Childbirth and breastfeeding can put a tremendous strain on a woman’s body. Many women find that after even one child, their body does not look the way it used to, and no amount of diet or exercise seems to help. At Kadz Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA, Dr. Bruce Kadz performs the renowned Mommy Makeover, which can be a life-changing experience for women who are no longer happy with how their body looks after having children.
Women of all ages who ideally do not plan on having more children can take advantage of this amazing combination of procedures. Choosing when the time is right to schedule a surgical makeover is a very personal decision, but we do have some advice below.
The Right Time To Get a Mommy Makeover
Many women ask if there is an ideal age at which to have a Mommy Makeover. While our typical makeover patient tends to be in her 30’s or 40’s, there is not a specific age that we recommend for having this combination of procedures done. Some women wish to have surgery a year or two after they have given birth, while others wait until ten or more years later when their children are older.
While there is no rule about when to have the makeover performed, it does make sense to wait until you are finished having children. It is also a good idea to see what fitness and weight loss goals you can achieve on your own before resorting to surgery. In some cases, it can take a woman a year or longer to get back into shape after giving birth.
When Diet and Exercise Aren’t Enough
If you are finding that you have stubborn pockets of fat that won’t go away despite your best efforts, this is sometimes an issue that can only be resolved with surgery. Likewise, if you have sagging skin and/or drooping breasts resulting from pregnancy, these are problems that no amount of healthy living can reverse.
The Mommy Makeover is designed to resolve all these problems at once. A breast lift (with or without implants), liposuction, a tummy tuck, and a butt lift are the typical combination of procedures included in this type of surgical makeover, but it can of course be fully customized to fix whatever physical imperfections might be bothering you.
The Average Age for a Mommy Makeover
Women who invest in this combination of procedures tend to fall into three age groupings. We see women in their 30’s who recently had their last child and are anxious to get their figure back as soon as possible. Then we see women in their 40’s who have been thinking about surgery for some time, but wanted to wait until their children were more self sufficient.
We also see women over the age of 50 who simply weren’t able to make enough time for themselves until all their children were out of the house. Again, there is no right or wrong age, but being able to take enough time for yourself to rest during the recovery process is essential. Some women find this very hard to do when their children are little.
Can You Be Too Old for This Combination of Procedures?
There is no such thing as being “too old” for any type of cosmetic procedure – the only prerequisite is that a patient be in good health. There are even some advantages to waiting until later in life to have this type of complete surgical makeover. You know with certainty that you won’t be having any more children, and your body has had plenty of time to “settle” post pregnancy so you know exactly what needs fixing and what does not.
Who Makes the Best Candidate for a Surgical Makeover
As we have established, there is no ideal age at which to have a Mommy Makeover, but the best candidates do fit a certain profile. They should be:
- In good overall health
- Non-smokers or willing to quit
- Able to follow all pre- and post-op instructions
- Able to take time off for recovery
- Realistic about what results to expect
- Preferably not planning to have more children
Why Being Able To Take Time off Is So Important
Even if you are a stay-at-home mother who does not have a regular full-time job to take time off from, patients need to be certain that they will have enough help at home so that they can take a significant amount of time to rest and recover. Since a surgical makeover involves more than one procedure, it can take a patient several weeks to feel like themselves again.
Having adequate rest and time for self care is so important for the recovery process. As any mother knows, caring for children can be exhausting, so make sure that you have some help for at least a few weeks post surgery. Strenuous activity (such as lifting children) must be avoided until your body has fully healed.
If You Are Planning To Have More Children
If you aren’t sure that you are done with childbearing, you may want to wait a year or two until you have more clarity about your future plans. Having more children can reverse some of the results that are achieved with surgery. There is of course no rule against getting pregnant again, but ideally it is a good idea to wait to have a more extensive surgical enhancement.
How Long To Wait After Pregnancy
If you have had your last baby and are wondering how soon you can safely schedule your makeover, we recommend waiting at least one year. This will give your body enough time to heal and settle following child birth. A woman must also be done breastfeeding.
At the one-year mark, you should have a good idea what permanent effects child birth has had on your body, but some women feel that it’s wise to wait a bit longer to see how much more they can bounce back with rigorous diet and exercise. This is a personal choice. If you aren’t sure if the time is right, this can be discussed with your doctor during your consultation.
Having Realistic Expectations
It is important that mothers be realistic about what results they can achieve with this surgery. Yes, your body will look much better than it did after having children, but it might not look exactly as it did in your 20’s before you got pregnant for the first time. Some patients are very pleasantly surprised to find that they look better than ever, but this is not a result that can be guaranteed.
What we can guarantee is that your figure will be lifted, tightened, and toned, and that your breasts will regain their fullness and symmetry. Stubborn pockets of fat will disappear, and loose, hanging skin will be lifted. Patients can be certain than significant, long-lasting results will be achieved.
Final Results
Women undergoing a Mommy Makeover usually have both a breast augmentation and a breast lift. This will address the issues of sagging and volume loss that can result from pregnancy and breastfeeding. The breasts often take the hardest hit from the effects of childbearing. Some women choose to start with breast surgery and come back later for their other procedures. Or, you may wish to get your makeover done all at once.
The second focus of this makeover is removing stubborn fat deposits that have been resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction can effectively remove these deposits from the hips, legs, stomach, back, arms, neck, and even face. If a significant amount of fat needs to be removed, your surgeon may recommend combining liposuction with lifting and tightening procedures to remove the excess skin that will be left behind.
How Long Do these Results Last?
The good news is that with some basic healthy lifestyle habits, the results of a surgical makeover can last for many years. Adopting a good diet and exercise routine will go a long way towards helping you to maintain your new figure well into the future.
Are You Ready To Change Your Body and Your Life?
If you feel that the time is right to do something significant for yourself, contact us today at Kadz Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA. Dr. Kadz and his team can help you to transform your body so that you can feel really good about your appearance once again.
