Is Plastic Surgery A Good Option After Pregnancy?

MomsGetReal Guest Contributor Karlee Wiggins

For many women, there is no greater joy than that which comes with the birth of their child. In the end, the months of leg cramps, swollen ankles, and aching bellies pay off through the creation of a unique human being that is all their own. Pregnancy and child birth can, however, leave mothers with some undesirable “battle scars.” Fortunately, there are some great plastic surgery options that can help rejuvenate women’s bodies and minds after pregnancy. Provided below are descriptive lists of the advantages and disadvantages of those plastic surgery options for post-pregnancy women.

Advantages of Plastic Surgery Post-Pregnancy

1. Tighten Loose Skin: After pregnancy, many women endure a difficult time restoring the tightness and elasticity of the stretched skin around their stomachs. Abdominoplasty, which is also known as a tummy tuck, is an invasive plastic surgery procedure in which a surgeon tightens the abdominal muscles and removes any unneccessary skin and fat.
2. Restore Breast Volume and Size: After pregnancy and breastfeeding, many women feel as though their breasts have decreased in volume and/or firmness. Breast augmentation or breast enhancement, in which a plastic surgeon inserts saline or silicone implants above or below a woman’s chest muscles, is a plastic surgery procedure that can restore lost breast volume, firmness, and mass. This is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures today.
3. Restore Sagging Breasts: After pregnancy and breastfeeding, many women also feel as though their breasts have “sagged.” A breast lift, in which a plastic surgeon removes excess skin and lifts breast tissue, is a plastic surgery procedure that can restore sagging breasts.
4. Remove Excess Fat: After pregnancy, many women possess a difficult time losing the excess “baby weight” that they had acquired over the preceding months. Liposuction, in which a plastic surgeon removes fatty tissue, is one of the least invasive options for plastic surgery. Liposuction is commonly performed on the thighs, buttocks, upper arms, and stomach.

Disadvantages of Plastic Surgery Post-Pregnancy

1. Recovery Time: Most plastic surgery procedures are invasive and require women to rest and/or postpone returning to work for at least a few weeks.
2. Bleeding, Bruising, and Swelling: It is important to note that plastic surgery does not provide women with immediate results. During the recovery process, most women will experience some bleeding, bruising, and/or swelling at their sites of operation.
3. Infection: Although a rare occurrence, infection of a woman’s operating site can occur. This usually results in a prolonged recovery, increased doctor visits, and antibiotic treatments. It a woman has received breast implants, they may need to be removed and replaced at a later date.
4. Although plastic surgery can help improve a woman’s self image, it is important to remember that it is not a “quick fix” for her underlying psychological or self-esteem issues.

From tightening loose skin to increasing breast volume, there are many outstanding options for women who wish to improve their physical appearances and self-esteems through plastic surgery. While there are some factors that women should always consider before undergoing any type of surgical procedure, the advantages will almost always outweigh the disadvantages. After all, happy mothers do make happy babies.

Karlee Wiggins blogs about heath topics.  She recently had twins and is looking into plastic surgery options. 

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