Pregnancy is a beautiful and magical experience, but it can be tough on the mother’s body. Carrying, delivering and nursing a baby usually leaves some “battle scars” — whether in the form of excess fat, saggy breasts, stretch marks or all of the above.
Trusted Beverly Hills plastic surgeon A.J. Khalil has been helping mothers reclaim their body confidence for many years. Below, he describes some of the best post-pregnancy plastic surgery options.
Tighten and Flatten the Abdomen
To accommodate a growing fetus, the abdominal muscles stretch and sometimes separate during pregnancy. After delivery, those muscles may not retract, causing the abdomen to protrude. The protrusion can be compounded by the lax, loose skin left over after pregnancy.
Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) addresses all of these factors for a flatter and tighter looking abdomen. During surgery, the abdominal muscles are brought back together and tightened. The loose skin is removed and the remaining skin tightened. Liposuction can be used to contour the abdominal area and enhance the results.
Diminish Unwanted Body Fat
Expecting mothers may gain weight that they find difficult to lose after pregnancy. Liposuction is designed to treat unwanted pockets of fat that won’t respond to normal weight loss efforts. The surgery resizes and reshapes different areas of the body, including the abdomen, buttocks, hips and thighs. It can be performed alone or in conjunction with tummy tuck surgery.
Lift and Fill Out Breasts
Pregnancy and nursing can leave the breasts looking flat and saggy. The nipples can also change and the areolas can grow in size. Mothers may opt for breast lift, breast augmentation or both to fix post-pregnancy breasts.
During breast lift, the breast tissue is reshaped higher on the chest and loose skin is removed. The nipples are relocated on the breast mound and oversized areolas can be reduced in size. Implants can be placed to restore volume and fullness if needed.
If your plastic surgery needs are comprehensive in nature, breast surgery, liposuction and tummy tuck can be combined into what is known as a complete “mommy makeover.”
Timing Your Plastic Surgery after Pregnancy
While it is possible to undergo plastic surgery and have more children afterward, you might sacrifice some of your progress. For example, your abdominal muscles might stretch out again and reverse the outcomes of your tummy tuck. For the best and longest-lasting results, it is recommended you wait until you are finished having children to undergo plastic surgery.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Khalil and discuss your post-pregnancy plastic surgery options, please call 310.385.8601 or email our office today.
