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Mommy Makeover in NYC

Mommy Makeover with Dr. Nina Naidu

As many women understand, pregnancy can affect the appearance of our bodies, particularly the breasts and abdomen. A “mommy makeover” is a customized combination of procedures designed to restore your pre-pregnancy body.

For many of Dr. Naidu’s patients, the decision to have a mommy makeover is as much about how they look as it is about their self-confidence. Most of Dr. Naidu’s mommy makeover patients are women whose bodies have changed due to aging, pregnancy or weight loss. Their goal is to have natural-looking, feminine breasts and a flat abdomen – goals that are sometimes difficult to fully achieve even with exercise and a healthy diet.

What is a Mommy Makeover?

A mommy makeover is a group of procedures which addresses the areas of the body most frequently affected by pregnancy. Common concerns include breasts which have lost volume or have begun to droop; loose skin or excess fat on the abdomen; and fat deposits on the thighs and buttocks. Most procedures can typically be safely completed during the same surgical session.

What procedures are included in a Mommy Makeover?

A mommy makeover generally focuses on a woman’s breasts and abdomen – the areas most directly impacted by pregnancy and childbirth. Procedures that can be included in a mommy makeover include:

Breast Augmentation: This procedure uses implants to enhance the size and of your breasts. Breast augmentation is an excellent option for patients whose breasts have lost volume secondary to repeated pregnancies and breastfeeding. Breast augmentation will restore fullness to your breasts and create a contour that enhances your body. Breast implants can also be used to correct breast asymmetry.
Breast Lift: This procedure removes excess breast tissue, reshapes the breast, and reduces the size of the areola. This results in more youthful looking breasts that are in a higher position on your chest.
Breast Reduction: A breast reduction removes excess breast fat, glandular tissue, and skin from your breasts. The areolae are also reduced during this procedure. A breast reduction will create breasts that are smaller, more comfortable, and more in proportion to your body.
Liposuction: Liposuction contours the body by removing stubborn fat deposits – most commonly on the abdomen and thighs — that have not responded to diet or exercise. Liposuction will permanently remove excess fat, but does not remove excess skin.
Tummy Tuck:The abdominal wall and skin expand during pregnancy to accommodate a growing baby. Afterwards, you may be left with excess fat and skin on the abdomen which does not resolve with diet and exercise. A tummy tuck is used to tighten the abdominal wall while removing excess fat and skin. The result is a flatter, firmer abdomen and a more contoured waistline.
Scar Revision: If you had a C-section for your delivery, you may have a prominent scar which can be revised during a mommy makeover procedure.

Ideal Candidates for a Mommy Makeover in NYC

You are a good candidate for a mommy makeover if, despite a healthy diet and exercise following your pregnancy, you are unhappy with the appearance of your breasts and abdomen. If you are planning to become pregnant in the future, Dr. Naidu recommends postponing your mommy makeover until after you have finished having children.

You must have realistic expectations for the surgery. You should also be close to your ideal weight and your weight should be stable. You should be physically healthy and not smoke. Your mommy makeover is major surgery and is not a treatment for obesity.

Your First Consultation with Dr. Naidu in NYC

The first part of the mommy makeover process is a comprehensive consultation in our NYC office. Dr. Naidu will learn about your goals for your mommy makeover. She will also want to learn about your medical history (including previous surgeries) as well as your use of medications, nicotine and/or alcohol.

Dr. Naidu will conduct a physical examination. If you are seeking breast surgery, she will measure the base width of your breasts and the amount of existing breast tissue. If you are seeking augmentation, these measurements will determine the optimal size and location of your implants. If you are having a breast reduction or a breast lift, the measurements will be used to plan your surgery

Dr. Naidu will also evaluate the areas of excess skin and fat on your abdomen and flanks. In addition, she will examine the muscles on your abdominal wall.

Dr. Naidu will talk to you about each area of concern and recommend the best procedure. Pre-operative photos are taken at this visit. These photographs are an important part of your surgical planning and are considered part of your medical record. They will never be shown to other patients without your written permission.

