On this page
The Location of Your Surgeon's Practice
Your Choice of Surgeon
The Surgical Facility
Anesthesia
Pre- and Post-operative Costs
The Cost of Individual Procedures
Breast Surgery
Abdominoplasty
Arm & Thigh Lifts
Liposuction
Facial Treatments
Affording Your Mommy Makeover
Feeling Great as a Mother and an Individual
Pregnancy changes a woman's body unlike any other experience. Although women can reverse some of the physical changes that happen following pregnancy with diet and exercise, some effects, such as stretched skin, stubborn fat deposits, and separated abdominal muscles, can only be treated with surgery. If you are struggling to get back to the way you looked and felt before your pregnancy, a mommy makeover may be the solution. This customized combination of plastic surgery treatments is designed to help you look and feel your best after having a baby. Mommy makeovers average about $10,000 to $30,000, a cost that can vary greatly from patient to patient. The number and type of procedures you receive, your surgeon's fees, facility expenses, and the geographic location of your surgeon's practice all have a significant influence on the total cost of your treatment.
The number and type of procedures you receive, your surgeon's fees, facility expenses, and the geographic location of your surgeon's practice all have a significant influence on the total cost of your treatment
When you undergo a mommy makeover, you are making an investment in your appearance, your self-confidence, and your quality of life. The cost can be significant, but if you educate yourself about the factors affecting the price of a mommy makeover, you can make wise choices and experience benefits that more than justify the price tag. In fact, by combining several different procedures into a single surgery, your surgeon can minimize your office visits and the costs associated with multiple surgeries. By doing some research as you consider a mommy makeover, you can make informed choices that provide long-term satisfaction.
The Location of Your Surgeon's Practice
There are outstanding plastic surgeons in all regions of the United States. Like any service, the socioeconomic climate in which your surgeon works has a significant effect on cost. The size of a city, median income, the cost of housing, and other characteristics affect your surgeon's overhead costs, such as property tax and utilities, which are directly reflected in his or her fees.
While it is certainly important to understand how location influences your surgeon's fees, it is not recommended that you travel far from home just to get a better deal. Instead, select your surgeon based on experience, track record, credentials, and reputation. If a trusted friend undergoes an outstanding mommy makeover, and she raves about this doctor's skill and personalized care, it may be worth traveling a considerable distance to enter his or her care.
Ready to take the next step? Find a plastic surgeon in your area.
Your Choice of Surgeon
A surgeon with a long-standing reputation for providing incredible results can charge more than a less experienced surgeon, simply because a more experienced surgeon is more likely to meet or exceed your expectations.
You probably would not want to choose a plastic surgeon whose primary focus is rhinoplasty if you want a mommy makeover
There are a few important things to remember when you are speaking with prospective surgeons. Your surgeon should be board certified and perform surgery in an accredited or certified facility. When it comes to skill, you will want to look for a surgeon who performs each of your desired surgeries frequently. For example, you probably would not want to choose a plastic surgeon whose primary focus is rhinoplasty if you want a mommy makeover. While plastic surgeons can become skilled in several different types of surgery, your best bet is to select one who is proficient in designing and performing mommy makeover treatments. You can review patient testimonials and before and after photographs to gain a better understanding of the results each surgeon provides.
When it comes down to it, a great plastic surgeon will focus on creating a plan that meets your goals first, then help you find a way to finance your treatments. I have been in practice for almost 20 years, but I am still willing to work with patients to adjust their costs where possible, without compromising their goals. You should never feel as though you are compromising exactly what you want because of costs, or feel coerced into certain "discounted" treatments that are not totally in line with your goals.
The Surgical Facility
Your surgeon may operate in a private surgical suite, an ambulatory surgery center, or hospital. Each of these facilities have unique benefits and costs.
Ambulatory surgery centers and hospitals are usually equipped with the most advanced emergency equipment in case any complications occur during surgery. In many cases, they also provide on-site nurses and anesthesiologists.
Private surgical suites may offer a more economical alternative; however, they may not have the same resources available in case of an emergency. If your surgeon uses a private suite for surgery, it is important to make sure the office has been certified or accredited by a nationally recognized organization. You should also ask how your anesthesia will be administered during surgery.
Anesthesia
Because a mommy makeover is an extensive procedure, you will require general anesthesia, meaning you will be completely asleep during surgery. Your surgeon can arrange for either an anesthesiologist or a nurse to administer your anesthesia. Often, your surgeon will have a preference. While many nurses are abundantly qualified to administer anesthesia, an anesthesiologist may be able to provide you with added peace of mind if you happen to have any apprehension about the surgery.
Pre- and Post-operative Costs
In addition to your surgery itself, there are some additional costs you may encounter during the planning and recovery stages of your mommy makeover. Some of these may be included in your mommy makeover "package" price, while others will be charged separately. They include:
Pre-operative appointments
Post-operative appointments
Surgical bandages and drains
Support garments
Antibiotics and pain medications
In addition to these costs, it is important to keep in mind that you will need to prepare for any financial impact of taking time off of work, school, or other obligations.
