Mummy Makeover Manchester & Cheshire
What is A Mummy Makeover?
A Mummy Makeover is the term given to a combination of procedures designed to rejuvenate a woman’s body after she has completed her family. A number of women see big changes in their breast and tummy areas after bearing children and even after rigorous diet and exercise regimes there often remain some areas that cannot be improved which affect a woman’s confidence and self esteem.
After all the rigours of pregnancy, child birth and breast feeding, Mummy Makeover surgery is most frequently carried out on the breast and tummy areas. All the options for surgery are employed in order to restore a pre baby body appearance. For some a Breast lift (Mastopexy) alone may be enough but for other ladies it is perhaps a Breast Reduction and both of these procedures may utilise Breast Implants to achieve the right size and shape that the patient desires.
The tummy area is most often treated with a full Abdominoplasty or Tummy tuck. This is often preferable to a mini tummy tuck as it allows me to repair and tighten the layer of connective tissue that sits on top of the muscles. The tummy muscles (recti) can often become separated after childbirth especially after twins or a large baby. No amount of exercise will correct this. In addition to these operations, other procedures that can be done at the same time include liposuction and sometimes facial surgery such as upper eyelids (Blepharoplasty).
Liposuction can be used to treat many different areas but the more frequently treated zones are around the flanks and the outside of the thighs. Liposuction tends to be a treatment I use to finesse the end result and requires you to wear a pressure garment for a period of at least 5 weeks after the Mummy Makeover operation to maximise the end result.
How long am in hospital for?
Given that more then one operation is done at the same time I recommend that you stay in hospital for 2 nights as you may need a little more time to get mobile and will need some support from family and/or friends in the first few days post operation. It is important to have some help at home as you will be fatigued easily and you will benefit from practical support to do the basic activities such as shopping and cooking. If you have young children at home, it may be an idea to enlist help from family and friends in the first few days after you come home.
It is, however, very important that you keep yourself mobile in order to reduce the risk of a blood clot in the legs and lungs as this is a particular risk after multiple surgeries and spending a longer time in the theatre. I recommend that you spend at least 15 minutes on your feet every 2 hours, except when you are sleeping!
You will need to allow for some time off work and of course how long depends on the type of job you do. For an office-based job you can return to work in approximately 3 weeks or perhaps work some reduced hours after 2 weeks.
If you have a more active and physical job, then it may help to be moved to a less active role for a short time while you recover.
Who should not have a Mummy Makeover?
As this requires you having multiple procedures it is important that you are in good health to start with. If you are on any medications that may affect your wounds healing like steroids or immunosuppressants then multiple operations at the same time may be contraindicated. If you are a smoker, or use a vape containing nicotine, then you should stop for at least 3 weeks pre-op and for at least 6 weeks post-op as it will have a marked impact on your ability to heal and increase your risk of blood clots and chest problems.
What are the types of Breast Implants?
There are a huge variety of breast implants these days but the basics remain the same. All implants have a silicone over shell and then silicone gel inside as a filling. The differences lie in how firm the gels are.
In shaped implants, the gel has to be firmer so that it keeps its shape. These shaped implants are referred to as teardrop or anatomical as they try to replicate the shape of a natural breast with a tapered profile in the upper half of the breast. It is not always necessary to use a shaped implant though and a round implant will often provide an excellent and natural result without the risk of rotation. An implant can be combined with an uplift in a Mastopexy Augmentation which can be a good option in patients who want yo have fullness in the upper part of the breast. A Breast Lift (Mastopexy) alone cannot achieve this.
It is, therefore, very important to fully discuss your goals prior to surgery with your Surgeon. It is helpful to look through images online and find pictures of post operative results that you would like, and perhaps those you do not, in order to help communicate with Mr Lambe.
As this is a major decision I will always encourage you to bring a list of questions and to research what you want thoroughly beforehand. I am always happy to provide 2 Consultations in order to give you time to think things over and to process what can sometimes be a large volume of information.
You can look at pre and post operative images of patients I have operated on as this is often a good way to see what results can be achieved.
To summarise, a Mummy Makeover is a combination of several operations, performed at the same time, in order to return a woman to her pre baby shape or better! There is no “one size fits all” approach, every woman has different issues and different goals and that is why the Consultation is an essential part of the process.
If you are considering this surgery. please do thorough research beforehand and ensure that your Surgeon is registered with BAAPS and BAPRAS. Do not proceed if you feel pressured in any way. It is a big decision, so you should take your time and be confident that you have made the right decision.
