3 Concrete Reasons for a Mommy Makeover

The mommy makeover is growing in popularity as a one-stop repair of the physical changes many women experience in bearing and nursing children. The name doesn’t define a specific set of procedures, but it often includes:

  • A tummy tuck — This may involve tightening abdominal muscles, narrowing the waist through liposuction, and removing excess skin.
  • Breast restoration — Depending on whether breasts have lost or gained volume, this might involve breast augmentation or breast reduction. Either of these procedures may be paired with a breast lift.
  • Liposuction to remove stubborn pockets of fat that have not responded to diet and exercise.

Depending on the changes to your body, a mommy makeover might also include other procedures.

Josh Waltzman, M.D., in Long Beach, CA, is board-certified plastic surgeon, skilled and experienced in all of these procedures. He recommends that you use diet and exercise to return to your ideal weight after childbirth and nursing, then consult with him on a customized set of mommy makeover procedures to address any remaining issues.

While a mommy makeover is primarily a cosmetic procedure, one designed to make you look better and feel better about yourself, it can also have important positive health effects.

1. Repairing Stretched or Separated Abdominal Muscles

For some women, the extreme distortion of the body in the last stages of pregnancy can stretch and separate the abdominal muscles in ways that can’t be restored through exercise or physical therapy. The condition has a medical name: diastasis recti.

Diastasis recti are visible as an enduring bulge in the lower abdomen and felt as a weakening in the core. The muscles there are not strong enough or linked sufficiently with connective tissue to regain their former tight, flat shape. The protrusion can cause lower back pain, and the change in position of the internal organs can lead to constipation and urine leaking. In extreme cases, the tissue between the muscles may tear, allowing organs to bulge through in a hernia.

These, of course, are worst-case outcomes. Many women are able to rebuild their abdominal muscles after pregnancy, with time and regular exercise. But if you are among the women whose abdominal muscles don’t recover with exercise, a tummy tuck as part of a mommy makeover can correct the problem. In this type of tummy tuck, Dr. Waltzman tightens the separation between the muscles to bring them together and flatten the stomach. Tightening the abdominal muscles also restores core strength.

2. Breast Lift and Reduction

While society pays much attention to women with large breasts, those who’ve had them since before childbirth know the downside. They cause back and neck aches, poor posture and pain along the shoulders due to bra strap pressure.

After childbirth, large breasts can droop further, causing even more discomfort. Often, a breast lift or reduction is included with the mommy makeover. Insurance pays for this procedure, too, since heavy breasts cause documented medical issues that can lead to serious back and neck problems as well as time away from work.

The breast lift and reduction may involve some liposuction. When planning your mommy makeover with Dr. Waltzman, will explain how liposuction can be used to sculpt your body and achieve a healthier, toned look.

3. Improving Your Self-Image Can Lead To Better Mood which Leads to Better Health

We’re all familiar with the mind-body connection. Our thinking affects our health in many ways. Researchers have proved conclusively that excess worry and stress cause high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

The reverse is also true, and we have seen it time and again in our practice. When our patients feel good about their bodies, they’re far more likely to invest the energy in exercise and healthy eating, leading them to become healthier overall. The mommy makeover jumpstarts their dedication to positive habits.

Looking better in workout clothes inspires patients to go to the gym, rock climbing or yoga more enthusiastically. With breasts that fit neatly into sports bras, patients have one less obstacle to attending their aerobics classes or hitting the pavement for a jog. When these activities spike the dopamine that improves moods and helps you build social connections that also buoy mood, a virtuous, healthy circle has begun.

Find out what a mommy makeover can do for you. Contact our office in Long Beach, CA, today at (562) 448-6100 to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Waltzman.