Known in the United States as a “Mommy Makeover,” this procedure aims to restore a woman’s body contour and appearance after the changes that occur during pregnancy. After all, there are nine months in which the body prepares itself to welcome a new member of the family.
Most women notice significant changes after this experience, which can also affect emotional and psychological well-being, sometimes even leading to depression. Weight gain during pregnancy alters the volume and shape of the abdomen, which may present increased intra- and extra-visceral fat, muscle laxity, excess skin, and in some cases, stretch marks and changes in the appearance of the navel, such as hernias.
Other important changes occur in the breasts, affecting their volume, shape, and size. Occasionally, after the end of breastfeeding, these changes become even more pronounced, with a significant loss of volume.
The “Mommy Makeover” restores a woman’s satisfaction with her body contour by minimizing the changes experienced during pregnancy. Several areas of the body may be addressed, most commonly the breasts, abdomen, waistline, and buttocks.
A Mommy Makeover is typically performed as a single surgical procedure and must always follow strict patient safety guidelines.
There are many techniques used to perform a Mommy Makeover, and several factors must be considered when choosing the most appropriate approach, such as the amount of skin to be removed, incision locations, and the type of breast implant to be used.
Possible procedures included in a Mommy Makeover are: breast augmentation (breast implants), breast reduction, abdominoplasty, liposculpture with fat grafting, or buttock lifting.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Ricardo Silveira (CRM: 101558), a member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP), explains that the procedure is performed under epidural anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia. To restore a natural appearance to the breasts, incisions may be made around the areola, in a lollipop shape, or in an inverted T, following the natural bikini line.
The extent of the incision depends on the amount of tissue to be removed and the size and shape of the implant to be placed. Regarding the abdominal area, there are three types of procedures: liposuction alone, when there is minimal excess skin or muscle laxity; mini-abdominoplasty, which uses a smaller incision approximately the size of a cesarean scar; and the classic abdominoplasty, which requires a longer incision. In this case, the skin is removed up to the level of the navel.
For this reason, an incision around the navel is necessary, often to correct an umbilical hernia that developed during pregnancy,” the doctor explains. In some cases, it is necessary to combine liposculpture with abdominoplasty to further enhance the contour of the waist, hips, buttocks, and legs.
Dr. Ricardo also emphasizes that the procedure is only recommended once body weight has stabilized, typically six months after breastfeeding has ended. “The Mommy Makeover should be planned after a woman has decided not to have more children, so that the results achieved through the procedures are not compromised by a future pregnancy,” he advises.
The duration of the surgery ranges from three to six hours, and recovery time before returning to daily activities varies between fifteen and thirty days. Postoperative care includes, for example, the use of compressive surgical garments. The patient must also avoid sun exposure, swimming pools or ocean immersion, and intense physical activities for one month, the specialist concludes.
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