As a Plastic Surgeon, I have the fortune of meeting many women who are in the prime of their lives. They’ve spent countless hours raising their children and devoted much time and energy to doing so. During motherhood, women typically don’t have the opportunity to focus on themselves – between breast feeding, working on their children’s homework, and even balancing a full-time job – a mother’s ability to care for herself is often placed at the bottom of the priority list. And then years go by and women realize they don’t look the way they want. They feel young, they’re working out, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but not able to wear the clothes they want, and they don’t have the body that matches how they feel inside.
This feeling is what I call the “Mommy Plateau” – where you are doing all the right things, but you are not seeing any further improvements. Typically, this occurs in 3 areas:
- Breasts: They remain ptotic/ droopy and lack volume.
- Abdomen: Excess skin, stretch marks, and bulging along the abdomen do not improve despite working out and losing fat.
- Stubborn Fat Deposits: There are certain areas of fat, especially along the back, that no matter how much you work out or diet, they just won’t go away.
Once you have reached the “Mommy Plateau,” surgical procedures are truly the only way to address this issue.
Can you just go to the gym to fix the Mommy Plateau?
Many patients ask me all the time – “Dr. Lalezar, can’t I just go to the gym to fix my body?”
And the answer is: kind of. You can certainly build muscle to tone your body and remove areas of fat. But even if that is done, the skin overlying your frame will never change. Skin has a remarkable ability to retract when we are young; however, with aging and changes in weight, the skin is no longer as responsive and regardless of how many Pilates or Yoga classes you go to, the skin will not improve. Also – many women swear by certain workouts for their core, but if you have a diastasis or separation of the abdominal muscles, your core will never get back to the place it was prior to pregnancy. This can only be repaired surgically to realign your muscles and create both a functional and cosmetic improvement.
And as for the breasts, there is no magic solution. After breast feeding and weight changes, the skin gets looser, breast volume is lost, and the breasts droop downwards. Without surgical management, this cannot be improved either.
When is the right time to have a Mommy Makeover?
The answer varies for each person but there are certain factors to take into consideration when deciding when to have a Mommy Makeover.
- Are you done having children? It is usually best to wait until you are done having children before having your surgery. Pregnancy after surgery can reverse your changes. Surgery is a big investment of time and effort and you want to make sure the rejuvenation you undergo will be long lasting.
- When do you have time off? A mommy makeover is a big surgery and I typically recommend 2 weeks off of work to allow yourself enough time to rest and recover so that your body has enough time to heal.
How do you know if you’re a good candidate for a Mommy Makeover?
The best way to find out if you’re a good candidate is to have an in-person consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. In general, the best candidates for this surgery meet the following criteria:
- Are in overall good health
- Are at or near their ideal body weight
- Have no plans to become pregnant again
- Serious about making a significant improvement in your life
How do I take my first steps?
Choosing a Plastic Surgeon is an important decision. You want to make sure that you feel comfortable with your Plastic Surgeon. Surgery is an intimate process and you should feel that you are being heard and can communicate with your doctor easily.
Doing your homework is also important. First, make sure you see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to ensure your Plastic Surgeon has the correct credentials. Read the reviews about your Plastic Surgeon as well – see what others have to say. And also look at Before & Afters. Does their aesthetic look similar to what you are looking for? Have they done a variety of cases?
And finally, are they an authority in the field? Do they spend time continually learning more to be at the top of the field?
These are all important factors to determine who is the right surgeon for you. To learn more about our practice, please visit our website at www.DrLalezar.com or our Instagram @drfranklalezar.
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