Aesthetic surgeries after pregnancy

Giving birth often results in body changes that may adversely affect a woman's body image. Thus it's important for women to know what changes have occurred, which ones they can affect by their own efforts, and which ones can benefit from other options such as plastic surgery.

While overall weight gain may be a problem, the abdomen and breasts are two areas which are especially susceptible to significant changes. Stomach muscles may lose their tone after pregnancy because both muscles and skin have stretched to accommodate the baby. Many times these changes can, with a lot of exercise and self-massage by the mother, return to a normal state. Pregnancy also causes the breasts to enlarge. When they eventually shrink there may be extra skin and the breasts' suspensory ligaments may stretch out of shape. In most cases, plastic surgery will not be needed.

However, despite a woman's best efforts there are occasions when the excess skin and the ligaments simply will not stretch back. Plastic surgery can help restore the abdomen and breasts to more natural and youthful proportions.


Breast Enlargement (Augmentation)
One dilemma mothers-to-be face is whether or not to breastfeed. Many worry that breastfeeding will ruin the shape of their breasts. The truth is breastfeeding is not the culprit and it offers women and their babies numerous health benefits. Changes in the breasts actually occur during pregnancy. As the body prepares to nurture a child, milk glands in the breasts swell and replace fatty tissue. After childbirth, these glands shrink. What's left is a skin "envelope" with little to fill it. This causes the breasts to look less full or sag. Plastic surgery offers safe, natural-looking implants that return your breasts to their youthful contour. Your plastic surgeon can perform breast augmentation on an outpatient basis, with either local or general anesthetic. The small incisions are virtually undetectable, usually made under each breast, around the nipples or in the armpits. Implants may be inserted just under the gland of the breast or beneath the muscle tissue. Stitches are removed after approximately one week.


Breast Lifting (Mastopexy)
Some women experience extensive swelling in their breasts during pregnancy. In addition to the postpartum loss of fat tissue, swelling can cause the skin to stretch and sag. And no amount of exercise will re-tighten this skin. An outpatient procedure called "mastopexy" can remove excess skin and reduce sagging. Your plastic surgeon can use local or general anesthetic to tighten skin on the lower half of the breasts, which lifts and firms them.


Abdominoplasty
To restore the abdomen, an abdominoplasty is performed to adjust the stomach wall. In this procedure skin is lifted off the abdomen starting just above the groin and going up to near the rib cage. The skin is then pulled down, the excess cut off, and the remaining skin sewn back into place. When the underlying abdominal muscles have stretched out so a major space results, the muscles can be tucked together to make a new resting state that yields a more natural appearance. Typically, this is performed after exercise that has failed to restore muscle tone. Scarring usually can be covered by a modest bathing suit.


Unwanted Fat
Weight gain should first be addressed by working with a primary care physician to establish a reasonable diet and exercise program. When that fails and there are localized fat deposits, liposuction then may be an option. In liposuction a metal wand sucks out excess fat and the area is recontoured to more normal proportions.


Labioplasty
During a normal vaginal delivery, many women tear or otherwise damage the labia (the opening to the vagina). A labioplasty can repair this damage, helping a woman heal faster from such injuries. Your plastic surgeon may perform this outpatient procedure under local or general anesthetic. Recovery takes only a few days.


Changes in skin pigmentation,
Changes in skin pigmentation, called chloasma, are common on the face during pregnancy. Some studies suggest that up to three in four women may develop these changes which are characterized by a blotchy brown increase in pigment. If the pigment is in the epidermis it is often helped by bleaching agents such as hydroquinone.