Mommy Makeover in Austin and Lakeway, TX

A mommy makeover is a series of body contouring procedures that are performed to reverse the changes that affect a woman’s sense of confidence in her body after pregnancy and breastfeeding. The procedures that are chosen to target the areas that pregnancy affects the most, the breasts, abdomen, and buttocks. The common procedures involved in a mommy makeover include a breast lift, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, and liposuction.

The combining of procedures into one surgery day is advantageous because that is only one time under anesthesia, versus undergoing multiple surgeries. One surgery day also means one short sabbatical from work and family obligations, which is easier for most women to manage than several recovery periods. Additionally, our surgeon is so proficient at combining a breast lift and augmentation in a single surgery – an extremely rewarding surgery, leading to plump, lifted, youthful breasts that last.

Women who are in good overall health and have realistic expectations of what is possible with a mommy makeover are typically excellent candidates for treatment. Some of the common characteristics shared by mommy makeover patients include stable weight, deflated or sagging breasts, persistent fatty tissue or extreme laxity in the abdominal area, or excess fat and skin around the hips and thighs.

Every mommy makeover surgery is carefully planned to address a patient’s concerns. Each treatment plan is unique, affecting the number of hours to complete the procedures. A mommy makeover can take approximately four hours but could take more or less time depending on the procedures being done. Our patients are informed of the estimated surgery time during their consultation. Surgery details are also briefly reviewed at our surgery center before the procedure begins.

Once you have decided to have a mommy makeover at Austin Cosmetic Surgery, it is time to prepare for the procedure and recovery. Patients are advised to:

• Stop smoking, if applicable
• Avoid alcohol consumption
• Stop taking certain medications. A general list is provided in preoperative instructions.
• Arrange time off work.
• Arrange childcare and pet care, if applicable.
• Fill prescriptions.
• Prepare a quiet, comfortable space at home.
• Consider making meals that can be easily heated or gathering take-out menus.
• Compile an array of entertainment, such as music, podcasts, books, coloring books, and movies.

Recovery from a Mommy Makeover is initially all about rest. Patients can expect:

• 24-72 hours of pain medication. After 72 hours, many patients can switch to an appropriate over-the-counter pain reliever. If you’re unsure what you can take for pain, contact our office.
• Bruising, which lasts about three weeks.
• Swelling, which gradually decreases over several weeks.
• Numbness, tingling, or tenderness in areas where liposuction is performed.
• If a breast procedure is performed, tenderness decreases over two to three weeks.
• Stitches are typically removed approximately one week after surgery.
• Certain activity limitations. For example, patients cannot swim for three weeks after surgery. Smoking and alcohol consumption must also be avoided for at least two weeks.
• Exercise should be avoided for about six weeks.
• Compression garments, such as a surgical bra or other compression garment could be required for three to six weeks.
• Scar treatments can begin after about six weeks, with scar cream applied, or other scar treatment to help the skin heal more quickly.

Because a Mommy Makeover combines procedures, the recovery period is slightly more extended than an individual procedure. The typical full recovery time for a full makeover that includes breast augmentation and/or lifts, abdominoplasty, and liposuction is about six-twelve weeks with incisions being ‘mature’ at 12-18 months.

Our cosmetic surgeon encourages early activity as most of our patients are walking one to two miles by day 10, comfort is significantly improving over the first seven to ten days, with most of our moms off all pain meds within five days, and off muscle relaxers within ten to fourteen days. Our cosmetic surgeon will closely monitor your recovery and give you the individual care and guidance you need.

Surgical procedures have inherent risks that include:

• Infection
• Adverse reactions to anesthesia
• Bleeding
• Unfavorable scarring
• Capsular Contracture of Breast Implants
• Asymmetry
• Blood clots
• Hematoma or other fluid accumulation
• Lingering numbness or tingling
• Changes in skin pigmentation
• Need for revision surgery

Patients should expect to do very little moving around the first week after a Mommy Makeover. Some walking or movement is necessary to maintain optimal circulation and prevent blood clots. However, this is minimal. Depending on the nature of a woman’s job, it may be possible to return to work sometime during the second week of recovery. We do not advise rushing back to work. While physical comfort may be significantly improved, the body may still need more rest than normal to continue tissue recovery.

Your timeline to return to your normal exercise routine depends on what that routine is and what procedures were performed. Since a Mommy Makeover may include a variety of different procedures, including liposuction of the stomach, buttocks, hips, or other areas, a tummy tuck, and breast procedures, every patient will receive specific instructions for the post-recovery exercise. Generally, patients must avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities that elevate the heart rate for at least 4 weeks. Patients may walk or, over time, ride a bicycle so long as they keep the intensity low.

Yes. Patients can expect scars in the operative areas. An abdominoplasty scar typically sits below the panty-line and runs from hip to hip. Breast surgery scars are dependent on the procedure. Some breast scars are limited to the areola area, whereas others may run from the areola down to the breast crease. Our patients are told of their incision patterns during their consultation, so they know what to expect.

The procedures involved in a mommy makeover are generally considered safe, even when performed together. Multiple surgeries do increase the amount of time a patient is under anesthesia. However, breast and body procedures are less physiologically impactful on the body than procedures such as liver or heart surgery. No manipulation of internal organs occurs, so a mommy makeover is much less complicated than many other medical procedures.

Our cosmetic surgeon will conduct a thorough consultation, review your medical history, and perform an examination to confirm you are in good health before planning a mommy makeover. It is necessary to be completely honest with your surgeon about your health and also your lifestyle habits, as this also influences the degree of risk posed by surgery.

If you are planning to have more children, we will encourage you to postpone at least the tummy tuck portion of the process; not due to safety concerns (abdominoplasty does not inhibit a healthy pregnancy) but due to the way the midsection will change again during gestation.

One of the recommendations that doctors make is to give the body time to “bounce back” as much as it will naturally. It is also advantageous to schedule a mommy makeover after returning to within 10% of your ideal body weight. Our doctors request that you be completely done breastfeeding and having not lactated for upwards of a month.