Pregnancy and childbirth can be very hard on the human body. The combination of 9 months of pregnancy, childbirth or C-section, and breastfeeding after birth can change a person’s life and body in ways that they’ve never experienced before. Some may find it discouraging if some of these changes cannot be remedied by any amount of diet or exercise. Read on to learn about the changes some mothers can commonly experience after pregnancy and childbirth, as well as the procedures available to help improve and restore your self-confidence!
Stretched Abdominal Muscles & Skin
Cause
Naturally, your abdominal muscles must stretch during pregnancy in order to accommodate for the growing baby inside of you. Along with these muscles, the skin on the abdomen also stretches to adjust to the growth of the belly. According to ClevelandClinic, the body creates hormones during pregnancy to make ligaments loose and stretchy to safely make more space. In some cases, these muscles and skin may not snap back after pregnancy. This can be apparent and you may notice folds of loose skin on the lower abdomen that cannot be tightened or reduced, as well as stretch marks.
This condition is known as diastasis recti, which is a common after pregnancy and postpartum. It happens when the abdominal muscles, known as the rectus abdominis, separate during pregnancy from being stretched, as previously described. The parting of these muscles can make a person’s belly stick out or bulge months or years postpartum.
Solution
Abdominoplasty surgery, commonly known as a tummy tuck, is the most effective treatment for loose skin, muscles, and diastasis recti. The procedure involves repairing the separated abdominal muscles by suturing them back into place. During this procedure, our board-certified plastic surgeons tighten and flatten loose abdominal skin, sometimes adding liposuction to targets and remove stubborn fat deposits that otherwise won’t budge. This procedure may also alleviate stretch marks, depending on the location of them and the skin that is removed during the procedure.
Sagging Breasts and Nipples & Loss of Volume
Cause
Along with age and gravity, pregnancy and breastfeeding are common culprits for sagging, drooping breasts. Breastfeeding can also affect the direction of your nipples, as well as the size and coloration of your areolas. According to the National Library of Medicine, the risk of breast ptosis increases with each pregnancy. This is due to the swelling caused by milk production in the breast throughout pregnancy. After pregnancy and breast feeding, the breasts tend to go back down to their natural pre-baby size, causing the stretched-out skin to droop, lacking the volume they previously had.
Solution
A breast lift procedure restores sagging breasts to a more youthful position by physically lifting the breast, permanently eliminating excess sagging skin. The procedure can also physically reposition the nipples higher on the breast mound while reducing oversized or stretched-out areolas. Furthermore, a breast augmentation with either saline or silicone implants can restore the lost volume in the breast, creating a perkier appearance.
While these are common effects of pregnancy and childbirth, some may experience a variety of effects such as excess stubborn fat in the stomach, arms, thighs, or face. At Synergy Plastic Surgery, our board-certified surgeons are skilled and experienced in a variety of surgical procedures, and often combine several procedures into a single mommy makeover to create a plan customized and tailored to meet your aesthetic goals.
Since every woman is unique, every Mommy Makeover is unique as well. Our surgeons take the time to listen to each patient’s cosmetic goals and work with them to decide which combination of procedures will provide the desired improvements. If you are ready to regain confidence and control over your body again, call (512) 244-1444 to schedule your complimentary consultation today and unlock your Synergy Experience!
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