It is possible to reverse some physical changes that occur as a result of pregnancy through exercise and diet.
However, some effects such as stretched skin, stubborn pockets of fat, and abdominal separation require surgery to correct. That’s where a mommy makeover comes in.
A mommy makeover is a set of plastic surgery procedures designed to help mothers get back their pre-pregnancy bodies.
The makeover primarily focuses on the midsection and breasts, but a treatment plan can be customized to include other parts of the body.
Here are some of the most common mommy makeover procedures performed:
- Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty to tighten abdominal muscles hence making the stomach more flat and firm.
- Breast augmentation to restore the size, shape, or fullness of the breasts.
- Breast lift or mastopexy to raise and firm sagging breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue.
- Liposuction to remove stubborn fat deposits in areas like your abdomen, thighs, arms, hips et cetera.
- Arm and thigh lifts, to reshape and improve their appearance.
If you’ve undergone one or more of these procedures, you’re probably quite excited about the results.
These include a flat tummy, fuller breasts, curvaceous waist, and toned muscles. However, there’s the question of mommy makeover scars.
How long will Mommy Makeover scars take to fade?
Scarring is an inevitable part of mommy makeover procedures. However, most plastic surgeons try to create the smallest incisions possible hence condensing scarring to a small area.
And although mommy makeover scars will not completely disappear, they generally fade with time.
It is difficult to generalize how fast the scars will heal and fade due to individual factors like age, genetics, infection, the size of the wound, smoking, and one’s general health.
“Scarring can be unpredictable. In my experience, the biggest determinant of how a patient’s scars will heal is their DNA and how they have healed in the past.”
States Gregory A. Buford, MD a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Tummy tuck scars, for instance, can take years to fade. But for most patients, the scars will have faded within a year or at least, greatly improved compared to earlier months.
How to reduce Mommy Makeover scars?
While scarring may be unavoidable, there are various ways to reduce the scars and speed the healing and fading process. These include:
- Following all after surgery care instructions like how to clean and dress the incision.
- Use silicone sheets.
- Apply vitamin E cream.
- Avoid exposing scars to the sun.
- Avoid irritating products and clothing.
- Relaxing and avoiding strenuous exercise and movement.
Be sure to consult your surgeon before starting any aftercare treatment.
Can scars be removed?
Scars are only removable through surgical methods like:
- Punch grafting where a skin graft is used to fill the removed scar.
- Laser therapy. The use of light therapy to reduce the appearance of scars.
- Steroid injections to treat or prevent hypertrophic scars or keloids forming.
- Chemical peels which cause the skin to blister and peel off.
- Tissue expansion to cause the body to yield extra skin.
The bottom line is, scars are inevitable. But with the right surgeon and proper incision care after surgery, you are likely to have minimal scarring.
References ⌵- Everything you need to know about a mommy makeover( 2018). https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-a-mommy-makeover
- How to Minimize or Remove Tummy Tuck Scarring. (2017). https://www.healthline.com/health/tummy-tuck-scars
- Managing Scars After Mommy Makeover. https://medium.com/@camillecashmd/managing-scars-after-mommy-makeover-bf59a662a8d1
- Scar care instructions. (2010).
surgery.med.umich.edu/plastic/patient/forms/instructions/scar_care_postop.shtml.
