Plastic Surgery After Pregnancy
Having a baby is one of the great miracles and joys in life. The female body is so well set up for the whole project, and for supplying nutritious baby food afterwards. When everything goes as it should, the whole experience is exciting and gratifying. Even with our busy modern lifestyles, many women manage to breastfeed their babies and are glad for the rest of their lives that they did.
Changes to the breast
One of the possible downsides of pregnancy and breastfeeding is that in the months after it’s over and your baby is gurgling in his or her high chair, you might notice that your breasts are not as full and shapely as they were before it all began. Sometimes we lose breast tissue and have a smaller cup size. Sometimes our breasts start to sag and need more support.
Changes to the abdomen
At the same time as we notice our smaller or droopier breasts, we might also notice our enlarged abdomen. If we have gained a little too much weight during pregnancy, some of it is often distributed over the hips and buttocks as well as the abdomen, and this extra weight doesn’t always obligingly disappear after the baby is born, even with good diet and regular exercise. Often the abdominal muscles are stretched and won’t come back with sit-ups. There may also be loose skin that bulges or hangs, especially if you have had a C-section.
In fact, our entire silhouette may now look different, like somebody else’s silhouette that has somehow mysteriously taken over our body. And sometimes, coupled with the new responsibilities of motherhood, this affront to our self-image causes some depression, as we wonder how attractive we might still be physically without the changes from pregnancy and childbirth.
Resculpt your silhouette
The specialty of cosmetic surgery has grown enormously in recent years, becoming very sophisticated and high-tech, with computers, lasers, more precise surgical instruments, and better information-sharing. Dr. Placik, will spend all the time with you that you need, to work through all your options, answer your questions, and explain why one option might offer you a better deal than another. Here are some of the options that might be attractive to a new mom.
Breast augmentation and/or breast lift
In November, 2006, the FDA approved the use of silicone gel breast implants. That means that now you have a choice between those new and updated silicone gel implants and the more traditional saline-filled implants. Dr. Placik can give you lots of information on how to choose between them, and on all the other choices that are necessary before a breast enlargement procedure.
A breast lift can be done along with breast enlargement if necessary. Sometimes breast implants alone will give you the firmness, lift and perkiness that you desire, and other times both procedures are best done together.
Liposuction
If you’ve been losing weight but still have some specific areas that remain stubborn, such as in the abdomen, liposuction is a possible solution. Although many people still think of liposuction as a weight loss procedure, that’s incorrect. It’s a body-shaping procedure, for re-contouring specific areas of the body. Once those particular fat cells are removed, they never grow back, although if your caloric intake becomes too high, the remaining fat cells can expand and you’ll gain weight that way. Liposuction can be done on most body areas that tend to accumulate unwanted fat, such as the thighs and buttocks, belly, upper arms, and beneath the chin.
Tummy Tuck
Tummy tucks (abdominoplasty) and liposuction often performed together. When we gain weight, the skin expands over it, and ideally, when we lose the weight, the skin shrinks to fit our new shape. But as we age, the skin becomes less elastic and you might make the disappointing discovery that after struggling to lose weight and succeeding, your skin hangs loose.
In addition to that, pregnancy stretches not only the abdominal skin, but also the muscles. This is where a tummy tuck is helpful. The extra skin, rolls, and bulges can be removed. If you still have stubbornly remaining fat, in the abdomen or “love handles”, this can be removed at the same time with liposuction, and your abdominal muscles can be tightened. The result is a sleeker contour, close to the way you used to look before pregnancy.
If you are considering any of these procedures or would just like more information read the accompanying articles that explain each procedure more thoroughly, or contact Dr. Placik via email or phone at 847-398-1660.
