"A Tummy Tuck and Breast Lift done in the same surgery will transform a women's body in one plastic surgery package. The ultimate in the extreme mommy makeover!"
Pregnancy stretches the mothers abdomen, creating an excess of skin and muscle separation along the stomach wall. Pregnancy also causes the breasts to enlarge, even if you decided not to breast feed, which can result in the need for a breast lift or a breast lift with augmentation.
Weight loss, whether the weight loss is quick or slow the skin may not retract, which leaves excess skin that can be very frustrating for the patient. After working so hard to lose the weight and to not be able to wear the clothes that you want or to show off your new figure as much as you would like to can be disheartening at best and depressing at worst. After weight loss the final “get your body and life back” is receiving plastic surgery to remove the excess skin. A tummy tuck and breast lift or breast lift with augmentation can be a hard earned finale that transforms people lives! The term " mommy makeover" really does apply to this wonderful combination of surgeries.
Before you purchase a breast lift and tummy tuck surgery consult with a few different plastic surgeons and negotiate package pricing! Then be sure that you have a full check up with your doctor, preferably a cardiologist to check your heart as well and get a mammography if you are over 35. If you smoke you need to quit for at least one month before the surgery and plan on staying quit for two months after. Take vitamin supplements and large amounts of vitamin c to aid in healing. Patients who are in good health before surgery tend to have better results, a quicker recovery and fewer complications. Have a positive attitude and be sure to ask your surgeon what type of complications might you expect and what the treatment is if such complications were to happen. This helps to know before you have the surgery so if something does happen you feel prepared and calm about the process.
Results of a tummy tuck and breast lift (or breast lift with augmentation) vary but most patients can expect to have the excess skin removed from above and below the belly button leaving a nice flat stomach and the breast lift with augmentation will increase the size of the breasts, make them firmer and correct nipple placement.
What’s recovery like? For most patients, it is surprising how little pain they are in and how quickly they are up and moving about. The first four days are the hardest, and if you can have some extra help it is very good to have that arranged so you can relax and heal. Areas of discomfort include:
Breasts -The implants in the breast lift with an augmentation cause the most discomfort if they have been placed behind the muscle.
Lower back- This is a constant pain caused by the tightening of the abdominal muscles.
Incision area of the tummy tuck (TT) - typically this area for the first few days is very sore and sensitive but after the fourth day starts not to hurt so much.
You will be asked to walk with a slight bend for the first week to allow your newly tightened skin to relax a bit and not put any tension on your abdomen sutures. Prepare to sleep on your back for at least a month or more until you can resume your normal sleep position.
Complications-From Tummy Tuck and Breast lifts , the most common complication is with the incision of the breast lift if the anchor incision was necessary. The blood flow to breasts is very small. Therefore, liquid can easily build up without a mechanism to reduce this swelling as quickly as it builds. The liquid will try and force its way out at the weakest point or lowest pressure which tends to be right at the fold of the breast where the vertical and horizontal incision comes together. Don’t be alarmed but be sure to follow your surgeon’s recommendations.