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Mommy Makeover Procedures
The most common areas addressed by a Mommy Makeover are the abdomen and breasts. Cosmetic surgery procedures may include:
As a cosmetic surgeon serving residents of Houston and beyond, Dr. Scott Reis has seen countless times he diminished self esteem and other emotional challenges many women suffer when they are unable to restore their bodies to pre-pregnancy shape. This is why he is so proud to offer Mommy Makeover procedures designed to help mothers look and feel their very best.
What is a Mommy Makeover?
A Mommy Makeover isn’t a single plastic surgery procedure, but rather a customized cosmetic treatment plan designed to address each patient’s unique body and goals. The most common areas women wish to address with a Mommy Makeover are the abdomen and breasts. Abdominal stretching necessary to accommodate a growing baby may leave a woman with stretch marks, loose or excess abdominal skin, or a lack of abdominal muscle tone that no amount of sit-ups can fix. Likewise, hormonal changes and breastfeeding can make the breasts appear flattened, lacking in volume, or saggy. A skilled cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Reis is able to remedy these and other concerns with a
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Mommy Makeover
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Mommy Makeover
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Is a Mommy Makeover Right for Me?
If you have struggled to regain your pre-pregnancy figure despite diet and exercise, a Mommy Makeover may be the solution you seek. Candidates for Mommy Makeover should be finished breastfeeding and having children (optimally a year out after childbirth and 6 months after breastfeeding), in good overall health, and should have a support system in place to help care for them and their children while they recover from surgery.
While the decision to undergo any plastic surgery procedure should never be taken lightly, women investigating a Mommy Makeover often express a number of unique concerns. One of the most common is:
Is it Vain or Selfish to Undergo a Mommy Makeover?
Motherhood requires a tremendous amount of self-sacrifice, which is part of the reason so many women are plagued by “mommy guilt.” Thus, it’s understandable that women may hesitate to pursue a Mommy Makeover because they feel it’s vain to care too deeply about their own appearance, or selfish to stretch the family budget for elective surgery. Of course, every family’s situation is unique, so Dr. Reis wouldn’t presume to offer a generalized statement about the suitability of Mommy Makeover surgery for every woman.
However, in his years of treating women with Mommy Makeovers and other cosmetic procedures, Dr. Reis has seen the impact a woman’s self confidence has on every aspect of her life. It’s not selfish to invest in yourself, and being pleased with your appearance doesn’t necessarily correlate to vanity. Moreover, many mothers believe that it is important to teach their children that self-care and confidence are essential to living one’s most happy, healthy, and productive life—and the best way to teach is by example.
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
After pregnancy, it’s common for the abdominal muscles in the midline to separate (diastasis recti). This can make it difficult or even impossible to achieve a flat tummy, even with diet and exercise. This can be repaired with a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, during which Dr. Reis can also remove excess/saggy skin and/or
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Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck). National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine
Regan J, Casaubon JT
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stretch marks
.
Dr. Reis generally performs a traditional full abdominoplasty which is the standard tummy tuck procedure for most patients around the world. However, some patients without much excess skin and fat above their belly button and few to no stretch marks on the lower abdomen are candidates for a mini-abdominoplasty, where a much shorter incision is used (typically a little longer than a C-section scar) and there’s also no scar around the belly button. This is a great alternative for patients who are suitable candidates. See Dr. Reis for an in-person consultation to learn which type of abdominal procedure will work best for your body, needs, and goals.
Breast Augmentation
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause a woman’s breasts to lose volume. Breast augmentation can help women achieve fuller, rounder, and more shapely breasts while maintaining a natural appearance.
Breast Lift
Swelling of the breasts during pregnancy and breastfeeding often leads to a loss of skin elasticity and causes breasts sag. A breast lift (mastopexy), sometimes combined with breast augmentation, can help restore a more perky appearance to the bust.
Liposuction
Tummy tuck and breast augmentation or breast lift are the most common procedures included in Mommy Makeover surgery at Dr. Reis’ Houston practice. Some patients also opt to include liposuction, which can target and remove pockets of fat in the arms, thighs, hips, buttocks, or other areas of the body.
Recovering from Mommy Makeover Surgery
Mommy Makeovers are performed on an outpatient basis by Dr. Reis, so patients are able to recover at home. Each woman has a slightly different Mommy Makeover surgery recovery, depending on the type and extent of procedures she undergoes.
