A mommy makeover can be a fantastic way of reclaiming your body after pregnancy and childbirth, particularly as it includes a combination of procedures tailored to your individual needs. Whether you’re planning breast augmentation, a breast lift, tummy tuck or liposuction, a mommy makeover could be the key to once again enjoying your pre-pregnancy physique, when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. Of course, some scarring is to be expected, but you can take steps to keep it to a minimum.
Keeping Scarring to Minimum with a Healthy Lifestyle
When you’re having invasive surgery such as a tummy tuck or a breast lift or reduction, you will have some scarring no matter what you do. No scarring is not an option, but minimal scarring definitely is. There are some steps you can take to minimize scarring after your mommy makeover procedures, and prevention is always better than cure.
One method which has been proven to help minimize the scarring you experience after your mommy makeover is adopting as healthy a lifestyle in the months and weeks leading up to your procedure.
As many mommy makeover procedures are most suitable for those who are at or near an ideal weight for their frame, a healthy lifestyle could have double the benefits, enabling you to have the procedure you want and helping you to recover with less scarring.
Some of the advice you should follow leading up to your mommy makeover includes:
- Not smoking for at least 2 weeks before your procedures and, preferably, not returning to the habit afterwards
- Eat a healthy diet, both with the objective of losing weight and becoming eligible for surgery and aiding your recovery process
When you have your initial consultation with your board-certified plastic surgeon, they will most likely provide more pre- and post-surgical instructions which you should be sure to follow.
Helping Scars to Fade
During the initial recovery period after your mommy makeover procedures, you must follow your plastic surgeon’s post-surgical instructions carefully. Once this period has passed and any incisions are nicely healed, you can begin to tackle the scars. In most cases, scars fade by themselves over time, but there are some tried and tested methods of helping them along their way.
- Taking arnica supplements orally can go a long way towards reducing scarring. While lotions and creams are also available, they don’t tend to be as effective.
- For more stubborn, aggressive scarring, silicone-based scar creams could be the way to go. If you’ve suffered from keloid scarring or poor healing in the past, you may wish to consider these creams to keep your mommy makeover scarring under control.
- More recently, silicone sheets have been proven to help minimize scarring. After your mommy makeover, these self-adhesive sheets could be applied to affected areas with a view to reducing scarring. The sheets tend to work by applying pressure to the scars, inhibiting the work of scar-forming cells.
- Whichever other methods you use, one important thing to bear in mind when working to minimize your mommy makeover scars is that you must remain hydrated at all times. Keeping the affected areas elevated during recovery can also be helpful.
Body Parts Most Likely to Experience Prominent Scarring
As well as following a healthy diet and exercise routine, you should be aware that certain areas of your body are more prone to developing prominent scarring, so extra care may need to be taken when opting for a mommy makeover procedure targeting these areas. Of course, scarring is not a reason to put off the procedures you want to improve your figure, it’s simply an aspect of recovery you can deal with.
The body parts where you are more likely to find prominent scarring include:
- Chest, including scars caused by breast augmentation, breast reduction or breast lift
- Shoulders
- Back
- Knees
- Jawline
If you’re considering tackling these zones during your mommy makeover and are concerned about prominent scarring, speak to your board-certified plastic surgeon for their scar reduction tips and techniques. This will have the extra benefit of taking your individual circumstances into account.
General Scar Care During Recovery
As well as the scar-specific advice already given, some aspects of your general post-surgical recovery can have an impact on the level of scarring you experience. After your mommy makeover, do exactly what your plastic surgeon recommends for the initial recovery period, focusing on aspects such as keeping incisions out of direct sunlight, avoiding abrasive materials, resting and not lifting heavy weights can all help you on your way to minimal mommy makeover scarring.
Dr. Sugene Kim is double board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Kim is also a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery.
