The “mummy makeover” is an increasingly popular form of surgery with women of all ages that is being used to help them to restore their confidence in their own bodies. After going through pregnancy/childbirth, which is where the treatment name is derived from, the body changes and the skin loses its elasticity which has a knock on effect to self-esteem, especially for women who are struggling to accept the change that they have been forced to deal with.
Using a combination of breast and body rejuvenation surgery, it is performed to help women feel more confident within their own skin and in some cases even managing to provide boosts to areas that they may have had issues with in the first place. Typically, the mummy makeover involves breast augmentation and breast lift surgery alongside a tummy tuck and liposuction aid the return to your pre-pregnancy figure and instead of being performed as four separate procedures, they’re combined into one surgical procedure to make everything as simple as possible.
So why do women opt for the mummy makeover?
As a result of pregnancy and childbirth (as well as the stresses associated with raising children), the body undergoes a huge amount of change from it’s original figure. These kinds of changes are most noticeable in the breast and abdomen areas.
Both pregnancy and breastfeeding can have an effect on the breasts and cause them to sag and lose some of their volume in a process known as ptosis. The effects on the abdomen tend to be caused during and after pregnancy and can include muscle separation in the abdomen as it stretches to house a growing baby, as well as the skin not bouncing back after it has stretched initially and the appearance of stretch marks. While exercise and diet can help with any excess fat, it won’t help with the excess skin or any areas that have begun to sag and this is where the mummy makeover comes in.
As a treatment that is tailored to every individual woman, the mummy makeover is something that is so popular within women as they can target specific problem areas that are causing any confidence issues.
What makes someone suitable for a mummy makeover treatment?
The suitability of each woman is something that is determined on an individual basis as the consultant and surgeon will both need to discuss the reasons to undergo the treatment as well as the realistic results and expectations. As a baseline though, we tend to find that women are more suitable for the surgery a few years after pregnancy and breastfeeding to allow their body some time to naturally recover to the best of its ability.
It’s really important to set the right expectation and while the mummy makeover is incredibly effective, it isn’t a quick fix that is guaranteed to restore the body back to its pre-pregnancy state. Because the patient will be aging naturally over this period, some skin elasticity will be lost along the way and hormonal changes may have even had an effect on the body.
How is a mummy makeover surgery performed?
It all depends on the individual patient, but they surgery itself can either be performed in one larger procedure or can be split and separated into a number of smaller procedures. Most commonly, the mummy makeover surgery consists of a breast lift being performed (with or without augmentation surgery being carried out at the same time) while an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and liposuction are performed simultaneously.
It’s also possible that, depending on the individual patient, further procedure’s can be offered where they are deemed necessary to help in the rejuvenation of the skin or to reduce the signs of aging. There isn’t a “one size fits all” treatment when it comes to a mummy makeover, it’s all carried out the reach the ideal goal for every individual who opts to go under the knife.
What about the risks associated with it?
It’s a surgical procedure and with any surgery comes a certain level of risk. The risks involved with a mummy makeover are very similar to the risks associated with any major surgery which are infection, bleeding, scarring and even possible loss of sensation on the nipples, but it’s important to note that the level of risk involved in the mummy makeover procedure is incredibly low.
Provided that you follow a healthy diet and lifestyle, as well as following the aftercare advice and any information provided by the surgeon, you should have minimal risk when it comes to the surgery.
So what are the results like?
Generally, the results are completely lifechanging and the vast majority of women are delighted with their new silhouette. It’s natural for the breast and abdomen to be a little swollen at first after the surgery but this will die down and it can take a few weeks before you are able to see the final results.
Any scarring will be discussed beforehand but the surgeons will always do their best to leave any scars in an area that can be hidden by clothing so that you are able to feel confident enough to wear a bikini again without the fear of people staring at you.
Is the mummy makeover right for you?
We’ve already gone over the things that would make someone a suitable candidate for the different surgeries that make up the mummy makeover. If you feel that you fall under this specification then the best way to find out if it is the right treatment for you is to book a consultation with a member of our team who will be able to help you make the decision.