Mommy Makeover

A mommy makeover is a collection of surgical procedures to reverse the aesthetic changes that tag along with motherhood. From loose skin, uneven breasts, and unwanted fat to a weakened pelvic floor, many different changes can arise. But these changes don’t affect every mother. So, when it comes to correcting these concerns cosmetically, you need a tailored surgical approach. 

Dr. Michael Howard is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has spent almost two decades helping women achieve their ideal physical results. With a customizable collection of procedures a mommy makeover can address a wide variety of concerns, and Dr. Howard can help you discern which ones are best for you. 

The first step is to schedule a consultation. Dr. Howard will walk you through the various procedures. They will examine your unique circumstances and build a treatment plan that fits you and your ideal results. An obvious benefit of a mommy makeover is: One procedure means only one recovery period. So, you’ll get back to your life sooner! Call our offices directly at (224) 271-4250 where we proudly serve the communities of Lake Forest and Chicago. 

More Than One Cosmetic Concern 

So, what’s the secret to getting your body to “bounce back?” Some new mothers find success with diet and exercise. For others it comes back naturally. But, for most mothers, its not that simple. Most mothers find limited success with diet and exercise and are left waiting for months or even years to see their pre-baby curves again. The cosmetic concerns these women face include:

Loose Skin

Your skin is made up of tense, strong collagen fibers. These fibers are replenished, restored, and revived by a supply of new collagen molecules. When you’re young, your skin uses these fresh molecules to keep up with your body’s growing demands. As you grow, this collagen supply helps your skin stretch while remaining tensile and wrinkle-free. But, as with all your other biological processes, your collagen production slows. Usually, this decline in collagen begins after adolescence, when you’re body is finished growing. During pregnancy, however, your abdominal skin expands past its physiological limits, without the support of healthy collagen production.^[1] When it does so, your skin’s collagen fibers lose their elasticity. Without that healthy collagen supply, these fibers remain outstretched well after you’ve given birth. Because of this, you might be one of the many mothers left with loose abdominal skin. 

Weakened Core

Excess skin isn’t the only condition that affects a mother’s abdomen. Many mothers also face pelvic floor disorders brought on by separated abdominal muscles. Typically, during your third trimester, the internal pressure from the fetus gets to be too much for the abdominal wall. This pressure creates a split down the middle line of connective tissue that holds the two walls together.^[2] After you give birth, if this separation persists, it results in a condition known as diastasis recti. With diastasis recti, mothers have a weakened core and a noticeable bulge centered in their abdomen. This bugle is created by the disconnected strip of connective tissue. Unfortunately, because the muscles are separated, the core can’t support its pelvic floor, resulting in pelvic floor disorders like urinary stress incontinence.^[3]

Unwanted Fat

During pregnancy, it’s typical to see yourself gain between 25 and 35 pounds of baby weight.^[4] After all, fat plays a key role in the growth and development of the fetus.^[5] But, after you’ve given birth, your baby weight might not shed so easily. This is because there is no at-home way to spot-reduce fatty areas. When you exercise a specific part of the body, you are only improving the contracting muscle fibers, leaving the overlying fat cells mostly unaffected. When your body burns fat, it pulls cells from all over the body – not just that one trouble area. Unfortunately, this means that even when mothers hit their goal weight, implement a new diet, or start exercising regularly, they can still see lingering fat around their bodies. 

Changes to the Breasts

With fluctuations in hormones, weight, and lactation, breasts undergo some significant changes during motherhood. Much like with abdominal skin, once your breast tissue expands past a certain point, your body is unable to “bounce” it back. If you are unhappy with your breasts’ postpartum appearance, you are not alone. When asked about their happiness with their breasts’ appearance almost 70% of older women reported that they were dissatisfied.^[6]

Mommy Makeover Procedures

Four procedures can be included in your mommy makeover procedure. Each one of these resolves one or more of the cosmetic concerns mentioned above. Dr. Howard’s makeover procedures include:

Tummy Tuck

To address loose skin and separated abdominal muscles, Dr. Howard performs a full tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty. During a tummy tuck, he sutures separated muscles back into alignment and pulls excess skin tight, contouring it to your natural abdominal profile. A tummy tuck smooths away loose skin, strengthens your pelvic floor, and takes away the noticeable bulge caused by diastasis recti. 