At the end of the consultation, Dr. Naidu let you know if you are a good candidate for a mommy makeover. She will educate you about your options and answer your questions.

Your Second Consultation with Dr. Naidu in NYC

If you decide to proceed with your mommy makeover, you will have a second consultation with Dr. Naidu in our NYC office. Dr. Naidu will review your photographs and answer any additional questions and discuss your surgery in greater detail. At this appointment, you will also complete the necessary paperwork for the surgery.

If you are having a breast augmentation, Dr. Naidu will help you to select the optimal size, shape, and type of implant. This decision is based on the measurements of your breasts, the amount of existing breast tissue, your aesthetic goals, and your body frame. Dr. Naidu has a large variety of sizers available so that you can see how you will look following the augmentation.

Depending on your medical history, Dr. Naidu may advise you to discontinue certain medications prior to surgery. If you are a smoker, you must not smoke for four weeks before or after the surgery. If you are over the age of 40 or have a family history of breast cancer, you will need to have a screening mammogram prior to your breast augmentation surgery. For your safety, Dr. Naidu may also order additional screening tests.

Candidates must have some support at home during the weeks following their mommy makeover. Mommy makeovers are major surgery and you will need time to recover. Some degree of post-surgical assistance will be required. We strongly recommend that you create a plan to take care of yourself and your family, so that you can focus on your recovery.

Mommy Makeover Surgery

Your mommy makeover will be completed on an outpatient basis at an ambulatory surgery center. The surgery lasts 1 1/2 – 3 hours, and varies depending upon the specific procedures being performed. Your surgery will be performed under general anesthesia, which is very safe and makes certain that you will be completely comfortable during your mommy makeover.

Dr. Naidu will meet with you immediately before your surgery. She will also make several marks on your breasts, abdomen and flanks. Finally, she will answer any last-minute questions.

Breast Surgery

For implants, Dr. Naidu commonly uses one of two incision placements. These incisions are the infra-mammary incision (located at the crease beneath the breast) or the peri-areolar incision (located at the border between the breast skin and the pigmented skin of the nipple-areolar complex).

Tummy Tuck

Dr. Naidu will make a long horizontal incision between your hipbones. This incision is hidden within your bikini line. In patients who have undergone a prior C-section, the incision can be made in the same location and extended to the sides. The skin and fat are elevated from the abdominal wall. Sutures are placed in the fascia of the abdominal wall muscles to pull them together, creating a tight, firm abdomen. Your abdominal skin and fat are carefully pulled down over the incision line and the excess is removed.

While the umbilicus remains in the same place on the abdominal wall, the skin around it has moved. This requires Dr. Naidu to create a new opening. The placement of the umbilicus is marked on the skin, and a hole is cut. The umbilicus is pulled through the skin and sutured into place. The incisions are closed with dissolvable sutures.

Drains are generally placed to prevent the buildup of fluid, which can create pressure on the incisions and re-draped skin. A drain is a clear plastic tube placed through a small incision, which leads out of the body to a small oval-shaped bulb.

Liposuction

Dr. Naidu begins the liposuction procedure by making a small incision (less than 1 cm) in the chosen location. Fluid containing a local anesthetic, physiologic solution, and epinephrine is injected to provide anesthesia while limiting blood loss. Dr. Naidu will then insert a cannula (a small, hollow tube) to suction out the fat and liquid required to contour the area. Liposuction will permanently remove excess fat.

Immediately Following Your Mommy Makeover

When you wake up after your mommy makeover, you will be wearing surgical garments. You may have drains around your abdomen and Steri-Strip dressings over your incisions. You will be observed in a quiet recovery area until you are pain-free and able to tolerate food. The nurses in the recovery area will demonstrate how to empty and record the output from your drains if these have been placed.

To be discharged, you must have a responsible adult available to escort you home and stay with you for the first night after your surgery. Alternatively, our office can help arrange a private nurse to stay with you. When you return home, you should take a nap for two or three hours. During your nap, most of the narcotic medication which you received during surgery will wear off and you should have minimal post-operative nausea. Many of our patients report very little pain. However the experience of pain varies widely depending on personal tolerance and the procedures performed.

