Pregnancy is a fantastic time for most women. For 9 months your body is hard at work creating an entirely new person. After all that work, it’s no wonder that your body goes through some changes. Some of these, like breast size, are temporary. But, others can be more difficult to get rid of. That might be where cosmetic surgery comes in. Today we’re going to look at some of the ways your body can change after pregnancy and the ways cosmetic procedures can help you get you back to your pre-baby body.

Baby bump

The growing baby bump, and feeling the tiny life growing inside of it, can be one of the most magical things about pregnancy. However, once that life is in your arms and no longer in your stomach, that baby bump doesn’t always disappear. Many women have a larger or sagging stomach even months after giving birth. The excess skin or fat can be tough to get rid of through diet and exercise alone. Not to mention, after giving birth, many women are, understandably, too exhausted to focus on their appearance. When that happens, body contouring procedures can help. If you think you would be able to undergo surgery safely and can take some time off to rest, liposuction may be an excellent and useful option. If, however, you’re not able to take a significant amount of time off from your daily activities but still need to tighten excess skin, minimally invasive BodyTite could be the perfect alternative. Whichever option you choose, just know that giving birth doesn’t necessarily condemn you to a large stomach or excess skin for months or years afterward. When you give birth, you do something miraculous. You deserve to have a body that reflects that.

Sagging breasts

Another common change that comes with pregnancy is the chest. It’s expected that, as the baby grows in your stomach, your breasts will begin to fill with milk in anticipation. What’s slightly less well known is that, when you’ve finished breastfeeding, your breasts do not always return to normal. Often, women notice significant sagging in their breasts even after their breastfeeding days are over. When you’ve had so much extra weight in your breasts for the baby, it’s understandable that gravity will take its toll. As natural as it is, it doesn’t make the change any more bearable for a lot of women. When it comes to the breasts, exercise and diet can do very little. A separate procedure is often needed to keep the breasts from sagging. A breast lift can help to give women more support in breasts that sag due to age, breastfeeding or both. The great thing about this surgery is, if you’re also worried about the volume of your breasts, it can be combined with a breast augmentation or reduction.

Breast size

We’ve talked about the breasts changing during and after pregnancy. These changes don’t just include the support level of the chest, they also include the size. As with many other changes involved in pregnancy, it’s not necessarily guaranteed that your breasts will return to their natural size and shape after you’re done breastfeeding. While some women are pleased with a larger cup size, it can cause problems for others. Larger breasts mean increased stress on the back and chest area. This can become very uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous for women who already have back problems. Some women attempt to correct this issue with special supportive bras or simple diet and exercise. We already know that diet and exercise can do very little when it comes to sculpting the chest area. While supportive bras are a potential short term solution, they become expensive and challenging in the long run. If you’re looking to reduce your post-baby breasts, the best option is a breast reduction surgery. This surgery will allow you to return to your pre-baby cup size or any other size you are comfortable with.

If all three of these symptoms sound familiar, you may want to save money by looking into our mommy makeovers. Whether you choose to shape your body by natural means or through cosmetic surgery, just know that you’re not alone. Most mothers go through one or more of these changes. There are as many different ways of regaining your confidence as there are unique women in the world.

Breast Lift vs. Breast Augmentation: Which one is right for you?

Through our years of experience, we’ve come to realize that there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to breast surgery. When patients come into our office for a consultation, they sometimes carry those misconceptions with them. This may lead to patients asking for one procedure when another would be more appropriate.

We’ve seen this confusion occur many times when it comes to breast lift and breast augmentations. Many patients with unwanted sagging in their breasts believe that a breast augmentation will improve their appearance. Many do not know that another treatment, called a breast lift, might be a better option for them.

That is why we created this list of common misconceptions about breast treatments and how to decide which procedure might be right for you.

Let’s start with the most common misconception we face when discussing breast treatments.

Misconception #1 : If I get a breast augmentation, my breasts will not look natural

Many patients come in having seen artificial implants on celebrities or having seen breast augmentations gone wrong. With these images in their mind, they are naturally concerned about how they will look after the procedure. It’s important to understand that the images many people have seen are the exceptions, not the norm. Before your augmentation, your surgeon will discuss what size implant would be best for you and your body. With the help of your surgeon, the right size and style of implants will ensure that your breasts will match your figure. Choosing your size allows you to have control over how your breasts will look after surgery and can help to avoid an unnatural appearance.

Misconception #2 : Getting a breast augmentation will improve sagging breasts

As we mentioned before, breast augmentation is not, necessarily, the best option for breasts that have begun to sag due to age or breastfeeding. While breast augmentations can make your breasts appear fuller and more substantial, they will not improve support. To improve comfort, we usually recommend a breast lift. Unlike an augmentation, a breast lift will not make your breasts more abundant, but it will lift your breasts giving you more support and a more youthful appearance. If you’re looking to improve both the size and lift of your chest, a breast augmentation can be and often is combined with a breast lift. Likewise, if you would like your breasts to be a bit smaller and more lifted, a breast lift can also be done in combination with a breast reduction.

Misconception #3 : Breast surgery is only about appearance

This is another misconception brought about by celebrities and other influencers. While many patients do receive breast surgery to improve their appearance or level of self-confidence, not all breast surgery is purely cosmetic. Often breast cancer survivors who have had mastectomies will come to plastic surgeons for reconstructive breast surgery. In this surgery, our goal is to return the patients breasts to roughly the same size and shape they were before the operation. These surgeries do not qualify as cosmetic and are often covered under insurance. Another breast surgery that may be eligible under insurance is a breast reduction. Women with oversized breasts often suffer from severe back pain and other problems associated with the size of their chest. Sometimes these cases will require breast reduction surgery. Occasionally, patients seeking breast surgery have breasts which are severely lopsided (one breast is significantly larger than the other). Most of these cases are not considered cosmetic and will, depending on the patient and the situation, sometimes be covered under health insurance.

The truth about breast surgery, like most aesthetic treatments, is very different from the way it is portrayed in popular culture. The best way to find out if any cosmetic procedure is right for you is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

For the truth about cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, tips on keeping healthy and more, be sure to check our blog every month.

Until next time!

Baby Body Blues: How your body changes after pregnancy and how to get it back.

The Truth About Breasts: Examining 3 Common Misconceptions about Chest Surgery

News