With a mommy makeover, many patients have been able to restore their pre-pregnancy figure. I am very honored when a mother comes to me to help her regain a little self-esteem – being a mom is the hardest job in the world, hands down – and I am very happy to help. Each patient is different, of course, with their own unique set of concerns. For example, many request a breast lift, but not all patients want or need a breast augmentation in addition to the lift. Regardless of the patient’s treatment plan, there are certain questions that I hear quite frequently:
Will I have to wear surgical garments after my mommy makeover?
Depending on the procedures involved in your mommy makeover, there are some important garments that should be worn post-operatively. For breast procedures, patients will need to wear a front-opening post-op bra for the first week or so. Following abdominal procedures, patients use a binder to support the surgical site, and after liposuction, patients generally wear a tight spandex garment, similar to “spanx,” for several weeks.
Why do I need to wear post-op garments?
Although the garments may seem inconvenient to wear, patients usually realize how much they can help after they are taken off after the first few weeks – the support provided by these garments can really help after surgery. They are multi-purpose: they provide compression to assist with bleeding concerns, offer support for skin retraction, and can also serve as a gentle reminder to decrease activity during the healing period.
Do I need to lose weight before my surgery?
Ultimately, the best results for a mommy makeover can be achieved when the patient is close to her ideal weight prior to surgery. However, that isn’t always possible for patients. In those cases, additional steps may need to be taken after the mommy makeover. I work with these patients to find a way to achieve the look they want – some patients might need to return later on for an additional procedure, while others may need to work on maintaining a healthier lifestyle once they are healed enough to begin exercising.
Are my results permanent? What if I gain weight after the procedure?
Anyone can (and most do) gain some weight after these procedures, so I counsel my patients about becoming friendly with a scale about two months after surgery. I recommend checking in once a week just to make sure that five pounds doesn’t turn into ten. When you have liposuction or abdominoplasty, it changes the body’s natural fat depository sites (predetermined places that one’s body naturally deposits weight). Once these have been changed, you won’t gain weight where you expect to, so you might not notice a subtle weight change. My staff and I make an effort to explain this to each patient in hopes of avoiding this problem.
– Dr. Thomas Lintner, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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If you are interested in learning more about mommy makeover procedures, please contact us today! Our friendly staff can provide you with useful information and can help you schedule a consultation with me for more personalized answers to your questions. I look forward to meeting you soon!