Liposuction

For the unwanted, stubborn fat around your belly, love handles, legs, or arms, Dr. Howard uses liposuction. Liposuction has long been the gold standard plastic surgery procedure for ridding patients of unwanted fat. He begins by making a tiny incision in the fatty area. Next, he applies tumescent fluid to the target tissues, and then he suctions away the fat cells through an aspirating cannula. Once he has removed the appropriate amount of fat, Dr. Howard closes the incision and wraps the treated area with a compression bandage. 

Breast Lift

Breast tissue expands with fluctuations in weight and hormones: two factors at play during pregnancy. When breast tissue expands, breasts begin to droop and sag, creating an unwanted appearance for most women. To correct this laxity, Dr. Howard performs a breast lift. During a breast lift, Dr. Howard removes the lax tissue and reorients the areolas’ placement. This procedure is ideal for patients who are happy with the size of their breasts but wish that they rested higher on their chest. 

Breast Enhancement

If you are unhappy with the volume of your breasts, then a breast enhancement surgery might be perfect for you! By using implants that range in size, texture, shape, and composition, Dr. Howard gives you the control to customize your breasts’ overall appearance and feel. If you are interested in combining breast enhancement with any other procedure, be sure to fill out this online form to reserve a mommy makeover consultation. 

Why Choose A Mommy Makeover

The benefits of a comprehensive procedure like a mommy makeover are:

Your Consultation With Dr. Howard

We will begin your consultation by going over your recent medical history and examining your cosmetic concerns. Then, Dr. Howard will explain the different mommy makeover procedures and which ones he feels suit you and your desired results. If you are considering breast enhancement, we may schedule a sizing appointment to help you find the perfect implants. At the end of your consultation, we will construct your personalized treatment plan. We will give you a list of preparatory steps tailored to your unique circumstances. 

Treatments For A Mother’s Complexion

If your complexion also shows signs of aging, Dr. Howard offers FaceTite. FaceTite combines radiofrequency energy with liposuction to delicately sculpt away facial fatty tissue and tighten loose skin. This non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure minimizes the appearance of jowls and reverses common signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines. Be sure to ask how simple yet effective a FaceTite procedure is during your consultation. 

How Much Does A Mommy Makeover Cost In Chicago?

The cost of your mommy makeover will depend on the procedures that are included. We will discuss and determine the price of your procedure during your consultation. If you would like to learn more about costs or have questions, call our front desk at (224) 271-4250.

References

1. Tepole, A. B., Gosain, A. K., & Kuhl, E. (2012). Stretching skin: The physiological limit and beyond. International journal of non-linear mechanics, 47(8), 938–949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnonlinmec.2011.07.006
2. Nahabedian M. Y. (2018). Management Strategies for Diastasis Recti. Seminars in plastic surgery, 32(3), 147–154. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1661380
3. Benjamin, D. R., van de Water, A. T., & Peiris, C. L. (2014). Effects of exercise on diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle in the antenatal and postnatal periods: a systematic review. Physiotherapy, 100(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2013.08.005
4. Cantor AG, Jungbauer RM, McDonagh M, et al. Counseling and Behavioral Interventions for Healthy Weight and Weight Gain in Pregnancy: Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA. 2021;325(20):2094–2109. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.4230 
5. Laitinen, K. “Chapter 1. Fat Requirements in Pregnancy and Infancy.” Food Chemistry, Function and Analysis, 2021, pp. 1–27, pubs.rsc.org/en/content/chapterhtml/2021/bk9781788018852-00001?isbn=978-1-78801-885-2&sercode=bk#:~:text=Placenta%20has%20the%20capacity%20to,the%20placenta%20for%20fetal%20needs., 10.1039/9781839165078-00001
6. Spencer, L., Fary, R., McKenna, L., Jacques, A., Lalor, J., & Briffa, K. (2020). The relationship between breast size and aspects of health and psychological wellbeing in mature-aged women. Women’s Health, 16, 174550652091833. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745506520918335