What Does Mommy Makeover Recovery Look Like?

Mommy makeover surgery is a common cosmetic procedure that women consider after pregnancy and childbirth. It can take several months to a few years for mothers to regain their strength and stamina after pregnancy. While exercise and diet play a big role in helping women through this process, some experience significant changes to their body that can leave them feeling disfigured such as breast volume deflation, abdominal wall rectus diastasis, excess abdominal skin, or excess pockets of fat. For women who are looking to address these issues with surgery, a mommy makeover can be an excellent option.

What is a Mommy Makeover?

A mommy makeover is not a one-size-fits-all surgical procedure– Dr. Kurtovic and Dr. Mahabir work with each patient to help them achieve their individual goals to restore an improved body image. Surgical procedures commonly involve surgery of the breast and tummy areas and are commonly performed at the same time. For the breasts, the common concerns are volume deflation and sagging. A breast augmentation, breast lift or sometimes an augmentation with a simultaneous lift are performed to reshape the breast and lift the nipple areola complex into a more youthful position. For the abdominal areas, a tummy tuck with possible liposuction are performed. Among the plethora of surgical procedures completed during a mommy makeover, the most popular are breast lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and liposuction.

What to Expect After a Mommy Makeover

The recovery period after a mommy makeover varies on the types of procedures performed. Often multiple procedures are performed at once focusing on the breast and abdominal areas. The more surgical areas that are addressed, lengthens the recovery. We typically tell our patients to take off 1-2 weeks from work, and avoid exercise from 4-6 weeks, sometimes 8 weeks.

The First Days After Surgery

The first few days after a mommy makeover, are the most uncomfortable due to the maximum bruising and swelling. Bruising and swelling will remain for around two to three weeks after surgery. In areas that had liposuction, swelling improves over a longer period typically several months. Most patients can expect to see their results start to unfold after a few months.

Up to Six Months After Surgery

Following the instructions of Dr. Kurtovic and Dr. Mahabir is the best way of ensuring a safe recovery after a mommy makeover. Lifting small children is not recommended for up to six weeks after a mommy makeover surgery, since the incisions are still healing and not at their full strength yet. By six months, your results should be fully healed, and swelling should have gone down. Everyone heals at a different pace, so it is important that you listen to your body– if you are experiencing pain or discomfort late into recovery, make sure you take extra rest and avoid strenuous activity.

Common Mommy Makeover Side Effects

A mommy makeover involves major surgery, which means general anesthesia. The surgery is an outpatient procedure which means you will go home the same day. In the first few weeks after surgery you can expect the following common side effects:

• Bruising around incision sites for two to three weeks
• Soft tissue swelling that improves with time, and takes longer if liposuction was performed
• Breast sensitivity, or numbness that will improve with time

Enjoy the Benefits of a Mommy Makeover in Tucson, AZ

Mommy makeovers are not just for mothers– if you are struggling with the appearance of multiple areas of your body, you should consider combination surgery with Tucson Plastic Surgery. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Kurtovic and Dr. Mahabir to discuss your cosmetic goal, and we can create a custom surgical plan for you.