When is the Ideal Time to Have a Mommy Makeover?
December 7th, 2023
When is the ideal time to consider a Mommy Makeover?
I often see women in my office wondering about this question. So here are some factors to consider when thinking about having a Mommy Makeover. Firstly, the 2 surgeries that are involved include breast surgery restoration and tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. It is crucial to be done breastfeeding, returning the breast tissue and milk ducks to their pre-pregnancy state and this time frame varies. A tummy tuck is particularly helpful to minimize excess skin that has stretched and is a result of accommodating a growing baby when diet and exercise are not enough. I advise my patients that it is wise to consider whether you have completed your family planning and are done having children. The Mommy Makeover is most effective after childbearing has been concluded.
While some surgeons roll both of these procedures into one surgical visit, I believe it is unwise decision. It carries extra risk due to longer surgical time spent in the operating room and multiplies the chance for complications, while doubling the surgical fee.
Let’s move on to which surgery to do first. I have a pretty simple answer: What bothers you the most? Having 1 procedure done at a time allows ample time for healing and your body to adjust to your new body image. Several patients find that by doing the procedure that is personally most bothersome, they skip the 2nd one altogether! I understand that my cosmetic surgery philosophy is unique, but I sleep well at night.
Proper Ice Application after Cosmetic Surgery
September 7th, 2023
Proper ice application to reduce pain, swelling and bruising after cosmetic surgery is considered helpful. However, there are safety guidelines for properly applying ice during recovery. Caution needs to be used to avoid damage to delicate incisions and the surrounding tissue.
I recommend that my patients use ice and some water in sealable plastic bags, such as Ziploc style bags. It is very important to make sure water is visible in the bag, as it assures the temperature of the ice is just above the freezing temperature to eliminate the risk of unknowingly causing frostbite to tissue that may still be numb from surgery. I strongly discourage ice alone, gel pads or bagged frozen vegetables applied directly from the freezer to the skin, due to being well below freezing, and may cause tissue damage. Therefore, using an ice bag filled with some water is both recommended to reduce swelling and patients report it also helps to reduce pain following their surgery. *One important exception to any ice application after cosmetic surgery is following fat grafting procedures, because the cold is particularly detrimental to the survival of the grafts.
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