Divorce and the death of a spouse rearrange a life in practical ways first: the lease, the accounts, the school pickup schedule. Questions about your own body often wait at the back of that line, sometimes for years.
Once those questions return, some women find they center on changes that pregnancy left behind. Leo Lapuerta, MD, FACS, a triple board-certified plastic surgeon in the Houston area, counts women after divorce or the death of a spouse among the people who consider a tummy tuck or mommy makeover, alongside women after pregnancy and after weight gain or loss. The reason behind the decision does not change the operation, and a Houston practice’s guide to the mommy makeover sets out what it involves.
A decision that starts with your own goals
A major life change can bring plenty of opinions from other people. The consultation is the place to set those aside. According to the practice, Dr. Lapuerta begins by asking about your goals and the specific changes you want, and the plan follows from that conversation.
The practice describes the problems a mommy makeover addresses in plain terms. After pregnancy and breastfeeding, some women diet and exercise and still keep stubborn fat, loose skin and stretch marks, along with breasts that have lost shape and fullness. Pregnancy can also separate the abdominal muscles, and the tummy tuck portion of the surgery tightens them.
Dr. Lapuerta describes his reasons for choosing the specialty in personal terms. “Plastic surgery allows you to reform the physical body in a way that restores a patient’s soul.”
What the surgery can include
The procedure combines several operations, chosen for the individual. Breast options include augmentation with implants, a lift, a combined augmentation and lift, or a reduction. For the abdomen, a tummy tuck removes loose skin and tightens the muscles, and liposuction removes fat deposits that resist diet and exercise. The practice notes that Dr. Lapuerta often adds liposuction of the flanks, and sometimes the thighs or hips.
The surgery takes place under general anesthesia in an accredited surgical facility. The practice puts the operating time at four to ten hours depending on the plan, with a typical case running about seven. Most patients go home the same day. Patients with complex medical problems, or those having a large amount of liposuction, are advised to stay overnight in the hospital for observation.
Candidacy, timing and the support you will need
The practice’s candidate list is specific. A good candidate is in good overall health and at a stable weight, has realistic expectations, and has finished having children. The practice notes that the surgery does not limit a woman’s ability to become pregnant later, but a future pregnancy would likely undo the results.
Smokers need to stop for at least six weeks before surgery to reduce complications. New mothers are asked to wait at least six months after delivery or six months after they finish breastfeeding.
Two items on the list deserve extra thought if you are living on your own for the first time in years:
- Time off work. The practice asks candidates to plan for at least two to three weeks away from the job. Most women return to work in that window, depending on the kind of work they do.
- A support system. The practice asks for someone who can help until you can handle your daily routines again. That might be a sibling, a parent or a close friend who can stay through the first stretch of recovery.
Recovery and what others notice
Full recovery takes about six weeks, according to the practice, with final results recognized at eight to 12 weeks. Expect swelling, bruising and compression garments, along with limits on lifting and no sleeping on your stomach for the first few weeks. Dr. Lapuerta injects a time-released local anesthetic into the abdominal surgery site that numbs the area for three days, which helps patients manage pain with oral medication at home. As with any surgery, a mommy makeover carries risks, and those belong in the consultation.
Dr. Lapuerta, who has more than 30 years of experience and more than 30,000 procedures behind him, reports a pattern at follow-up visits. Partners who came to the first consultation doubtful often describe more energy and a renewed interest in healthy eating and exercise once recovery is complete. His observation comes from spouses and partners, but what they describe is a change in the patient herself.
Before booking a date, write down the name of the person who will drive you home and stay with you the first nights. The practice treats that support as part of candidacy, and it is the first piece of the plan you can settle on your own.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Results vary from patient to patient. Consult a board-certified plastic surgeon or your physician about your own situation. Written in partnership with Joseph Lambert, a publicist working with Leo Lapuerta, MD Plastic Surgery.