Giving birth often results in body changes that may adversely affect a woman's body image. Thus it's important for women to know what changes have occurred, which ones they can affect by their own efforts, and which ones can benefit from other options such as plastic surgery. This page discusses some of the options women have for plastic surgery after pregnancy.
As the body grows to accommodate the baby, stretch marks may result but they often can be improved by self-massage when they are still in their red phase. As they mature, they turn white and have a depressed center. While some doctors have reported success with creams or laser, the only consistently reliable way to remove them is to include them with the skin removed during tummy tuck surgery.
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Weight gain should first be addressed by working with a primary care physician to establish a reasonable diet and exercise program. When that fails and there are localized fat deposits, liposuction then may be an option. In liposuction a metal wand sucks out excess fat and the area is recontoured to more normal proportions. |
While overall weight gain may be a problem, the abdomen and breasts are two areas which are especially susceptible to significant changes. Stomach muscles may lose their tone after pregnancy because both muscles and skin have stretched to accommodate the baby. Many times these changes can, with a lot of exercise and self-massage by the mother, return to a normal state. Pregnancy also causes the breasts to enlarge. When they eventually shrink there may be extra skin and the breasts' suspensory ligaments may stretch out of shape. In most cases, plastic surgery will not be needed.
However, despite a woman's best efforts there are occasions when the excess skin and the ligaments simply will not stretch back. Plastic surgery can help restore the abdomen and breasts to more natural and youthful proportions.
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To restore the abdomen, an abdominoplasty is performed to adjust the stomach wall. In this procedure skin is lifted off the abdomen starting just above the groin and going up to near the rib cage. The skin is then pulled down, the excess cut off, and the remaining skin sewn back into place. When the underlying abdominal muscles have stretched out so a major space results, the muscles can be tucked together to make a new resting state that yields a more natural appearance. Typically, this is performed after exercise that has failed to restore muscle tone. Scarring usually can be covered by a modest bathing suit.
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Wrinkled Skin Around Belly Button - Pictures Before Tummy Tuck and Belly Button Surgery A belly button can change with pregnancy. Loose skin about the belly button can detract from a good looking abdomen after pregnancy. Umbilicoplasty belly button surgery can be part of a tummy tuck abdominoplasty. |
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Tight Skin Around Belly Button - Pictures 3 Months After Tummy Tuck - Belly Button Surgery |
When the breasts do not return to normal mastopexy, or a breast lift, surgery may be indicated to resuspend the breast and restore the breast's normal proportions.
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| Before Surgery | After Breast Lift |
Breast drooping (ptosis) is viewed as an elective surgery and in most cases is not covered by insurance. Abdominoplasty may be partially covered if a medical-functional problem such as a hernia or abdominal wall defect is involved.
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The nipple can become inverted for many reasons. After pregnancy, breast changes can result in nipple inversion. Learn how Inverted Nipple Surgery can be an option. Pictures of Inverted Nipples Before Nipple Inversion Surgery |
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Pictures of Nipples 2 Weeks After Nipple Inversion Surgery |
Move mouse over image to see before / after images
Click on picture to go to that page.
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