Many changes come with pregnancy, some of which affect your appearance—drooping breasts, excess skin around your abdomen, and decreased definition in your contours.
Fortunately, a mommy makeover near Bethesda, MD, with Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Brent Faulkner, offers tailored solutions to address your aesthetic needs. Dr. Faulkner works with you to outline a surgical plan to help restore your pre-pregnancy shape.
Continue reading to learn about all the procedures Dr. Faulkner can incorporate into your comprehensive post-pregnancy restoration at Faulkner Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics. If you are ready to speak with Dr. Faulkner, schedule your pre-operative consultation online.
What is a Mommy Makeover?
Postnatal aesthetic surgery, otherwise known as a “mommy makeover,” encompasses a variety of procedures that help mothers reestablish their curves after giving birth. Dr. Faulkner performs mommy makeovers as a single-stage procedure, combining multiple surgeries in one operation.
Every mother has unique aesthetic concerns, and as a result, no two mommy makeovers look the same. Here is a comprehensive overview of the procedures Dr. Faulkner can incorporate into your postpartum surgery plan.
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck helps mothers improve the shape of their abdomen by removing excess skin and fat. Known as a “belly tuck,” but more commonly referred to as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck narrows the waistline and minimizes fullness of the upper pubic area.
Dr. Faulkner also recommends a tummy tuck to patients who want to repair diastasis recti. This condition occurs when the abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy. Diastasis recti creates a stomach bulge just above the belly button, appearing as a stubborn “pooch” that remains regardless of diet or exercise efforts.
Dr. Faulkner offers multiple tummy tuck variations depending on your preferences. These procedures include:
- Complete (full) abdominoplasty – Involves an incision made just above the pubic region to remove portions of excess skin and fat. This is the most commonly performed tummy tuck variation.
- Partial (mini) abdominoplasty – Uses a shorter incision to remove excess skin below the belly button. A partial abdominoplasty is for patients with minimal skin laxity.
- Circumferential (extended) abdominoplasty – Makes an incision that extends from the front of the abdomen to the hips. The circumferential abdominoplasty is most suitable for patients with severe skin laxity.
- Fleur de lis abdominoplasty – Creates vertical and horizontal incisions in your abdominal region. This technique is typically considered for patients who have lost a significant amount of weight and have extensive loose skin, but could potentially be suitable for a mommy makeover surgery in certain circumstances.
Dr. Faulkner can help you determine which tummy tuck best suits your goals after your initial consultation.
Procedure Process
If you decide to undergo a tummy tuck as part of your mommy makeover near Bethesda, Dr. Faulkner first administers general anesthesia. This anesthetic keeps you unconscious throughout your procedure so you do not feel any pain.
To begin, Dr. Faulkner first makes an incision in your abdomen in accordance with your chosen tummy tuck variation. This incision allows him to pull down and remove excess skin in your lower abdomen. He may also use liposuction to remove pockets of fat.
From there, Dr. Faulkner makes an opening to move your belly button into its correct position. He then inserts drainage tubes to remove excess fluid, closes your incision site with sutures, and covers your treatment area with bandages.
Breast Lift and Augmentation
When pregnant and breastfeeding, your cup size increases as your milk ducts expand. Your Cooper’s ligaments, or the ligaments that support your breast tissue, can also loosen and stretch to accommodate your increased breast size.
Once you finish breastfeeding, your breasts shrink as lactation ceases. In some cases, your skin may tighten to account for your decreased breast size. In other cases, your breasts may sag because of a lack of elasticity and stretched Cooper’s ligaments.
To help you enhance your feminine silhouette, Dr. Faulkner can perform a breast lift and augmentation as a part of your mommy makeover in Bethesda, MD.
A breast augmentation uses saline or silicone implants to enhance the size of the breasts. This procedure makes the breasts appear fuller and larger. Dr. Faulkner will discuss with you whether to place your implants in front of or behind the muscle, depending on your desired look.
A breast lift, on the other hand, involves removing excess tissues to change the shape of the breasts. By raising the breasts to a higher position on the chest, a breast lift reduces sagging and repositions the nipples. Though a breast lift alone cannot increase your cup size, Dr. Faulkner can combine a breast lift and augmentation to help you improve the appearance of your breasts from every angle.
Procedure Process
Like a tummy tuck, Dr. Faulkner completes breast lifts and augmentations while you are under general anesthesia.
