A “Mommy Makeover” is a combination of cosmetic procedures that women may undergo to restore their physical appearance after pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Among the most common components are breast reduction, breast lift, breast augmentation, and tummy tuck.
For women on Long Island and elsewhere, these procedures can improve both physical health and self-esteem. Sometimes, these surgeries are not merely cosmetic, they’re also medically necessary – particularly for women with physical complications like back pain, skin irritation, or umbilical hernias. In these cases, combining your breast reduction and mommy makeover can shorten recovery time and may possibly be covered by insurance.
Combining Mommy Makeover Procedures: A Comprehensive Solution
Combining a breast reduction, breast lift, and tummy tuck offers a comprehensive solution to women who want to restore their physical appearance and feel good in their bodies after childbirth. This combination of procedures addresses multiple areas of concern, from sagging breasts and excess tissue to abdominal weakness and loose skin. Tackling both aesthetic and medical issues with one surgery allows women to achieve a more youthful, balanced appearance and also provides relief from ongoing physical pain.
Components of a Mommy Makeover | ||
|---|---|---|
Procedure | Purpose | When Medically Necessary |
Breast Reduction | Reduces breast size to relieve discomfort and improve proportions. | Chronic pain (back, neck, shoulders), skin irritation, posture issues. |
Breast Lift | Lifts and reshapes sagging breasts for a more youthful appearance. | Typically only covered if done to correct deformities or asymmetry after breast cancer treatment. |
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) | Removes excess skin, tightens abdominal muscles, and restores pre-pregnancy contour. | Diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles), chronic skin infections, hernias. |
Combination Benefits | Addresses multiple post-pregnancy changes in one surgery, improving overall shape and comfort. | Physical symptoms have a significant negative impact on daily activities and quality of life. |
Breast Reduction and Lift: Addressing Physical Complications
One of the most common reasons women seek a breast reduction as part of their mommy makeover is because of the physical discomfort caused by overly large breasts. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the breasts typically increase in size. After childbirth, however, they may not return to their pre-pregnancy shape.
For some women, large breasts cause chronic pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. More than just a cosmetic concern – such issues make everyday activities more difficult, such as exercising, playing with children, or simply sitting at a desk. Women living with chronic pain may also notice changes in mood or behavior patterns, which could point to depression and anxiety.
In addition to breast reduction, many women choose to undergo a breast lift (mastopexy) as part of their mommy makeover. A breast lift helps alleviate sagging, a common complaint after pregnancy and breastfeeding, by removing excess skin and reshaping tissue to give breasts a more youthful, lifted appearance.
When combined with a breast reduction, a lift can help create a more natural, balanced look while also improving physical comfort. For women with excessively large breasts, reduction surgery may be considered medically necessary.
Tummy Tuck: Addressing Abdominal Changes
Another common component of a mommy makeover is the tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), which repairs post-pregnancy changes in the abdominal area. For many women, weakened abdominal walls and loose, floppy skin – which cannot always be corrected via diet or exercise alone – cause both aesthetic concerns and physical discomfort, such as skin rashes, irritation, and increased difficulty in mobility.
A tummy tuck can restore a flatter, firmer abdomen by removing excess skin and tightening the underlying muscles. For those with an umbilical hernia (a condition where part of the intestine bulges through the abdominal wall), a tummy tuck can repair the hernia, improve appearance, and diminish functional concerns with one procedure. When an abdominal hernia is identified, abdominal contouring can often be performed at the same time and can also be included in the surgical approach for hernia repair.
Mommy Makeovers Combine Surgeries To Get You Back to Yourself
A mommy makeover, which often includes a breast reduction, breast lift, and tummy tuck, offers a powerful way for women to regain both their physical health and self-esteem after pregnancy and childbirth.
Many women find that these procedures not only improve how their body looks, they also alleviate physical issues such as chronic pain, discomfort, and skin irritation. When these surgeries are medically necessary, as in cases of umbilical hernias, or when large breasts cause physical complications, health insurance plans like NYSHIP may provide coverage.
A mommy makeover can improve a woman’s overall well-being by addressing both aesthetic and medical concerns, making it a comprehensive, life-changing solution.
Harris Plastic Surgery - Your Breast Reconstruction Experts
If you are considering combining your breast reduction and mommy makeover, reach out to our office today! Schedule your consultation, or contact us by phone/text if you have any questions for our team.
Stephen U. Harris, MD FACS
Dr. Stephen U. Harris is a board-certified cosmetic surgeon and recognized expert in breast reduction and reconstruction surgeries, having performed thousands in his career. When it comes to patient care, his philosophy is that every surgery should improve his patient’s overall quality of life, not just their appearance. Dr. Harris stays up-to-date on all the latest advancements in breast augmentation, reconstruction, and reduction and is a recognized innovator in the field. In fact, he was the first surgeon at Good Samaritan Hospital to offer primary prepectoral implant breast reconstruction, as well as secondary prepectoral revision surgery.
Dr. Harris also serves as Chief of Plastic Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, New York and is an active staff surgeon (and former Chief of Plastic Surgery) at South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, New York.
