For nearly a decade, Brian D. Cohen, MD has been performing successful mommy makeover procedures on women in the greater New York metropolitan area who want to experience the joy of rejuvenation after the wonder of giving birth. Drawn by Dr. Cohen’s excellent credentials, reputation for personal concern, and track record of superior results, patients come to his offices in Manhattan and Great Neck knowing they will be well-served.
Among Dr. Cohen’s many accolades, he has been chosen for eight consecutive years as one of the Super Doctors, New York 2020 and one of Newsday Top Doctors 2020 by Castle Connolly. Early in his career, he won the Housestaff of the Year Award at New York-Presbyterian Hospital for “exemplary and compassionate care,” a trait he continues to value and exhibit.
Why Women Seek Mommy Makeovers
As we all know, women’s bodies change after pregnancy. With the fullness of motherhood come alterations to the breasts, abdomen, waist, and buttocks. Depending on genetics, exercise, how much weight has been gained and lost, and the elasticity of the individual’s skin, some women end up feeling uncomfortable in their postpartum bodies.
Women most likely to seek mommy makeovers are those who have lost significant weight (30 pounds or more) after giving birth, since this is likely to alter their skin’s ability to retighten. Breastfeeding, too, though a highly rewarding experience for mother and baby, may have unwanted consequences in terms of the mother’s appearance. Women who seek mommy makeovers typically want to address aesthetic problems such as:
- Drooping breasts
- Enlarged areolas (dark areas around nipples)
- Less noticeable waists
- Stretch marks
- Sagging tummies
- Fat pockets in the abdomen, buttocks, hips, or thighs
For such women, try as they may to overcome these issues with diet and exercise, their efforts alone cannot repair the loose muscles and stretched skin that have resulted from bearing a child.
Fortunately, with the help of a gifted cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Brian D. Cohen, such women can now go through a relatively simple procedure to reclaim the more shapely bodies they had before childbirth. In most cases, mommy makeovers are performed as a single procedure. This means that once you have gone through a brief recovery period, you will be able to revel in all aspects of your renewed appearance without further surgery.
Components of Mommy Makeovers
As noted, there are several aspects to a mommy makeover, not all of which may be necessary in your particular case. During your consultation and examination, Dr. Cohen will discuss the areas of your body that you would like restored and that he feels will be the most beneficial targets of the procedure. You will be delighted to find him easy to talk to and understanding of your preferences. Together you and he will decide precisely which of the following surgical steps your mommy makeover will include:
Breast Lift (Mastopexy) as Part of a Mommy Makeover
Breast lifts address: sagging breasts, lost breast volume, uneven (asymmetrical) breasts, drooping nipples, and extended areolas, leaving you with a refreshed youthful appearance. Dr. Cohen will lift your breasts so that they are higher on the chest; he will also make them firmer by trimming excess skin and tightening supporting tissues.The process can also reduce the size of your areolas and reposition your nipples for a firmer appearance.
You should be aware that a breast lift alone will not change the size of your breast (cup size). If you wish to enlarge or reduce the size of your breasts, you may want to consider breast augmentation or breast reduction in combination with your breast lift.
Breast Reduction as Part of a Mommy Makeover
During pregnancy, the breasts enlarge. After childbirth and nursing, most breasts reduce in size, often leaving the breasts looking depleted. Nonetheless, some women’s breasts remain larger after childbirth. In addition to possibly considering these larger breasts less attractive, these women may experience: back pain, poor posture, rashes under their breasts, skeletal deformities, breathing difficulties, and damaged self-esteem.
If you find yourself in this category, breast reduction may be the right choice for you since it will provide you with smaller, lighter breasts by removing fatty and glandular tissue. After breast reduction, your breasts will be more closely proportioned to the rest of your body.
Dr. Cohen will be happy to discuss the pros and cons of breast reduction in your particular case. Breast reduction is not recommended if you intend to breastfeed in the future since many of the milk ducts leading to the nipples will be removed.
Tummy Tuck as Part of a Mommy Makeover
While plenty of people have excess abdominal tissue from weight gain having nothing to do with pregnancy or childbirth, the natural rapid weight gain that occurs during pregnancy not only stretches the skin, but weakens the abdominal muscles. A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, can help by diminishing your expanded waistline, flattening, firming, and reshaping your tummy, and removing loose skin and stretch marks.
Liposuction as Part of a Mommy Makeover
Sometimes liposuction is the answer mothers are looking for. Liposuction is designed to remove pockets of fat in the lower abdomen, hips, buttocks, and/or thighs that haven’t disappeared with diet or exercise. The fat-removal procedure is also helpful in rediscovering a lost waistline.
Mothers who have had C-sections are especially prone to having fat overhanging their surgical scars. This problem, too, can respond well to liposuction. For women who want to regain their slim, pre-pregnancy contours, liposuction can be a godsend.
Find Out Whether You Are a Good Candidate for a Mommy Makeover
Mommy makeovers are not right for everyone. In order to be a good candidate for this procedure, you should be in good health and at your desired body weight. You should be looking to fulfill your own desires, not trying to measure up to someone else’s standards of beauty. Most important, you should be certain that you are past your childbearing years.
If you are considering a mommy makeover or thinking of having another type of cosmetic surgery, Brian D. Cohen, MD is the right plastic surgeon to contact. Once he has assessed your case, he will discuss your best options with you. Practical as well as caring, he will help you to understand precisely what a mommy makeover can and cannot accomplish to ensure that your expectations are realistic and that you will be gratified by the results.