Dr. Reis uses a 72 hour (3 day!) long-acting injected local anesthetic called Exparel after Mommy Makeovers, and the reduction in pain and discomfort during that time and even after is remarkable. In most cases, women should plan to experience soreness, bruising, and swelling for up to two weeks following their procedures, but not unbearable or excruciating pain as may have been the case before the availability of Exparel. During this time, it’s important not to do any lifting (including lifting children) and to rest as much as possible—so it’s necessary to enlist the help of supportive family members and friends.
Dr. Reis will prescribe medication to help ease any discomfort you may feel after your Mommy Makeover, and you should not drive or engage in heavy physical activity until he clears you to do so. In cases where liposuction is combined with breast and abdominal procedures, a compression garment will need to be worn for 6-8 weeks after surgery to prevent fluid accumulation and speed the alleviation of swelling. Some swelling may persist for up to six months following your Mommy Makeover, but you should see full results within
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Patience is important after your mommy makeover
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six months to a year
. Additionally, Dr. Reis requires a post-operative series of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) massages for all body contouring procedures. MLD helps speed recovery and optimize results.
Dr. Reis is a highly-skilled cosmetic surgeon who takes great care to leave minimally-visible scars after Mommy Makeover surgery. He also offers fractional CO2 laser treatment and a number of topical solutions that can safely and effectively reduce the appearance of surgical scars.
Risks of Mommy Makeover Surgery
Any surgery carries some risk of complications, but choosing a highly experienced and Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon such as Dr. Reis greatly reduces those risks.
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Mommy Makeover Safety.
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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Common risks and complications
associated with a Mommy Makeover, and any surgery for that matter, include: bleeding, infection, poor incisional healing, suboptimal scarring, complications from breast augmentation such as capsular contracture or decrease in nipple sensation, the need for minor revisions. Dr. Reis will review possible side effects or other risks at your consultation appointment, and he takes great care to ensure the safest treatment possible for each patient.
Preventing & Treating Surgical Scars After Mommy Makeover Surgery
Dr. Reis is a highly-skilled cosmetic surgeon who takes great care to leave minimally-visible scars after Mommy Makeover surgery. Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment and a number of topical solutions that can safely and effectively reduce the appearance of surgical scars are offered for all Mommy Makeover patients who have concerns with scarring. Learn more about the prevention and treatment of surgical scars here.
Your Mommy Makeover Consultation
The decision to undergo a Mommy Makeover is an especially emotional one for many women, so it’s important to select a cosmetic surgeon you can trust to provide both excellent results and thorough, compassionate care. Dr. Scott Reis has earned a reputation in Houston and beyond for his use of the latest surgical techniques, experienced approach to cosmetic surgery, and patient-first approach to every treatment plan. If you are ready to learn about the restorative and confidence-boosting options available to you through Mommy Makeover surgery in Houston, please contact us to schedule your consultation with Dr. Reis.
Patient Testimonials
Dr. Reis and his staff have been amazing through my whole mommy makeover experience. Their professionalism, thoroughness and care is top...
Dr. Scott Reis helped me be able to love my body again, I got a breast reduction and i feel so much more comfortable wearing tighter fitting
I just have to say from the moment I walked in I left welcomed and Dr.reis is just an amazing doctor! He listened to what I wanted and how..
Dr. Reis is one of the most patient and kindest doctors, I have had, and I have had a number of doctors. He takes his time to understand...
Sources
1 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Mommy Makeover. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/mommy-makeover. Accessed April 1, 2020.
2 Regan J, Casaubon JT. Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck). National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431058. Accessed April 1, 2020.
3 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Patience is important after your mommy makeover. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/patience-is-important-after-your-mommy-makeover. Accessed April 1, 2020.
4 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Mommy Makeover Safety. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/mommy-makeover/safety. Accessed August 17, 2020.
5 Khavanin N, Jordan SW, Vieira BL, et al. Combining abdominal and cosmetic breast surgery does not increase short-term complication rates: a comparison of each individual procedure and pretreatment risk stratification tool. Aesthet Surg J. 2015;35(8):999–1006. doi:10.1093/asj/sjv087. Accessed August 17, 2020.
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