover?
I have already recommended it to my stepmother and she is going to go to Edina Plastic Surgery and get one done. I tell people if they are thinking of doing both breasts and tummy, do it all at the same time. Not only is it easier to have to go through the recovery only once, you want them to “match”. You want nice breasts AND a nice tummy not just one or the other.
I was 28 when I had this done. And it was a great decision that I would do again.
What was your overall opinion about the doctors and staff at Edina Plastic Surgery?
The staff was wonderful. They are awesome. I wasn’t nervous at all. I was so excited to get the procedure done that I literally jumped on the operating table and said “Let’s get this done. Fix me”. All of the doctors at EPS are masters at tummy tucks and breast lifts. Even though it is a big step, I would do the procedure over again in a minute. It’s definitely worth it.
