Mommy Makeovers On the Rise: More Women Opting for Tummy Tucks, Breast Augmentation to Restore Bodies and Confidence After Having Children
Posted December 31, 2014 in Body Contouring, Liposuction, Mommy Makeover, Tummy Tuck
“One day and three children later, I looked in the mirror and noticed that my once shapely breasts were now shrunken and deflated. There were a lot of cute tops, dresses, and swimsuits I wanted to wear, but I avoided because I felt self-conscious about my flat chest.
“When I began researching plastic surgeons, I ultimately chose Dr. Patronella because his breast augmentation results looked the shapeliest and most natural to me of all the “before and after“ breast augmentation photos I viewed. And besides being a great surgeon, he had a wonderful personality—he’s very warm and caring, and he listens.”
“I was amazed at the results Dr. Patronella was able to achieve: he took my small, sagging breasts and transformed them into shapely, soft, and natural-looking breasts that looked even better than they did before I had children! It made me feel more beautiful as a woman.
—a patient of Dr. Chris Patronella
Increasingly, women are choosing to have “mommy makeover” plastic surgery procedures to restore the contours of their pre-baby figures. Between 2000 to 2010, the number of tummy tuck surgeries increased by 85 percent, breast augmentations by 39 percent, and breast lifts by 70 percent, according to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
For Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Chris Patronella, being a participant in the restoration of a woman’s body and her self-image after she’s had children is one of the most rewarding aspects of his work. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and weight loss take a toll on a woman’s body, often leaving her with loose abdominal skin, a tummy pooch, and breasts that are smaller and less firm than they once were.
Frequently his patients engage in healthy eating and exercise habits but have not been able to regain their flat tummies. This is typically because pregnancy causes the rectus abdominis muscles that run vertically along each side of the abdomen to weaken and separate due to pressure exerted by the expanding uterus. Because these muscles act as a type of internal compression garment that help to hold the abdomen in, once they have weakened, the tummy often retains a pooch. Surgical correction is the only way to both tighten the muscles and remove loose, sagging skin.
As part of a mommy makeover, Dr. Patronella typically combines tummy tuck surgery to restore a flat, smooth look to the abdomen, with a breast augmentation and/or a breast lift procedure to restore volume and lift to the breasts. Some patients also choose to have liposuction to reshape areas that retain diet and exercise-resistant pockets of fat such as the hips and thighs.
While many of his patients initially feel hesitation or guilt about focusing on their aesthetic concerns, the positive changes they experience both physically and psychologically following surgery cause many to express a wish that they had pursued it even sooner.
“They feel genuinely guilty about pursuing a surgical option to correct what childbirth has created. That is often the most significant obstacle in their decision-making process. It’s hard for them to shift gears and consider their own self-image,” said Dr. Patronella.
One patient of Dr. Patronella, a mother of three who had a combination of a tummy tuck, breast lift, and breast augmentation, said she reminds herself often of a favorite quote to help her maintain perspective and balance between care of herself and others: “It’s the love and care you give yourself that gives you the real strength to love and care for others.”
Seeing the amazing results of Dr. Patronella’s work and the happiness of his patients with their new looks inspired her to have surgery to remove the loose skin around her belly button that would not go away despite the fact that she worked out five times a week and participated in marathons, triathlons, and bike races, she said.
“The results I experienced lifted me up—I feel even more confident. Dr. Patronella is an artistic man who has been blessed with a talent for sculpting the human body. He treated me like I was the only person on earth, and I love everything he did for me.”
If you are interested in learning more about mommy makeover procedures and how they may benefit you, call us today at (713) 575-1996 to schedule your consultation with Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Chris Patronella.
