My body looks really different after having children. Is it possible to have a tummy tuck combined with breast lift?
Pregnancy puts a great deal of strain on the body of a woman, the process of growing a tiny human being can leave its mark for many years to come after the child has been born. Many women choose to have more than one child, meaning that the strains on the body are repeated and this inevitably begins to take its toll on how well the body can recover and ‘bounce’ back each time.
Some of the differences that women report about their bodies after pregnancy include:
- Excess weight around the midriff, particularly the abdominal area which has been put under the most strain
- Skin which appears to have lost some of its elasticity, again around this midriff. This can often look flabby and wrinkled or like there is too much skin for your frame
- Wider hips – this is because the hips widen during pregnancy to accommodate the growing foetus and its exit plans
- Differently proportioned breasts – many women report that their breasts are smaller after pregnancy. The grow initially, due to the fatty tissues in the breasts getting replaced by cells which prepare the breasts for their milk to become established. However, unless women gain a lot of weight after pregnancy then the fat cells are not replaced afterwards.
- Extra weight more generally – it is said that around a quarter of women will still have an extra 5kg of ‘baby weight’ a year after the birth of their child.
We often see patients who have tried to restore their confidence by tackling some of these unwanted side effects of carrying and children, and quite often we are asked whether it is possible to help shift some of the weight around the abdomen – via a tummy tuck – and whether they can combine this with a breast lift to inject a bit of life back into their breasts.
The answer is most definitely yes. It is a very commonly combined set of procedures and one that women who have finished their families are often interested in. you will need to undergo a physical check to ensure that you are healthy and fit enough to endure having two operations carried out at the same time. Your body needs to be in good shape to heal properly so it is important beforehand that you have been looking after yourself, eating and drinking well and exercising where possible.