Mommy Makeover in Allentown, PA

"Mommy makeover" groups together a suite of plastic surgery procedures tailored to help women regain, and even improve upon, their pre-pregnancy shape. Most mommy makeovers start with an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) to tighten muscles in the abdominal wall and renew stretched-out abdominal skin. For women that have lost breast volume, mommy makeovers commonly also include a mastopexy or breast lift. This helps restore a youthful perkiness for breasts that have lost volume and elasticity after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Implants may or may not be used depending on the patient's body and desired outcome. For some patients, an implant alone can provide the desired lifting effect depending on the surgeon's implant placement technique. Liposuction of the flanks, love handles, buttocks, and other problem areas can be used to bring everything together, smoothing out uneven pockets of fat. 

The changes brought on by pregnancy can vary considerably as can each patient's desired outcome. Dr. Guarino believes excellent results are rooted in taking the time necessary to truly understand each patient's unique goals and to explain any surgical limitations. If you are considering having a mommy makeover performed in Allentown or surrounding areas, we would encourage you to meet with Dr. Guarino in person. Dr. Guarino is a board-certified plastic surgeon that has been performing mommy makeovers for years. 

The mommy makeover procedure is uniquely tailored to each patient depending on what body part they want to improve. In most cases, the breasts and tummy are addressed together (though not always). The conditions addressed during surgery and the surgical technique used will vary.

• Conditions caused by pregnancy: Loss of volume and/or breast tissue, sagging and/or drooping, excess skin (ptosis), breasts that have become too large
• Surgeries to consider: Breast augmentation with implants, breast lift, breast augmentation with a lift, breast reduction surgery

• Conditions caused by pregnancy: Excess fat and/or persistent bulge in the abdomen, sagging and loose skin, stretch marks and other unsightly skin irregularities
• Surgeries to consider: Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), liposuction of the abdomen

• Conditions caused by pregnancy: Sagging skin and excess fat in the buttocks, hips and thighs
• Surgeries to consider: Lower body lift including liposuction and skin tightening of the buttocks, hips and thighs

All mommy makeovers are performed under general anesthesia in an accredited surgical facility. Depending on how many techniques are combined, the surgery could last multiple hours. It is common for patients to have a short hospital stay with this surgery. Most women will require a full month to recover, but many will be able to return to work within 2 weeks. The results will reveal themselves in multiple stages as the breast implants settle into their natural placement and the incisions begin to heal. It generally takes a full year for all of the changes to make their final appearance.  

Mommy makeover procedures will vary in cost depending how many surgeries were combined and how many surgery sessions are needed. At a minimum, if a breast lift with augmentation is performed along with a tummy tuck, the cost could range from $8,500-$17,000. According to RealSelf.com, after reviewing more than 1,300 women, the average cost for a mommy makeover is around $12,825. 

There are always risks to consider when contemplating surgery. When procedures are combined, those risks can increase. Therefore, it is important to find an experienced cosmetic surgeon who is skilled in performing multiple procedures in one setting. Ultimately, a combination procedure can have numerous benefits, including only having to undergo surgery once — which means only one recovery and one fee.  

In a perfect world, women would wait to have a mommy makeover until after all pregnancies have been completed so the surgical results are not compromised. Generally, any body part that has been lifted or tightened would be at risk for stretching out if a subsequent pregnancy were to occur. 

If stretch marks exist on an area of the body (i.e. breast, tummy, etc.) that is going to be lifted and tightened, they may be removed when the excess skin is trimmed away. For any stretch marks left behind, as well as any other skin irregularities that may exist, there are skin-rejuvenating techniques that can help fade and remove these imperfections.

Scarring will occur with almost any cosmetic procedure. However, every effort is made to place and close the incisions carefully so that scarring is minimized. Scarring eventually fades into faint lines and can be concealed by undergarments and bathing suits. Most patients feel that the physical results following a mommy makeover far outweigh the scarring left behind.