Immediately following breast surgery, it will be difficult to lift your arms over your head and you will need assistance with personal activities. You may also experience bruising, swelling, and tenderness in your breasts. Swelling can be reduced by applying ice packs to your breasts.

Most patients report only mild discomfort following their tummy tuck surgery. They note that their abdomen feels tight — as if they have performed many sit-ups. Pain will typically diminish after 48 hours.

Experiences following liposuction vary greatly, but most patients report that they had much less pain than anticipated. Dr. Naidu will provide pain medication to keep you comfortable. Wearing the compression garment will assist in reducing swelling more rapidly.

Dr. Naidu will give you specific instructions to follow after your surgery. She will give you a prescription for pain management, as well as instructions about how to take care of your incisions.

Mommy Makeover Recovery

Three or four days following your surgery, you will return to our NYC office. At this appointment we will check on your progress and remove your drains. Dr. Naidu will advise you about how long you should wear the compression garments.

Dr. Naidu provides patients with a scar balm to be used on the incisions for four to six weeks following surgery. Incisions will fade over time but may not completely disappear.

Dr. Naidu will advise you about when you can resume physical activity. Generally, walking is permitted the day after surgery, but strenuous activity and heavy lifting are limited until two weeks following surgery. Swelling will be present for the initial two to three months after surgery. The final results of a mommy makeover are typically seen three to six months after surgery. Your scars will continue to fade and soften.

Complications of a Mommy Makeover

During your consultation, Dr. Naidu will explain the risks of a mommy makeover so that you can make an informed decision about this surgery. As with all surgeries, the risks include bleeding, infection and scarring. Specific risks of breast augmentation include capsular contracture (scar tissue around the implant), rippling of the implants, and implant rupture. The risks of a tummy tuck and liposuction include bleeding, infection and persistent numbness.

You will have scars on your breasts and lower abdomen following your mommy makeover. As much as possible, scars are hidden within the bikini line and in the natural folds of the body. Although scars will improve with time, they may not completely fade. In rare cases the scar may become thick or wide, but this cannot be predicted.

Complications from a mommy makeover can be reduced by providing a thorough medical history and carefully following your pre-operative and post-operative instructions.

Cost of a Mommy Makeover in NYC

Please call our NYC office at 212-452-1230 and we will be happy to provide information about the estimated cost of a mommy makeover. You will be provided with the exact cost of your mommy makeover following your consultation with Dr. Naidu.

Choosing Dr. Naidu for a Mommy Makeover in NYC

Dr. Naidu is an experienced plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic surgery of the breast and body. Dr. Naidu completed her undergraduate studies at The Johns Hopkins University and obtained her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College. After completing her general surgery and plastic surgery training at New York Presbyterian – Weill Cornell Medical Center, she performed an additional year of fellowship training at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Naidu is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Schedule a Mommy Makeover Consultation in NYC

Our office is located at 1021 Park Avenue in NYC. If you’d like to learn more about a mommy makeover, please call our office at 212-452-1230 and schedule an appointment.

FAQs about Mommy Makeover

After my mommy makeover is complete, how long do I have to wait to have intercourse?

Following mommy makeover surgery, we recommend waiting two to three weeks before having sexual relations again. This may be a longer period if you’ve had a tummy tuck surgery. During this period of time, you’ll be too uncomfortable for sexual relations and you run the risk of bleeding.

Are there any complications associated with a mommy makeover?

Following any surgery, there are several complications which can occur. This is true for mommy makeover surgery as well. These risks include bleeding, infection, scarring, pain and change in sensation.

How long is the recovery time following a mommy makeover?

Recovery following a mommy makeover depends upon the specific procedures that you’ve had done. If you’ve had a tummy tuck, the recovery prior is approximately 6 weeks.

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Rating: 5

Dr. Nina S. Naidu Reviewed by Irene C.

“Extremely talented doctor. Highly knowledgeable, professional, responsive and kind. Cutting edge procedures. Great staff. Smoothly run office. I’m a fan for life!”