Although pregnancy is a wonderful journey many women decide to take, the changes to your body after you have given birth can often be frustrating. If you have tried to restore your pre-pregnancy form with diet and exercise, but you haven’t had much luck, it may be time to consider a body makeover procedure. Dr. Bruce Kadz in Beverly Hills, CA knows that a mommy makeover is an ideal surgical option for many mothers.
How Do You Get Ready for a Body Makeover?
To get ready for a full body makeover, you will need to follow many steps that will prepare you for invasive plastic surgery. A mommy makeover is a procedure that includes liposuction for a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, skin excision, and abdominal tightening. To get ready for a full-body plastic surgery procedure, you will need to complete labs, medical evaluations, and scans.
Complete Labs
The most important lab you will need to complete before your surgery is a CBC, which will look at the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet count in your blood. This lab work is important as it will identify any major health risks that will disqualify you from surgery.
For example, if your white blood cell count is high, this could indicate you have an active infection. Low red blood cells could indicate anemia. And a low platelet count could indicate potential clotting problems that will complicate your procedure.
Complete Medical Evaluation
You also need to complete a medical evaluation, either with your primary care physician or with your plastic surgeon. A medical evaluation will assess the health of your lungs, cardiovascular system, and other major body systems. Because a plastic surgery procedure such as this one will involve the use of general anesthesia, you must be able to pass your medical evaluation to be qualified for surgery.
Complete Scans
Finally, you may need to complete certain scans depending on the exact procedures involved in your body makeover. For example, if you plan to have a breast augmentation with breast implants, you will need to complete a mammogram before you can have the surgery. A mammogram will give your surgeon a baseline of your breast health, which may be important if you have been breastfeeding.
Your Preparation Guidelines
To get ready for a full body makeover, there are several preparation guidelines you will need to follow during the two weeks leading up to your procedure. By following these preparation guidelines, you will enhance the outcome of your procedure and make your recovery much easier. The most important preparation guidelines to follow include:
Stop Tobacco and Alcohol Consumption
You will need to temporarily stop all tobacco and alcohol consumption. This includes cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, wine, beer, and other forms of liquor. Nicotine and alcohol are both associated with increased cardiovascular risk. In particular, tobacco restricts blood flow and oxygen, while alcohol can cause blood thinning. Both of these substances can contribute to poor wound healing.
Reduce Caffeine Intake
You will also need to reduce your caffeine intake. Although many people don’t consider caffeine to be a drug, it is a stimulating substance that has a direct impact on your cardiovascular health. This is because excessive caffeine intake can raise your heart rate and blood pressure. Whether you regularly consume coffee, energy drinks, tea, or chocolate, reducing your caffeine intake before your procedure will improve your surgical outcome.
Stop Using Certain Vitamins or Supplements
There are several vitamins and supplements you may need to stop using before your procedure. If you take vitamins with a high concentration of vitamin C, this could cause blood thinning or easier bruising.
Other herbal supplements can also cause blood thinning, such as fish oil or ginkgo. Be sure to share all of the vitamins and supplements you may be taking with your physician.
Revise Current Medications
Finally, you may need to revise certain medications that you’re currently taking. While you can usually continue to take psychotropic drugs without any interruption, certain cardiovascular medications may need to be temporarily reduced for at least one week before your procedure. This is particularly true if you’re taking anti-inflammatory or blood-thinning medications.
What Should Your Recovery Plan Include After a Mommy Makeover?
Because this procedure often involves many areas of the body, your total recovery time usually takes between four and six weeks. During this recovery period, you will need to follow several instructions so you can bounce back more quickly after your surgery.
For example, one thing you will need to do during your recovery is sleep on your back, particularly if your mommy makeover included a tummy tuck or breast augmentation. For some, it may be ideal to sleep slightly elevated as well. If it’s comfortable for you, sleeping in a recliner chair for the first week or so can make it easier to stay on your back during slumber. Other elements of your recovery plan may include:
Time Off Work
You will need to arrange for time off of work for at least one to two weeks. Although some patients can work from home, going into the office every day or keeping up with a strenuous occupation that has you moving around on your feet all day is not advised. Time off work will give your body enough rest to adequately recover from your procedure.
Help With Housework
You will likely need help completing housework for the first two weeks after your treatment. Housework includes everything from sweeping to doing laundry, so you will need to arrange for help from friends, family, or a housekeeping service.
Along with housework, you may want to arrange for childcare help, such as with a nanny or your in-laws. If you have young children that need to be looked after constantly, help with child-rearing can take a lot of stress off your recovery time.
Meal Preparation
It’s a good idea to complete meal preparation before your procedure. If you can cook and freeze food in advance, or stock your kitchen with easy-to-make meals such as salads and sandwiches, you can have an easier recovery period. Meal preparation is ideal since this will ensure you’re eating healthy and nutritious meals.
Although ordering takeout is always an option, the high level of grease and salt in take-out food is not an ideal diet after a major surgical procedure. The healthier you can eat, the more quickly your body will recover.
Light Activity
Although you will be restricted from engaging in any strenuous exercise or heavy lifting for the first two weeks after your procedure, you will be encouraged to maintain light activity. Walking around your house or going on short walks around your neighborhood is encouraged, as this will keep your blood flow healthy. You should start light activity the day after your procedure.
Wound Care and Compression
You also need to follow certain wound care instructions, which will include cleaning and bandaging your wound and using any prescriptions that have been prescribed to you.
During your recovery, you will be instructed to wear compression garments on areas that have been treated with liposuction. If you had any breast augmentation procedures, you might also be directed to wear a compression bra. Usually, you will wear compression garments for at least four to six weeks.
Are You a Good Candidate for a Mommy Makeover?
Aside from passing certain labs and examinations that will approve you for invasive plastic surgery, there are a few other qualifications you will need to meet to be eligible for a body makeover. For example, you must be willing to commit to a healthy lifestyle that will prolong your results. If you gain an excessive amount of weight, you will undo all the results of your surgery, so following a healthy diet and exercise plan is always best.
You may be a candidate for this surgical procedure if you want to rejuvenate your body after pregnancy, particularly if you want to restore your body shape more quickly. To qualify for this procedure, you must not have been pregnant or given birth in at least the last six months.
Restore Your Body Image
Motherhood is a gift, but it can produce drastic changes in your body. If you want to restore your body image, you may want to consider a procedure such as a mommy makeover. This full body makeover can address concerns in your middle section and breasts, which can help restore your pre-pregnancy body shape. To learn more about your qualifications for this procedure, contact Dr. Bruce Kadz in Beverly Hills, CA today.
