Plastic Surgery After Pregnancy

When you’re pregnant, your body undergoes a lot of changes. After your baby is born, you may find that some of those changes have gone away, while others have decided to take up permanent residence. For example, you may find that your breasts are less full or sag, that you have loose skin on your stomach, you have stretch marks, or that you have fat in places where you weren't fat before.

Before considering plastic surgery after pregnancy, you must give your body a chance to fully heal and recovery from your delivery. You should give your body at least six months – one full year is even better. You should also diet and return to or achieve a healthy weight before considering surgery. Obviously, if you plan to have more than one child, you should wait until you’re finished with all planned pregnancies before considering plastic surgery. Otherwise, the surgery will likely have to be redone.

You should also know that plastic surgery carries risks specific to the type of procedure you’ve chosen, as well as the general risks you face with any surgical procedure including scarring, blood loss, infection, complications from anesthesia, and even death. Your plastic surgeon can tell you about any risks that are associated with the particular surgery you’re considering.

Many women find that after pregnancy and breastfeeding, their breasts are less full or droop a bit lower than before. A breast lift, or mastopexy, will lift sagging breasts, making them seem fuller. Or, if additional fullness is desired, breast augmentation can be performed. If your breasts are large and droopy, your surgeon may recommend a breast reduction in addition to a breast lift. The scarring following a breast lift usually minimal and includes a circular scar around the nipple, a vertical scar going from the nipple to the breast crease, and a horizontal or crescent shaped scar in the breast crease.

Breast augmentation may take the form of either saline or silicone implants, or your breasts may be injected with fat removed elsewhere from your body, a process known as autologus fat transfer. Incisions may be made in the breast crease, within the areola, in the armpit, or in the belly button to perform this surgery. The implants may be placed under the chest muscle, between the chest muscle and the tissues that cover it, or on top of the chest muscles. Breast implants are available in a variety of sizes and shapes to help you achieve a more natural look.

If you have loose skin on your stomach, you may want a tummy tuck or lower body lift. The amount of scarring you can expect can vary considerably, depending on how extensive your procedure is. If you were pregnant with multiples or have lost a lot of weight, more tissue will be removed and more scarring may occur. If there are additional pockets of fat remaining, they may be removed via liposuction. Skin that’s scarred with stretch marks may also be removed during a tummy tuck or lower body lift, or treated with lasers to make them less noticeable.

In addition, liposuction can also be used to remove pockets of stubborn fat on the thighs and hips, as well as the abdomen.

Finally, if you have experienced skin pigmentation changes during pregnancy, a cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist may be able to help with that condition.