Dear Dr. Seckel, I am a 30 year old mother of three wonderful children living in Boston. Although my children are my greatest joy, the effect of three pregnancies on my body has left me feeling less than confident about my body. My breasts are smaller, have sagged, and I have loose skin on my tummy, especially above my c-section scar. I have heard about the mommy makeover and am interested but want to know exactly what the mommy makeover is and if it is safe. I have read that the mommy makeover involves a breast lift and breast augmentation and a tummy tuck. Can they really be done safely at the same time? Thank you, Paula, Boston, MA
Dear Paula,
Thank you for your question. Interestingly, women in your age group who have had children and share your concerns are the largest group of patients seeking Breast Augmentation in my Boston Plastic Surgery Practice, and have been for many years. The use of the name “mommy makeover” has brought a great deal of attention to the combination of breast and abdominal or tummy rejuvenation following pregnancy, usually a combination of a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty and a breast lift or dermal mastopexy with or without breast augmentation or breast enlargement. Many women complain of small breasts, sagging breasts and a loose tummy or sagging tummy skin after pregnancy.
Most commonly in my practice a “mommy makeover” consists of a tummy tuck and a combination of the breast lift and breast augmentation. Recent studies have reported that the combination of these procedures is safe if performed properly on a healthy patient.
Above-Before and After Bikini Tummy Tuck
Below-Before and After Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation
My own opinion is that the mommy makeover, that is the combination of a tummy tuck, breast lift and breast augmentation or breast enlargement can be done safely under the following circumstances:
- The patient is healthy-a Class 1 Anesthesia Risk-that is a person with no significant medical disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure, significant obesity, history of blood clots, and many other potential medical complicating conditions.
- The board certified plastic surgeon is skilled and experienced at doing multiple procedures
- The procedure can be accomplished in less than 4 hours ( this is my personal opinion, longer surgeries increase risk )
The mommy makeover requires a healthy patient and an experienced and skilled plastic surgeon that can expeditiously perform the combination of a tummy tuck, breast lift and breast augmentation. Your choice of a surgeon is critical and you need to ask specific questions about the doctor’s experience and the time it will take for the operation.
Not every patient who wants a mommy makeover requires all three operations, that is a breast augmentation, breast lift and tummy tuck. Many women only need a breast augmentation if they have small breasts after pregnancy but not sagging breasts. Other women who have adequate breast tissue but sagging breasts will only require a breast lift or dermal mastopexy. In my practice a mommy makeover which requires only a minor tummy tuck and a breast augmentation can be achieved in less than 2 hours.
If a combination breast augmentation, breast lift, and a major abdominoplasty are required the procedure can take as much as 3 hours.
The decision as to what type of mommy makeover is required depends on your particular anatomy. You can read more about how decisions about breast augmentation, breast lift, and tummy tuck are made by reading my previous blogs on this topic.
The mommy makeover, that is the combination of a tummy tuck and breast lift and or breast augmentation, in my experience, produces excellent results and produces some of my happiest patients. The improvement in the self esteem of my patients has been remarkable. Many patients say “I can’t believe it”, “I love my breasts and my new shape” and other happy comments.
The most important thing for you is to make certain you are healthy and you must find an experienced plastic surgeon who can safely and in a reasonable operative time accomplish a good cosmetic result.
If you would like to see results of plastic surgery visit my clinical website drseckel.com.
If you would like to learn more about how to choose a plastic surgeon read Save Your Face. If you would like more information contact me.
978-369-4499
Concord, Massachusetts