There are a lot of misconceptions regarding plastic surgery – often fueled by television shows and extreme cases that are told over and over – each time a bit more sensationalized. The truth is, when it comes to the Mommy Makeover and the procedures involved, it is advisable to work with a board-certified surgeon. Know the difference between truth and myths.
Getting to the place where you’re ready to consider a makeover, however, may require you to have some of your misconceptions addressed. Here are some of the most common myths of plastic surgery as it pertains to the Mommy Makeover*:
Myth: Exercise can lift and augment your breasts naturally. Reality: Not so. You can exercise hours every day, and your breasts will still be droopy. Your pectoral muscles will be in good shape, but the size of your breasts won’t change. Myth: You can’t breast-feed after a breast lift. Reality: While this hasn’t been completely proven one way or the other, the consensus is that about two-thirds of all women can breast-feed before breast surgery; about two-thirds can breast-feed afterward. It is important to choose an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who knows how to preserve breast function. Myth: If you have breast implants, a mammogram can rupture them. Reality: Unlikely to occur, unless there are capsular contractures present. Myth: Exercise will tighten your tummy and get you back to the way you were before the baby. Reality: No amount of exercise can tighten up the abdominal midline fibrous tissue that has been stretched by pregnancy. Myth: Rubbing creams into your abdomen and breasts will prevent stretch marks. Reality: When the skin is stretched by the natural swelling of pregnancy and breast-feeding, the marks may fade a bit, but they are permanent, a form of scarring. The best practice is to reduce the problem by maintaining good hydration and having moderate weight gain throughout pregnancy. Myth: If you have liposuction, you can’t regain weight in that area. Reality: Yes, you can. With large weight gain, you can actually eat through the liposuction. Myth: A Mommy Makeover isn’t safe. Reality: While all surgery has some risk and individual results will vary*, a Mommy Makeover is safest when performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. Myth: You will look plastic or fake after the surgery. Reality: Though results vary in each individual patient, a skilled surgeon can provide subtle, natural-looking results. Myth: Everybody will know I had surgery. Reality: Only if you tell them—which I hope you do and refer them to me as patients. Myth: My husband just won’t understand. Reality: You don’t know that until you talk about it. He may surprise you and be very supportive – that has been my personal experience with my patients over the years. Myth: I can’t afford it. Reality: Yes, a Mommy Makeover costs real money and is not covered by insurance. Think of it as an investment in yourself. Myth: I’ll never get my body back to what it was before my baby. Reality: True, it may never be exactly the same again. But a Mommy Makeover has the potential to amaze you!
When it comes down to it, plastic surgery is a big decision – one you should not enter into casually. Which is why it’s important to understand the difference between a patient’s desires and what’s appropriate and possible, as well as to understand the benefits and some potential challenges in store for them. Visit my website and take a look at a number of my blog posts that can help you determine if a Mommy Makeover is right for you.
