Mommy Makeover in Santa Barbara, CA
While pregnancy is a joyous time in a woman’s life, it can also cause side effects and unwanted changes to her body. Many mothers improve their diet to lose weight and exercise to tone up in an effort to return their body to its former shape, but unfortunately, this can only do so much. A Mommy Makeover is the combination of surgeries performed at once to help women restore their pre-pregnancy body. Luckily, numerous cosmetic surgical procedures such as a breast lift, breast augmentation, tummy tuck and liposuction are available to address the physical changes that accompany childbearing and help women regain their confidence.
Non-surgical procedures such as CoolSculpting may be performed in combination with a Mommy Makeover to help you further achieve your aesthetic goals. At Montecito Plastic Surgery, all Mommy Makeovers are done by Dr. Lowenstein at his private plastic surgery facility in Santa Barbara. From your consultation to the surgery to the post-op care, everything is done in one place with the same staff.
Why Choose a Mommy Makeover?
With pregnancy comes stretching of the abdominal skin and muscles. This may result in stretch marks, loose skin, excess fat in the abdominal area and diastasis recti, or the weakening of the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles. These unwelcome changes can be repaired with a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) performed during a Mommy Makeover, resulting in a toned torso that’s smooth and firm.
Following pregnancy, the breasts are enlarged with milk in preparation for nursing. Even if a mother doesn’t breastfeed, the inflation can leave behind stretched, loosened skin and changes in breast shape. Mothers who breastfeed may find that their breasts sag and change shape even more than before. During a Mommy Makeover, a breast surgery such as a breast lift, breast augmentation or breast reduction can be performed to restore the shape and elevation of drooping, deflated breasts.
Breastfeeding can aid in postpartum weight loss, but there are often stubborn areas of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. These pockets of fat are usually found in the flanks, thighs, abdomen and hips. Including liposuction or CoolSculpting in a Mommy Makeover can target these areas for fat reduction.
Mommy Makeovers are a large part of Dr. Lowenstein’s practice at Montecito Plastic Surgery. Dr. Lowenstein understands that each and every woman’s body is different before pregnancy, and the effects of pregnancy and childbirth affect women to varying degrees.
During your consultation with Dr. Lowenstein, he will discuss your options and suggest a unique plan to achieve your aesthetic goals. You can rest assured that in choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Lowenstein, you will get the best results and the lowest risks with your Mommy Makeover.
FAQs
Good candidates for Mommy Makeovers are women who have multiple concerns such as:
Sagging breasts that lack elasticity
Breasts that are either too small or too large
Stubborn areas of excess or bulging fat
Excess skin on the stomach and abdomen area
Diastasis recti resulting from pregnancy
Your Mommy Makeover may include any procedures you want, but these are some of the most popular options:
Breast surgery such as a breast lift, breast implants or breast reduction to restore fullness and improve the overall shape of the breasts
Tummy tuck to tighten the stomach area, remove excess skin and fat, and repair diastasis recti
Liposuction for spot removal of excess fat in the stomach, hips, thighs, love handles and elsewhere
CoolSculpting to spot remove smaller areas of stubborn fat that don’t require liposuction
Absolutely! The phrase “Mommy Makeover” is simply a term that refers to a tummy tuck, breast surgery and liposuction combined into one surgical session. While a Mommy Makeover typically targets the effects of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding on the body, many of these changes can also occur due to aging or significant weight loss.
If you’d like to fix a stomach pooch, unwanted pockets of fat and flattened, saggy breasts all at once, then a Mommy Makeover may be a great option for you—whether you’re a mom or not!
Each of the procedures in a Mommy Makeover can require a significant investment of time and financial resources when performed alone. By combining several procedures in the same session, a Mommy Makeover reduces recovery time and surgical costs. One recovery is far better than three or four, and with a Mommy Makeover, you can get it all over at once.
It’s advisable to be at or near your ideal weight before having a Mommy Makeover with Dr. Lowenstein. Any additional weight loss may create areas of sagging skin, which is one of the reasons patients seek a Mommy Makeover in the first place.
