Mommy Makeover

Maternity aesthetic surgery (Mommy Makeover) is the procedure of repairing permanent deformations such as breast sagging, abdominal muscle laxity, and stubborn fat accumulation caused by pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, by combining them in a single surgical session. This personalized procedure typically includes tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), breast reshaping, and liposuction surgeries, eliminating anatomical changes that cannot be reversed through diet or exercise. This surgical approach, which provides not just a regional correction but a holistic restoration of the torso, is an effective body-contouring solution that enables mothers to regain their pre-pregnancy fit appearance and their lost self-confidence as quickly as possible.

What is Maternity Aesthetics (Mommy Makeover) and which procedures does it include?

When you hear maternity aesthetics, you should not think of a mass-produced, standard surgery package that is the same for everyone. This concept is a combined surgical program planned like “tailor-made,” shaped entirely according to the person’s deformities and needs. Our core philosophy is to restore the areas that are most affected during pregnancy and breastfeeding within a single recovery period.

The body is a whole, and harmony is essential in aesthetic perception. Correcting only the abdomen while leaving sagging breasts as they are, or doing the opposite, disrupts the overall balance. For this reason, we generally prefer to perform more than one procedure in the same session, under a single anesthesia. This approach spares the patient from repeated surgical stress and fits the recovery process into a single time period.

The main procedures we most frequently use within this combined surgery include the following:

• Tummy tuck
• Breast lift
• Breast augmentation
• Liposuction
• Breast reduction
• Genital aesthetics
• Fat injection

What is the best timing for the operation, and can it be performed right after childbirth?

One of the most common questions we hear from our patients is, “Can I have this surgery right after giving birth, while I’m still in the hospital?” Our medical approach on this matter is quite clear: No, these procedures are not performed during the postpartum period or immediately after delivery. The body needs to clear pregnancy hormones, tissue swelling must subside, and the uterus must return to its previous size.

For an ideal result, we have to wait for the body to return to an anatomically and physiologically “neutral” state. Especially if breast aesthetics is being planned, it is a critical rule that at least 6 months should pass after the breastfeeding period ends. The drying of the milk ducts and the breast taking its final shape directly affect the success of the surgery we will perform. Early intervention can increase the risk of infection and may cause the breast shape to change over time and the result to deteriorate.

In addition, it is of great importance that your weight has stabilized before surgery. Working on a body that has lost most of the postpartum weight and whose metabolism has settled increases the longevity of the aesthetic result. If you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight after surgery, it would be healthier to postpone the operation, as new sagging may occur in the skin.

The main factors that determine the waiting period are as follows:

• Completion of breastfeeding
• Hormonal balance
• Weight stabilization
• Wound-healing potential
• Psychological readiness

How does the combination of tummy tuck and liposuction transform the torso?

In modern surgical understanding, we now very rarely use old methods such as only removing skin and stitching. Because the problem in the abdominal area after motherhood is not only excess skin. It is usually accompanied by stubborn fat deposits in the waist, back, and abdominal area and, most importantly, laxity of the abdominal muscles.

At this point, the combined approach we apply enables us to address the torso 360 degrees. We usually start the procedure with liposuction. We slim not only the front abdominal wall but also the sides and the back to reveal the waistline. After reducing the fatty tissue, we lift the loosened abdominal skin and intervene in the muscle structure inside. During pregnancy, the enlarging uterus pushes the muscles in the front abdominal wall outward, and these muscles cannot always return to their original position after delivery. This is the main reason for the “belly that never goes away no matter what I do” appearance.

In surgery, we repair these separated muscles by stitching them together along the midline, almost like a corset. This “internal corset” procedure makes the abdomen flat and the waist slimmer. As a result, you not only get rid of sagging skin, but also achieve a much fitter, more athletic, and more curvaceous body contour.

What are the breast aesthetics options, and is implant use mandatory?

The most common condition we see in breasts after childbirth and breastfeeding is the “deflated balloon” appearance. While the breast tissue shrinks, the skin cannot tighten at the same rate, and sagging occurs due to gravity. The procedure we will perform is determined entirely according to the condition of your existing tissue.

If your breast tissue volume is sufficient but it has only sagged, we can perform only a lift procedure without using an implant. In this procedure, we achieve a more lifted and firm form by moving and shaping your own tissue upward. However, most of the time the volume loss is so pronounced that tightening alone is not enough; we need silicone implant support for the upper part of the breast (the cleavage area) to look full. Sometimes we process the fat we remove with liposuction through special methods and inject it into the breast to create a natural augmentation without using an implant, or to provide a soft transition over an implant.

The main issues we correct with breast aesthetics are as follows:

• Volume loss
• Skin sagging
• Nipple asymmetry
• Nipple enlargement
• Cleavage hollowing

What is the recovery process like, and when do you return to normal life?

Because these are combined surgeries, our patients are often concerned that the process will be very painful and difficult. However, thanks to current anesthesia techniques and the long-acting painkillers we apply to the tissues during surgery, you go through this process much more comfortably than you might think. Our patients usually describe, rather than sharp pain, an intense muscle soreness or a feeling of pressure resulting from tightening the abdominal muscles. We can liken this sensation to the muscle pain you feel the next day after doing excessive sit-ups in sports.

Usually staying in the hospital for 1 or 2 nights is sufficient. We have you walk immediately the next day; because early movement accelerates blood circulation and is the best medicine for recovery. In the first days, you may need to walk slightly bent forward to reduce abdominal tightness; this is completely normal and temporary. We recommend that you spend the first week resting at home, and from the second week onward, gradually start to rejoin social life.

The restrictions you should pay attention to during the recovery period are as follows:

• Lifting heavy objects
• Driving
• Intense sports
• Sleeping face down
• Removing the corset
• Smoking

What should be considered in preoperative preparation, and why is smoking prohibited?

A successful surgical outcome depends not only on the surgeon’s skill but also on the patient’s compliance. The strictest and non-negotiable rule in this process is the smoking ban. Smoking constricts blood vessels, disrupts circulation, and reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues. Especially in surgeries where the skin is tightened, such as tummy tuck and breast lift, tissue perfusion is critically important. In patients who smoke, wound healing is delayed, incisions may separate, or more noticeable scars may remain along suture lines. To minimize these risks, we require complete cessation of smoking at least 2–3 weeks before surgery.

In addition, it is necessary to stay away from certain substances that may increase the risk of bleeding. Paying attention to your nutrition and keeping your immune system strong in the preoperative period will increase your recovery speed.

The things that must be stopped before the operation are as follows:

• Blood thinners
• Aspirin
• Herbal teas
• Vitamin E
• Omega 3
• Alcohol

Are the results of this surgery permanent, and how does it affect psychology?

When performed with the right techniques and appropriate patient selection, maternity aesthetics is an investment with results that remain permanent for many years. The internal corset repair we perform on the abdominal muscles maintains its permanence for life if you do not gain excessive weight or become pregnant again. In breast aesthetics, although the natural aging process due to gravity continues, the breast form is preserved for a long time. However, the sustainability of the result largely depends on your lifestyle after surgery. Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and taking care of skin quality are the keys to maintaining the aesthetic gain achieved.

As important as the physical aspect is, perhaps even more important is the psychological effect. The confidence surge a woman experiences after surgery—someone who has hidden her body for years with loose clothing, who never removed her cover-up at the beach, who even felt shy around her spouse—is priceless. This process is not only an enhancement of appearance but a process of repair and renewal.