Meet with an Expert Mommy Makeover Specialist in Tulsa
Mommy Makeover: Reclaim Your Body, Reclaim Your Confidence
Motherhood is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences in life, but it is also extremely hard work. As a mother, you need to make continuous sacrifices to meet your children's needs. While these selfless efforts are undeniably important, they eventually take a toll on your body. The hard work and long hours required of motherhood can also make it difficult to reverse many of the changes that occur to your body during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
Many mothers find it difficult to make the time to exercise, especially when their children are very young. For those mothers who can find the time to exercise regularly, it is still common to experience the same challenges regaining their pre-pregnancy bodies. Stretched abdominal skin, separated muscles, stubborn fat deposits, sagging breasts, and other post-pregnancy concerns often persist despite your best efforts. If you've experienced these frustrations, a mommy makeover may be the ideal solution to help you restore your pre-baby body.
As one of the only female plastic surgeons in the area, Dr. Brenda Schiesel offers a unique perspective and a woman's touch that you won't find at other practices. Contact South Tulsa Plastic Surgery today to schedule your complimentary consultation and discover how a mommy makeover can help you look and feel like yourself again.
Understanding the Mommy Makeover Procedure
What Is a Mommy Makeover?
Rather than a single treatment, a mommy makeover is generally a combination of surgical procedures designed to restore the youthful figure you had before pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy, the skin around your waistline stretches to accommodate the growing baby. Your abdominal muscles are also stretched and can separate down the midline of the abdominal wall, a condition called diastasis recti. Weight gained during this time is often challenging to lose after childbirth, with stubborn pockets of fat settling in areas like the abdomen, hips, and thighs. Breastfeeding may cause your breasts to sag, lose volume, and appear deflated.
A mommy makeover can reverse these effects. Dr. Schiesel will perform a combination of procedures in order to address the specific issues you are experiencing. By combining these treatments into a single surgical procedure, you can achieve all of your goals while minimizing the amount of time spent undergoing surgery. This is not only the most cost-effective way to address your aesthetic goals, but it also allows you to look and feel your best much quicker than if you spread these procedures out over the course of several months or years.
Common Mommy Makeover Procedures
Depending on your unique needs and goals, Dr. Schiesel may recommend a combination of the following procedures as part of your mommy makeover:
- Tummy Tuck [Tummy Tuck] to tighten abdominal muscles that have been stretched or separated during pregnancy, remove excess skin and fat from the abdominal region, reduce the appearance of stretch marks, restore contour to the waist, and restore tone to the tummy. This procedure addresses both the muscle separation and skin laxity that exercise alone cannot fix.
- Liposuction to remove deposits of excess fat that often occur due to pregnancy weight gain in areas like the abdomen, hips, lower back, and thighs.
- Breast Augmentation to restore lost breast volume and improve the size and shape of your breasts. Many women experience significant volume loss after breastfeeding, and implants can replenish that fullness.
- Breast Lift to correct sagging issues and restore a more youthful breast appearance by repositioning the nipple and areola to a higher position and removing excess skin.
Your Journey to Your Mommy Makeover
Am I a Good Mommy Makeover Candidate?
An ideal mommy makeover candidate is in good overall health, close to her ideal body weight, and has realistic expectations for the outcome of her procedure. It's important to understand that a mommy makeover is a body contouring procedure, not a weight loss solution. The best candidates are those who are already at or near their goal weight but struggle with specific post-pregnancy changes that diet and exercise cannot address.
If you plan to have more children, you should delay your mommy makeover until you're done with this phase of your life, as future pregnancies can reverse many of the results you achieve. Pregnancy can re-stretch abdominal muscles and skin, and breastfeeding again can affect breast volume and position. In addition, you should also be done breastfeeding before undergoing your mommy makeover because breast surgery[Breast Surgery] can potentially impact future breastfeeding ability.
Mommy makeovers are great options for women looking to restore confidence in their appearance. The procedure can help you address a variety of changes to your figure caused by pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, including loose, deflated, or sagging breasts, asymmetrical breast appearance, enlarged areola after pregnancy, fatty deposits in the abdomen, hips, lower back, or thighs, bulging belly or "mommy pooch" that won't respond to exercise, loose abdominal muscles or diastasis recti, stretch marks on the abdomen, and visible C-section scars.
The best way to determine if a mommy makeover is appropriate for your situation is to meet personally with Dr. Schiesel for a one-on-one consultation. During your initial meeting, she will work to understand your needs and recommend the procedure or combination of treatments best suited to your unique goals.
Your Initial Consultation with Dr. Schiesel
At your initial consultation, you will meet personally with Dr. Schiesel to discuss your concerns about your post-baby body, and she will answer whatever questions you may have about your mommy makeover options. She will assess your current physical condition, determine your candidacy for the procedures involved, and design a customized treatment plan that is tailored specifically to you and your needs.
This meeting will be your opportunity to ask any questions you may have, whether they're about your body, your surgery, your results, or your recovery. Plastic surgery is a very personal decision, and it's difficult to make such an important choice when you have uncertainty about the effects it will have on your body and appearance. Patient education is a cornerstone of Dr. Schiesel's approach to patient care, and she carefully explains every aspect of your procedure.