Your Mommy Makeover surgery will take place in Dr. Lowenstein’s state-of-the-art, AAAASF-accredited operating facility in Santa Barbara. You will arrive early to meet with our nursing staff, anesthesia provider and Dr. Lowenstein before your procedure. Dr. Lowenstein will place marks on your body to guide the surgery. Our team will answer all questions to maximize your comfort and that of the people who will care for you after your Mommy Makeover.
Your caregiver will be given specific written instructions and have plenty of time to review them during your procedure. Once in the operating room, an IV will be placed, and you will be given medication to help you relax further before falling off to sleep.
When your Mommy Makeover surgery is finished, you will be gently awakened and brought to the only private recovery room in Santa Barbara. After a bit of further recovery, your caregiver will be brought in to see you, review instructions and take you home.
A Mommy Makeover involves all of the usual risks associated with any surgery: excessive bleeding, poor incision healing, infection, reaction to anesthesia, possible formation of blood clots and swelling. Surgical risks are rare thanks to Dr. Lowenstein’s extensive experience and board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Lowenstein’s expertise ensures the best possible outcome for your Mommy Makeover.
To be eligible for a Mommy Makeover, you need to have finished breastfeeding for at least two to three months. This will allow your breasts to return to their normal cup size. You also should be back to within five to 10 pounds of your ideal body weight since a Mommy Makeover is not a weight loss procedure. You should also be exercising regularly to make your recovery easier and your results long-lasting.
To be eligible for a Mommy Makeover, you need to have finished breastfeeding for at least two to three months. This will allow your breasts to return to their normal cup size. You also should be back to within five to 10 pounds of your ideal body weight since a Mommy Makeover is not a weight loss procedure. You should also be exercising regularly to make your recovery easier and your results long-lasting.
During your Mommy Makeover consultation, you will meet with Dr. Lowenstein and his staff. Dr. Lowenstein will listen to your questions and concerns and give you a customized treatment plan to help you achieve your goals. You will learn about the different options for your surgery and expectations for your postoperative outcome.
Your body will be examined and measurements recorded. If breast implants will be used for your surgery, you will have a comprehensive discussion with Dr. Lowenstein regarding implant types, styles and sizes. Implant sizers may be used to demonstrate your post-operative results.
One of our patient care coordinators will give you a tour of our private operating facility where your surgery will take place. They will then review logistical information with you, including scheduling options and financial arrangements in a pressure-free atmosphere. Your consultation should take about an hour.
As with any surgical procedure, you’ll need to stop taking blood-thinning medications and most supplements at least one week before your Mommy Makeover. If you smoke, you’ll also need to stop for at least two weeks before and after your surgery, as smoking can poorly impact wound healing.
To get the best results possible, you must have the right environment and support to help you after your Mommy Makeover. You’ll need to fill pain medication and other prescriptions beforehand. Make sure that you have someone to help you for at least two weeks, as you’ll not be able to lift anything over 10 pounds for a while.
It’s important to understand that the recovery from a Mommy Makeover may be more intense and may take longer than other surgeries since it combines more than one procedure.
The length of your surgery with Dr. Lowenstein will depend on what surgeries are involved and the extent of each. For instance, a mini tummy tuck requires less time than a full tummy tuck with two incisions. Breast lifts can vary by the amount of skin and fatty tissue that needs to be removed.
A Mommy Makeover can take anywhere from three to eight hours. During your consultation, Dr. Lowenstein will be able to give you an idea of how long your Mommy Makeover should take based on your unique treatment plan.
With any procedure that involves incisions, some scarring is normal and to be expected. At our state-of-the-art plastic surgery facility, we offer scar therapy that has been effective in minimizing the appearance of scars after Mommy Makeover procedures. The quality of the incision is important to scar healing, and you can rest assured that scarring will be kept to a minimum with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon such as Dr. Lowenstein.
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