You love being a mom. However, perhaps you do not love the cosmetic effects that pregnancy and breastfeeding have had on your figure. If you can relate to these sentiments, know that you are not alone. Many mothers share similar aesthetic concerns after having children. At her plastic surgery clinic, Dr. Florence Mussat offers mommy makeover surgery to improve the cosmetic concerns relating to the abdomen and breasts that many moms have due to having children.
Why Women Pursue Mommy Makeover Surgery
Pregnancy can take a toll on the abdominal area. It can stretch out the abdominal skin so that it is no longer able to bounce back to a smaller shape and size after the baby is born. The result is excess abdominal skin that hangs off the body.
Pregnancy can also severely damage the abdominal muscles, often causing them to separate. When this happens, Dr. Mussat must perform abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck” surgery, to repair the underlying tissue structures and restore muscle tone throughout the abdomen.
In addition, breastfeeding can cause the breasts to sag and become deflated looking, like pancakes. For some women, nursing even causes the breasts to become smaller than they were before having children.
To address the cosmetic effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding, Dr. Mussat performs mommy makeover surgery, which is not a single cosmetic surgery procedure but rather a combination of procedures. The most popular mommy makeover combination includes abdominoplasty and breast lift surgery, with or without breast implants (breast augmentation), to restore a firmer, flatter abdomen and move saggy breasts to a perkier, more youthful position on the chest wall. Other breast surgery procedures may be conducted, such as breast reduction. Nonetheless, Dr. Mussat can customize a mommy makeover treatment plan that will satisfy your unique aesthetic concerns and anatomical needs.
What to Expect During Mommy Makeover Surgery
Mommy makeover surgery that involves abdominoplasty and breast lift surgery is performed under general anesthesia, as an outpatient procedure. The entire procedure takes about four hours to perform, depending on the extent of the patient’s surgical needs.
To start the abdominoplasty procedure, Dr. Mussat makes a horizontal incision across the lower abdomen, which extends from hipbone to hipbone. She excises the excess skin before placing permanent internal stitches within the muscle fascia to repair the abdominal muscles and hold them in place after surgery. The Chicago tummy tuck surgeon re-drapes the remaining skin, pulling it tight over the new abdominal contour, before closing the incision with removable sutures.
To perform breast lift surgery, Dr. Mussat makes an incision either around the areola (the darkly pigmented skin surrounding the nipples) or around the areola and down the front of the breast, depending on the patient’s aesthetic concerns and breast anatomy. She removes any excess breast skin, as necessary, and re-molds the natural breast tissue mound while moving it to a higher, more central location on the chest wall. Dr. Mussat can also decrease the size of overly enlarged areolas and move nipples that have migrated down the front of the breast back to the center of the breast. If the patient is concerned with a loss of breast volume due to nursing, Dr. Mussat can insert breast implants to enhance breast volume. She then closes the incisions with sutures and a surgical bra on top, to decrease swelling and provide additional support to the healing tissues.
Patients will notice some of the aesthetic results of surgery immediately after the procedure, but it takes several months for final results, as this is how long it takes for any residual swelling to resolve and for the body to heal completely.
Mommy Makeover Chicago FAQs
What Mommy Makeover Procedures are Best for Me?
A mommy makeover is different for every mother. While Dr. Mussat will help you decide your specific treatment, a mommy makeover is usually described as a blend of breast and body cosmetic surgeries to rejuvenate a woman’s body after she’s finished having children. The end goal is to restore a pre-pregnancy appearance to your body, but which procedures you choose depend on your unique needs.
When Is the Best Time for a Mommy Makeover?
The ideal time to consider a mommy makeover procedure is after you’ve finished having children. It is also best that you wait until after you have finished breastfeeding before having your mommy makeover.
Waiting six months until after you’ve finished breastfeeding will allow your breasts to stabilize in shape and size, while also helping Dr. Mussat to complete an accurate surgical assessment.
When Is the Earliest I Can Have Surgery If I’m Breast-Feeding?
It is best to wait until at least six months after you have completed breastfeeding before undergoing your mommy makeover. Anesthetics, pain medications, and antibiotics passed to your baby through your breast milk and can cause harm.
How Long Is the Recovery After Surgery?
Recovery from a mommy makeover typically takes from 2-6 weeks but will vary considerably depending on the type and complexity of the surgery, as well as your specific situation. Dr. Mussat will provide detailed information on what recovery you can expect.
When Will My Stitches Be Removed?
Non-dissolvable stitches will be removed within ten days of your procedure, and the remaining stitches should dissolve over 6-8 weeks.
When Can I Begin Exercising Again?
While you may start doing light exercise after a month, before resuming any intense or vigorous physical activity, it is best to wait at least six weeks. Your stitches need time to dissolve, incisions need to heal, and muscles need to recover from each procedure’s stress. For the most trouble-free recovery, we advise you to avoid intense exercise, heavy lifting, and swimming for at least six weeks.
How Much Does a Mommy Makeover Cost in Chicago?
The cost of your mommy makeover surgery will depend on a variety of factors, including which procedures you need, the time the procedure will take, and more. We will provide a quote once you have met with Dr. Mussat in your initial consultation.
Why Choose Dr. Florence Mussat for Your Mommy Makeover in Chicago?
Dr. Florence Mussat, a Board-Certified Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon in Downtown Chicago, has a passion for Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and has been in private practice for over 20 years. She strives to provide the best mommy makeover surgery in Chicago.
Love Your Figure
You do not have to choose between loving motherhood and loving your figure. You can have both, thanks to mommy makeover surgery! To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Mussat and learn more about mommy makeover surgery, contact her office by calling (312) 751-9000.
