It is rare to meet a woman that does not wish she had her pre-childbearing body back. We all love our kids, but the impact a pregnancy or especially multiple pregnancies has on our bodies is significant, and annoyingly resistant to improvement with diet and exercise alone. A consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon can provide you with all the important information you need to decide if you are a good candidate for breast and body tune-ups, but it can be hard to find good information on how to overcome the common hurdles that can stand in your way from obtaining the results you deserve.
Financial readiness is important. Many women struggle with spending money on themselves for something thought of as vanity. The truth is, it has been studied and shown that women feel better, are more confident, and rate themselves happier overall following aesthetic surgery. Just think if a portion of all the dollars that have been spent on special diets and trainers had been saved for a surgical tune-up! (Not that a healthy diet and exercise should be abandoned.) Truthfully, this is a good investment in yourself. Some of our patients finance a portion of their surgery and some finance all of it. We have excellent resources available to us that can be discussed in advance of consultation. Honestly, finding and experienced surgeon that is committed to safety is more important than trying to find a “deal” on your surgery.
Scarring is a concern of many patients. There have been tremendous advances in incisional treatment over the last several years. The appearance of the final scar is partially determined before the incision is even made. Knowing for instance that a tummy tuck incision needs to be made much lower than the desired position for the final scar comes with experience. Knowing how women’s bathing suits and lingerie fit is a big advantage for me in designing incision placement. Additionally, avoiding excessive tension on the skin when suturing the incision closed is vitally important to obtaining a thin flat scar. Getting an extra inch of skin out is not a good trade-off for a scar that is an inch wide and lies above your bikini bottoms! Post-operative scar treatment should always be overseen by the surgeon. I use topical silicone gel sheeting that holds tension off the scar for six weeks during early healing as well as botanical creams to fade incisions. I am with you every step of the way in providing you with the best scar your DNA allows you to make.
Taking care of young children is a full-time job, and if you work outside the home as well, scheduling time for recovery can be tough and definitely requires advance planning. That being said, if you don’t pick a date and get it on the family’s schedule, it will never be your turn! After a tummy tuck, you cannot lift more than five pounds for six weeks. That is one of the many reasons women have breast surgery simultaneously, so there is only ONE down-time. You will need help taking care of yourself for the first few days. Do not plan to drive for at least a week following surgery. If your job outside the home does not involve lifting or straining, you can return to work within ten days to two weeks. During the second post-operative week you can care for yourself, but not others. After six weeks, you can return to any activities you previously enjoyed.
My staff and I are fully committed to making these procedures available to women who previously thought it was impossible to get their bodies back without waiting for the kids to be out of the nest. Each patient comes with their own set of challenges, but we have helped overcome many of them. My staff looks forward to discussing your concerns in advance of your consultation, and I look forward to helping you obtain the look you deserve.
Categorized in: Our Practice, Popular, Mommy Makeover