Mummy Makeover – Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a wonderful thing  and  Dr.  Lanzer who has 10  children  is  the  first  to
advise people that there is a  lot  of happiness that can come out  of  having  children.

Unfortunately, pregnancy does change the body.  It is a combination of stretching due to excessive weight gain over a short period of time together with hormonal changes. The mummy makeover is a term that refers to changes that happen during pregnancy.

The changes particularly are seen on the breasts and stomach.  Breasts sometimes become deflated, particularly if the mother has breastfed, and the breasts will become flatter, less firm and often droopy.  The other change that can occur is on the stomach where there is excessive loose skin.  The pressure of the baby can cause splitting and stretching of the underlying abdominal muscles as well as excessive hanging skin which may contain stretch marks.

Sometimes, another effect of the pregnancy is that there will be residual fat such as on hips and outer thighs.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS AVAILABLE FOR MUMMY MAKEOVER?

The first treatment that we look at is to regain the volume of the breasts.  Dr. Lanzer specialises in using a saline implant which he places under the chest muscle and gives an immediate elevation and new volume to the breast.  Generally speaking, approximately 200 mL of saline fluid will increase the breast by one breast cup.  This may vary depending on how much loose skin there is on the breast and how many pregnancies the lady has had.

Ultimately the size is never an exact prediction but there will be some indication of what the general goal is.  Interestingly, bras are not universal in sizing and it makes it impossible to offer a specific size.  The implants not only expand the breast, but they do give an illusion of a lift. If there is loose skin, the implant may also stretch out that loose skin.  In patients who have too much loose skin and too much drooping, then a breast surgical lift would then be required.

This procedure would be done with a surgical excision of the breast tissue. It starts with a cut around the nipple that extends down to the fold below the breast.  The excess skin is removed and the area is sutured closed.  Most patients are happy with this procedure however, there is scarring because of the amount of cutting.

Dr. Lanzer has trained in America under Ted Eisenberg, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.  He performed many breast lifts and augmentations with Ted.  Ted helped develop a procedure called the Staple-First technique for augmentation mastopexy.  This is a procedure that may often be required following pregnancy.  Dr. Lanzer’s approach is always to see if the patient can get away with an implant and avoid the scarring.

The second procedure that we perform for a mummy makeover is a lipo tuck.  The lipo tuck is a variation of a tummy tuck/abdominoplasty.  The advantage of the lipo tuck is that by combining liposuction and a reduced form of tuck, patients may have quicker recovery and less scarring.  Dr. Lanzer performs this procedure as an outpatient so that patients can actually go home and do not need hospital admission.  There are a number of different forms of tucks:

1. A full tuck which involves removal of skin, removal of fat, tightening of the underlying muscle due to the stretching of the muscle, and moving the umbilicus back into its regular position and closing up the skin.
2. The second form of a tuck does not involve moving the umbilicus but just working on the skin, fat and muscle below the umbilicus.
3. The last form is for somebody who just has loose skin alone where the skin is just excised.

How long after pregnancy should someone consider a mummy makeover?

This is a really good question.  Generally speaking we would recommend waiting 12 months.  Interestingly, some people will wait many years before they decide to have the mummy makeover.

How many children would one need before a mummy makeover is required?

Every person reacts differently to pregnancy.  The body heals completely differently in each person.  Some people have just one child and their body has changed significantly. Others can have many children with very little change.

What can be done for the stretch marks from pregnancy?

Stretch marks on the stomach are excised and removed together with the tummy tuck.  Otherwise stretch marks are not easily treatable.  We use a Dermapen and Viva radio-frequency to improve stretch marks.  When the stretch marks are red, blood vessel laser treatment like Aura can also be of assistance.

How can liposuction help a mummy makeover?

Some patients end up with pre-disposed areas of fat post pregnancy.  This is often on the hips, outer thighs or stomach.  Liposculpture is done using the tumescent technique and removes the fat selectively so that those areas are no longer resistant and more prominent.  This may help the body be more in harmony so that the patient feels they have the same size all over.

Can anything be done during pregnancy cosmetically?

Dr. Lanzer is fairly conservative when it comes to pregnancy and he does not recommend any treatment during pregnancy. The only therapy that could be done is skin rejuvenation with glycolic peels.  Some surgeons and cosmetic specialists are less conservative and would use lasers during pregnancy.

How will having a mummy makeover affect future children?

A person can get pregnant following a breast implant and can get pregnant following a lipo tummy tuck.  There may be further changes that will occur that would need to be corrected.

Interestingly, Dr. Lanzer has had a lot of patients get pregnant after liposculpture and as a general rule, he finds that the body becomes fat all over during pregnancy and then is lost all over.  The areas that had the liposuction do not tend to be resistant again after pregnancy.  Obviously there is a difference between all groups.