During a breast augmentation, Dr. Faulkner starts by making an incision in 1 of 3 places:
- Along the edge of your areolae
- In the crease underneath your breast
- On the side of your armpit
This incision allows him to insert your implant under your breast tissues and in front of or behind your pectoral muscle, depending on your personal preferences.
During a breast lift, Dr. Faulkner makes incisions around the areolae, extending downward and horizontally across the breast crease. From there, he removes excess breast tissue and shifts the nipple higher onto the chest. He may also reshape your breasts by placing sutures deep within them.
Dr. Faulkner finishes both breast procedures by closing the incisions and applying bandages. He also fits a surgical support bra onto your chest that you wear throughout your recovery.
Liposuction
Liposuction removes targeted areas of fat using a thin tube, or cannula, and vacuum suction. This process shapes stronger contours while addressing fat deposits that resist traditional weight loss efforts.
As a part of your mommy makeover near Bethesda, Dr. Faulkner can use liposuction to permanently remove fat cells in the following areas:
- Abdomen
- Hips
- Face
- Buttocks
- Thighs
- Arms
Dr. Faulkner can use multiple liposuction techniques based on your aesthetic goals. These include:
- Suction-assisted liposuction – Dr. Faulkner makes small incisions in the treatment area and inserts a thin tube underneath the skin to suction out fat and fluids. This is the most common form of liposuction.
- Ultrasound-assisted liposuction – This method involves the use of ultrasound waves to liquefy fat cells prior to suction removal.
- Laser-assisted liposuction – Dr. Faulkner inserts a laser fiber through a small incision in the skin to break down fat deposits and then remove them using liposuction techniques.
Power-assisted liposuction – Uses a vibrating cannula to target stubborn portions of fat that may be harder to remove. This technique is often best for larger areas of fat.
Dr. Faulker will recommend the most suitable liposuction technique for you during your initial consultation.
Procedure Process
To begin your liposuction procedure, Dr. Faulkner first administers general or local anesthesia. Local anesthesia temporarily numbs your treatment area and keeps you relaxed throughout your procedure. You do not lose consciousness like you do with general anesthesia. Dr. Faulkner may use general anesthesia if you are pairing liposuction with an additional procedure.
Next, Dr. Faulkner makes a few small incisions in your treatment area. These incisions allow him to insert a cannula underneath your skin to break up or liquify unwanted pockets of fat. He then removes the excess fat using a suction device or a large syringe.
Dr. Faulkner then closes your incisions before bandaging your treatment area and inserting drainage tubes.
Am I A Good Candidate For A Mommy Makeover?
The best candidates for postnatal aesthetic surgery are those who want to change their body contours after giving birth. This includes mothers who want to reshape their breasts, reduce unwanted fat, or lift their lower body.
Dr. Faulkner requires patients to be in good health and at a stable weight before undergoing a mommy makeover. He recommends adopting healthy lifestyle habits, like a nutritious diet and regular exercise, before your procedure.
He also recommends waiting to undergo a mommy makeover near Bethesda until you have finished having children. Getting pregnant after your procedure can compromise your results.
Ask Dr. Faulkner about alternative options if you have one of the following health concerns or conditions:
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Blood clotting disorders
- A BMI over 30
How Do I Know if a Mommy Makeover is Right for Me?
Scheduling a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Faulkner can help you determine how a mommy makeover near Bethesda, MD, suits your postpartum aesthetic goals.
During your consultation, you have the opportunity to meet Dr. Faulkner. He listens carefully as you describe the areas you want to lift, tighten, and rejuvenate, while also taking into account your medical history and any relevant medications.
If Dr. Faulkner decides a mommy makeover can help you address your specific concerns, you work together to create a customized procedure plan.
Dr. Faulkner distinguishes himself as a trustworthy plastic surgeon by only recommending procedures that benefit each patient’s well-being. He will recommend alternative solutions and nonsurgical aesthetic treatments if he believes surgery is not in your best interest.
Dr. Faulkner encourages you to use your consultation as an opportunity to ask questions and voice any concerns you may have about the procedure process.
Mommy Makeovers at Faulkner Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics
Dr. Faulkner can help you feel confident in your post-pregnancy body with a mommy makeover near Bethesda. Please call to make an appointment—your first step in addressing your aesthetic concerns.
Interested in noninvasive body sculpting treatments like Cold Sculpt? View our beauty journal for more information.
