At Galanis Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA, we pride ourselves in helping mothers restore confidence in their bodies. Often, pregnancy and childbirth take such a toll on a woman that diet and exercise alone cannot restore former contours. Sometimes, multiple cosmetic procedures are required to improve several regions of the body and achieve desired results. We offer a mommy makeover to help women improve their appearance in one convenient appointment. Keep reading to learn more about this procedure’s results.
How Many Pounds Do You Lose With a Mommy Makeover?
Typically, between two and five pounds of tissue are removed with a mommy makeover. How much weight you lose depends on several factors, including the number of procedures you choose and the type of procedures you choose. Most total body makeover procedures involve lifts, like abdominoplasty, brachioplasty, and mastopexy. During all of these procedures, any excess skin present will be removed and a small amount of fat is excised.
This may result in the loss of a pound or two per procedure depending on the amount of excess skin present and body fat distribution. While a total body makeover is not a weight loss procedure and won’t result in massive weight loss, you can lose quite a bit more weight if you include liposuction. Liposuction is a fat removal procedure that can be used to remove up to 11 pounds of fat.
How Long Will the Results of My Total Body Makeover Last?
You can generally expect the results of your total body makeover to be permanent. Individual experiences vary based on the procedures selected and post-op lifestyle. If you opt for liposuction and you’re over the age of 24, your fat removal results will be permanent. Whether your treated areas expand again due to energy storage in nearby fat cells depends on how well you can maintain your weight post-op.
Your ability to maintain your weight post-op will also affect how long you can expect your skin-tightening results to last. If you get an arm lift, breast lift, or tummy tuck, your skin tightening results may last a lifetime if you keep your weight relatively stable. Similarly, you can expect your skin removal results to last a lifetime.
What Can I Do To Maintain My Weight?
There are a number of habits you can develop to make weight maintenance easier. If you are an emotional eater, mindfulness can go a long way in helping you maintain your weight. Whenever you feel like ordering delivery or cracking open a beer, pause for a moment and ask yourself why you want to eat or drink. You may find that what you want is a dopamine increase. If you’re not hungry, engage in a hobby and save your calories.
Another habit that can help you maintain your weight is moderating your alcohol intake. Alcohol is the second-most energy-dense macronutrient, clocking in at seven calories per gram. That’s a lot of energy for something that isn’t necessary for survival. You don’t have to eliminate alcohol from your diet completely. However, you should strongly consider drinking no more than a unit of alcohol daily. There are many health benefits of doing this besides weight maintenance, including reducing the risk of:
- Hypertension
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Liver disease
- Gastrointestinal distress
Can I Lose Weight After My Total Body Makeover?
Yes, you can absolutely lose weight after your mommy makeover. However, you may want to hold off on your weight loss journey for a couple of months. You will be under a number of restrictions during the first six to eight weeks following your total body makeover. For example, you won’t be able to perform any vigorous activity for at least six weeks post-op. Not getting vigorous exercise can slow the weight loss process down significantly, and stress is bad for your recovery.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Total Body Makeover?
You will most likely be considered a good total body makeover candidate if you have cosmetic or medical concerns affecting multiple regions of your body. It is essential that you attend an initial evaluation for several reasons, including determining whether you are healthy enough for surgery and which procedures will help you achieve your goals. Here’s a look at some of the procedures that may benefit you.
Mastopexy
Mastopexy is one of the most commonly requested procedures when women decide a total body makeover is right for them. Up to half a cup of excess tissue is removed during this procedure, and even very large breasts weigh only a few pounds each. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect to lose a noticeable amount of weight with this procedure.
Liposuction
Liposuction is another one of the most commonly requested procedures. Roughly 79% of women gain fat during pregnancy, and 48% of pregnant women gain more than the recommended amount of fat. If you struggle with stubborn fat deposits despite a healthy diet and exercise routine, you may need liposuction to remove a lot of your excess fat and sculpt your ideal contours.
One of the most compelling benefits of liposuction is that it can be used to remove excess subcutaneous fat from just about anywhere. Most of the time, mothers request this procedure to remove excess fat from the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, and upper arms. However, it can also be used to remove excess fat from smaller areas, like the submental region, knees, and underarms.
What Does Liposuction Entail?
Liposuction entails making a small incision in an area of concern. Through this incision, a cannula is inserted. At the inserted end of the cannula, there is a suction device that is used to suction out at least a quarter of the localized fat. Once the fat is removed, the incision will be closed. This procedure usually takes three to four hours to complete depending on the number of areas being treated and the size of the areas being treated.
Brachioplasty
Genetics, stress, and other factors determine where women store fat during pregnancy. Often, excess energy is stored in the upper arms. If you have a lot of excess arm fat, you may need liposuction to remove 100 ccs to 1,000 ccs of fat. For reference, 1,000 ccs weighs approximately 2.2 pounds. Depending on how much excess fat is removed, you may also need brachioplasty to give you sleek arms you can be proud of.
What Does Brachioplasty Entail?
An upper arm lift aims to improve the appearance of your upper arms in a number of ways. Individual concerns and goals vary, but the most universal goal accomplished is the tightening of loose skin. This is accomplished thanks to an incision made on the back of the arm or the inside of the arm. This incision also allows us to remove excess skin, manipulate your underlying arm tissues, and excise a small amount of fat.
Abdominoplasty
It is also extremely common for women to request abdominoplasty, also referred to as a tummy tuck, after pregnancy. Women who are only concerned about the skin below their navel are often great candidates for partial abdominoplasty. When there are concerns about muscles or skin above the navel, full abdominoplasty is necessary. Depending on how much excess fat you have, you can expect to lose up to four pounds from this procedure.
What Will I Need To Do To Prepare for Surgery?
There are several important preparation steps you will need to take prior to a total body makeover. Due to the large scope of a total body makeover, you will need general anesthesia to keep you comfortable during surgery. To prepare for general anesthesia, you must fast for eight hours pre-op and dry fast for two hours pre-op.
Another very important preparation step you will need to take is to make sure that you have someone to drive you home after surgery. You also need to ensure you have someone who can care for you for at least 24 hours post-op.
Get the Body You Want
The bottom line is that a mommy makeover generally results in the loss of two to five pounds of tissue. Individual results vary based on numerous factors, including the procedures selected. If you opt for the inclusion of liposuction in your total body makeover, you may lose closer to 16 pounds. If you’re interested in achieving the dream body you’ve been working so hard for, schedule an appointment with us now at Galanis Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA.