You will also discuss any issues that may affect your procedure, such as your medical history, existing conditions, and current medications. Dr. Schiesel will provide you with detailed preoperative instructions to help you prepare for surgery and optimize your results.
What to Expect During Mommy Makeover Recovery
Recovery and Results from Your Mommy Makeover
Generally, you should expect to take a couple of weeks off from work and arrange help at home if you have small children. This is not a recovery where you'll be able to care for young children independently during the first week or two, so having support from family or friends is essential. You'll need to maintain a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids to ensure proper healing, so it's a good idea to prepare by stocking up on easy-to-make meals or making and freezing them before your surgery.
Be prepared for plenty of bed rest, and avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting (anything weighing more than 5 to 10 pounds is too heavy) for six weeks. This means no picking up young children, no carrying laundry baskets, and no intensive household chores during your initial recovery. Over-the-counter pain medications can help with any discomfort you have while you recover, and Dr. Schiesel may prescribe additional medications to help manage your pain in the first few days after surgery.
You'll be provided with compression garments to wear over your treated areas, which help minimize swelling, support your healing tissues, and optimize your results. It's important to wear these garments as directed for the recommended timeframe. You may also have surgical drains temporarily placed to remove excess fluid and reduce swelling; these are typically removed within the first week or two after surgery during a follow-up appointment.
Dr. Schiesel will make sure you're healing properly during several follow-up appointments at South Tulsa Plastic Surgery. You will be provided with detailed instructions on preparing for your procedure and on ensuring a quick, safe, and effective recovery. By following her pre- and postoperative instructions and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle, you can enjoy your mommy makeover results for years to come.
Long-Term Results and Maintenance
Your mommy makeover results will continue to improve as swelling subsides and your body heals. While you'll notice an immediate difference after surgery, your final results will become fully apparent over several months as residual swelling resolves and incision lines fade. Most patients feel comfortable returning to social activities and light exercise after about 4 to 6 weeks, with full activity resumption typically cleared around 8 to 12 weeks.
The results of your mommy makeover can be long-lasting, especially when maintained with a stable weight, regular exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. The excess skin removed during your tummy tuck is gone permanently, the abdominal muscles repaired will remain tightened (barring future pregnancy), and breast implants typically last 10 to 20 years or more. However, natural aging will continue, and factors such as significant weight fluctuations can affect your results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a mommy makeover cost?
The cost of mommy makeovers varies from patient to patient, depending on the procedures chosen and the extent of work needed. A mommy makeover that includes a tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast augmentation will cost more than one that combines a tummy tuck with a breast lift. Factors that influence cost include the surgical facility fees, anesthesia fees, the surgeon's fee, and any special garments or medications needed for recovery.
The best way to get an idea of what you can expect to pay for your mommy makeover is to meet with Dr. Schiesel for a private consultation. During this consultation, she will work with you to develop a customized treatment plan, provide an estimate for your combination of procedures, and discuss our payment and financing options. We've partnered with three trusted healthcare financing companies to offer convenient payment plans that make your mommy makeover more accessible and affordable.
Why should I choose Dr. Schiesel for my mommy makeover?
Whenever you undergo a combination of procedures at once, it is crucial to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has the training and experience to provide the elegant, long-lasting results you desire with the highest levels of safety.
Dr. Brenda Schiesel is a board-certified plastic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She focuses on breast surgery and body contouring procedures commonly included as part of a mommy makeover, and she is committed to delivering the beautiful, natural-looking results you deserve. As one of the only female plastic surgeons in the area, Dr. Schiesel offers a unique perspective and a woman's touch that you won't find at other practices.
When is the best time to have a mommy makeover?
The best time for a mommy makeover is after you have completed your family and are done breastfeeding. Future pregnancies can reverse many of the improvements achieved during your mommy makeover, particularly the tummy tuck, as pregnancy will once again stretch your abdominal muscles and skin. For this reason, most plastic surgeons recommend waiting until you're finished having children before undergoing a mommy makeover.
Additionally, you should be at or near your ideal body weight and have maintained that weight for at least six months before surgery. This ensures your results are long-lasting and that you're getting the most benefit from your procedures. It's also important to wait until you've finished breastfeeding, as breast surgery can potentially impact future breastfeeding ability, and because your breasts should be at their post-nursing baseline before undergoing breast augmentation or breast lift surgery. Finally, make sure you can dedicate adequate time to recovery and have support at home during the initial healing period.
How do I schedule a consultation for a mommy makeover near me?
Scheduling your complimentary consultation at South Tulsa Plastic Surgery is simple and straightforward! You can call our office directly at (918) 518-5144 to speak with a member of our friendly team who will help you find an appointment time that works with your schedule, or you can request a consultation online.
During your consultation, you'll meet with Dr. Schiesel in a private, confidential setting. She'll listen carefully to your concerns about your post-pregnancy body and your aesthetic goals, evaluate your body anatomy and overall health, explain the mommy makeover procedure and which combination of treatments would work best for you, show you before-and-after photos of previous mommy makeover patients, discuss realistic expectations for your results and recovery timeline, and answer all your questions
We look forward to meeting you and helping you reclaim your body and your confidence!