Each year, tens of thousands of women in the United States choose to have Mommy Makeover surgery to restore a more youthful-looking body and elevate their self-confidence. But that doesn’t mean that all of these women are mothers! It is a common misconception that Mommy Makeover surgery is reserved just for women who have had children. In fact, the term “Mommy Makeover” signifies that multiple plastic surgery procedures have been performed in a single surgery. So, yes! You can have and benefit from a “Mommy Makeover” even if you have never been or never plan to be a Mom!
Why is it called “Mommy Makeover” Surgery?
“Mommy Makeover is really just a term to describe a combination of customized plastic surgery procedures that may rejuvenate a woman’s body,” explains Dr. Michael Philbin, a board-certified plastic surgeon and partner at Edina Plastic Surgery. “Contrary to the name, any woman may benefit from a Mommy Makeover depending on her specific concerns and aesthetic goals. The surgery is called a Mommy Makeover because it most commonly addresses areas that change on a woman’s body during and after childbirth, like the abdominal area from pregnancy and the breasts from breastfeeding. But, ANY woman can be concerned about these areas on her body, regardless of whether she’s had children or breastfed.”
Who can benefit from a Mommy Makeover?
A woman doesn’t need to have had children to experience loose, excess skin on her abdomen, deflated, sagging breast tissue, or stubborn pockets of fat on her hips and thighs. These aren’t struggles exclusive to motherhood.
“Any woman who wants to improve the appearance of her breasts and abdomen or the contours of her body may benefit from a Mommy Makeover,” says Dr. Philbin. “If a woman has experienced significant weight loss, she may have many of the same concerns about her body as a woman who has had children. The same goes for the changes that the natural aging process can cause in the body. All three – aging, weight loss, and childbirth can dramatically affect the appearance of a woman’s body. If a female patient is concerned about deflated, sagging breasts, excess, hanging skin on her abdomen, or stubborn pockets of fat on her midsection or thighs – she may benefit from Mommy Makeover surgery, regardless of her parental status.”
What procedures does a Mommy Makeover usually include?
A Mommy Makeover typically focuses on procedures involving the breasts and abdomen, as these are the areas most affected and changed by pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, the surgery is highly customizable and may combine other procedures that address the unique concerns of each woman.
“There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all Mommy Makeover,” says Dr. Philbin. “This surgery is custom-tailored and designed to address each woman’s needs and goals. At Edina Plastic Surgery, the most common ‘mixed and matched’ procedures performed in a Mommy Makeover tend to be two to three of the following: tummy tuck, breast lift, breast augmentation, breast reduction, and liposuction.”
Tummy Tuck / Abdominoplasty
A woman’s abdominal muscles, skin, and tissue must stretch to accommodate a growing baby during pregnancy. But, skin also stretches during weight gain. So, when a woman has a child or loses weight, she may experience loose, excess, sagging skin on her abdomen. Either way, an abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, can sculpt a narrower, shapelier waistline by eliminating excess skin from the lower abdomen.
Breast Lift
“A woman’s breasts can enlarge a great deal during pregnancy and breastfeeding,” explains Dr. Philbin. “As they ‘return to normal,’ she may be left with stretched, sagging skin and a loss of volume that gives her breasts a deflated appearance. This can also occur after a woman has lost a lot of weight or when women with naturally larger breasts experience a loss of firmness and elasticity with aging. A breast lift, or mastopexy, addresses these issues by raising and reshaping the breasts and, if desired, reducing the size of the areolas.”
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is commonly included in a Mommy Makeover to counteract the volume loss that occurs after pregnancy and breastfeeding, but any woman may benefit from breast implants. Saline or silicone breast implants can also correct mild sagging and restore a perkier look to the bust after weight loss and age-related volume loss. Some women may need to combine breast augmentation with a breast lift to improve their breasts’ firmness, shape, and size if they have moderate to severe sagging.
Breast Reduction
“Some women experience their breasts growing disproportionately large and cumbersome during pregnancy,” says Dr. Philbin. “If they remain that way after childbirth and cause discomfort, a breast reduction can provide relief. However, many women with naturally large breasts can experience the same discomforts and may also benefit from breast reduction surgery. This procedure makes the breasts smaller and lighter by removing excess tissue. The nipples and areolas will also be moved and proportionately resized to a more youthful and attractive position.”
Liposuction
Struggling with stubborn pockets of fat on the upper arms, abdomen, hips, and thighs is not exclusive to women who have had children. Many women, and men for that matter, have areas of their body that seem to hold fat no matter how much they exercise or try to diet it away. Liposuction can remove this resistant fat and reshape and contour the same area of the body.
“Liposuction is often the finishing touch of a Mommy Makeover,” says Dr. Philbin. “It is a body contouring procedure that can restore a more youthful, slimmer shape to a woman’s body, regardless of if she has had children. One of the most popular combinations of Mommy Makeover surgery for mothers and non-mothers alike is breast lift, tummy tuck, and liposuction. Together, these three procedures can significantly transform a woman’s body after childbirth or weight loss.”
The Benefits of Mommy Makeover Surgery
There are multiple benefits of scheduling a Mommy Makeover over individual surgeries.
“In a nutshell, a Mommy Makeover can save a woman time and money and help achieve more impactful results,” explains Dr. Philbin. “Instead of going through the recovery and downtime of two to three separate procedures, a woman can condense them into one interval of time and one period of time off from work. A Mommy Makeover also eliminates the cost of multiple surgical fees. But, perhaps most importantly, combining plastic surgery procedures leads to more complete and impactful results because we are enhancing the shape of the body as a whole, not part by part. This approach leads to more beautifully balanced results.”
Schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss Mommy Makeover surgery with Dr. Michael Philbin or another board-certified plastic surgeon at Edina Plastic Surgery by calling (612) 688-3168, texting (952) 925-1765, or CLICKING HERE.
