Beauty Doc Blog

Giving birth is a magical experience, and most mothers are so involved with their newborn that they couldn’t care less about a little excess post-pregnancy bulge. After time, the skin that had stretched to accommodate the baby in the mother’s abdomen-region should reform back to closely resemble the stomach before the pregnancy. However, some mothers will notice that this skin does not disappear – it hangs loosely around the abdomen, and is resistant to exercise and diet.

This is a more common occurrence than you might think, especially if the woman has had more than one child. As the skin is stretched, the layers under the skin known as the fascia lose their elasticity and strength. And the more often it is stretched, the less likely it is to return to its pre-pregnancy state.

The fascia is targeted during a tummy tuck, and in doing so, doctors can not only eliminate the redundant skin that still hangs from your pregnancy, but they can often reduce the overall size of your waist-line by tightening this layer.

A tummy tuck after pregnancy should only be considered if you are certain you will not have another child. If you do opt for the tummy tuck and then become pregnant again, the results of the tummy tuck will be wiped away. Another tummy tuck will likely be necessary after your next pregnancy, so it is best to leave this until you are sure you won’t have any more children.

During the tummy tuck procedure, your surgeon will remove layers of redundant skin, excess fat, and tighten the fascia. He or she may also decide that it would be safe and effective to perform another surgery in conjunction with the tummy tuck. After discussing this with you in your consultation, your surgeon may perform a tummy tuck in combination with cellulite removal, liposuction, or another procedure.

Specialists will recommend waiting anywhere from six weeks to over a year after you have given birth before having a tummy tuck. The longer you wait, the more likely it will be that your body will return to its natural shape immediately, as long as you maintain a healthy diet and exercise. If you’ve waited at least six weeks and are determined to see your pre-pregnancy body again, you should discuss this surgery with your doctor.

After a tummy tuck, you will be required to stay home from work for anywhere between two to four weeks. It is a major surgery, so the healing time can be quite long.

And remember, you must work to maintain your new, slimmer look! You should follow a physician’s guidelines on eating right and exercising to keep up your thin waist-line. With cosmetic surgery, you can regain your youthful figure after giving birth, so discuss a tummy tuck with your doctor if you want to be a fitter mommy.