The Cost of Individual Procedures
A mommy makeover primarily focuses on the midsection and breasts, but can also address the thighs or virtually any other area you choose. The cost of each treatment can vary quite a bit, but in general, the cost of undergoing several procedures at once will cost less than undergoing each procedure individually.
Breast Surgery
During pregnancy, your breasts increase in size as your mammary glands fill with milk. After you stop producing milk, your mammary glands return to their pre-baby size, but can leave the skin stretched. This can cause some drooping and create a deflated appearance.
Breast lift surgery reshapes your breasts' natural tissues into a more lifted, youthful shape. On average, a breast lift costs around $6,000. Your surgeon will remove extra skin, lift your nipples higher on your breasts, and create a more perky, youthful shape.
Breast enlargement costs around $5,000 to $6,000 on average. When it comes to this type of surgery, you have a few options that affect your final results and your cost. Perhaps the most significant option is the type of implant you receive. Saline implants are less expensive than silicone implants. You will also have choices when it comes to the placement of your incisions and whether your implants are placed above or below your pectoral muscles.
In many cases, mommy makeover patients choose to have both a breast lift and breast augmentation performed at once. This is a prime example of the cost savings you can achieve by combining surgery. You could save as much as 25 to 30% off the cost of having of two separate breast surgeries. Your surgeon can simultaneously lift your breasts and insert your implants for a fuller and more perky look. In addition to the cost savings you will receive by combining these surgeries, you will also have only one period of recovery rather than two.
Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty, known commonly as "tummy tuck" surgery, is designed to remove excess skin around your midsection. Tummy tuck surgery can vary in price from $2,000 to $8,000. During tummy tuck surgery, your plastic surgeon will create a horizontal incision low on your abdomen below your navel. It often involves liposuction and tightening of separated abdominal muscles as well. Depending upon how much excess skin and fat tissue you wish to remove, surgery may be minimal - often called a mini tummy tuck - or may be more extensive, involving liposuction around your hips and flanks. The extent of your tummy tuck will affect the cost of your surgery.
Arm and Thigh Lifts
Arm and thigh lifts are designed to trim excess skin and fat from your upper arms and thighs to provide a toned, fit look. Mommy makeover procedures more commonly include thigh lift surgery, but some women find that an arm lift is an excellent complement to the results they can achieve with tummy tuck, breast surgery, and other procedures. An arm lift can average around $5,000 to $6,000, while a thigh lift averages about $6,500.
Liposuction
Liposuction can be an excellent addition to most mommy makeover procedures. Though it is often an essential part of abdominoplasty, arm lift, and thigh lift surgeries, it can be applied to other areas in which stubborn fat deposits have developed. Alone, liposuction can cost around $2,000 to $8,000 per treatment area.
Facial Treatments
Mommy makeover patients often elect to undergo facial rejuvenation in addition to their body procedures. Your surgeon probably will not administer them at the same time as the body contouring procedures, but at a later date, they can add a dramatic complement to your overall appearance. The most common facial rejuvenation treatments performed along with a mommy makeover include:
Laser Treatments - Depending upon the type of laser used, laser treatments usually average around $1,000 to $1,500 each. Lasers can resurface your facial skin, reduce acne scarring and enlarged pores, stimulate collagen production, and generally refresh your look. Laser treatments can also remove unwanted hair that may have developed during pregnancy.
Dermal Fillers - These injectable treatments restore volume beneath your skin where deep lines and wrinkles have developed. They can also add volume to the lips and cheeks. There are several types of dermal fillers, which are priced per individual unit. Usually, fillers can target at least one problem area on your face for between $500 and $1,000. They can last from six months to two years.
BOTOX® Cosmetic - This injectable treatment is designed to disable the nerves in your face that cause muscle contractions resulting in wrinkles. Most commonly, doctors use BOTOX® Cosmetic to reduce crows feet and the two parallel lines between the eyes, sometimes called the 11s. These injections can usually target a single area for $200 to $400. They last from three months to a year in some cases.
Blepharoplasty - Also known as eyelid lift surgery, blepharoplasty creates a lifted, more alert appearance around your eyes for around $2,500 when combined with other treatments, and $3,600 as a standalone treatment.
Affording Your Mommy Makeover
If you are concerned about affording your mommy makeover, there are several financing options you can explore. The bottom line is that you should never cut corners when it comes to choosing a surgeon with whom you are comfortable, or when pursuing your goals. Determine exactly what you want and how much it will cost, and then your surgeon and his or her team will help you place that cost within your budget.
One financing option is to use a loan or other outside borrowing service, such as your home equity line, to pay for your surgery. Your plastic surgeon may offer in-office financing as well. You can also explore third-party financing options. Your surgeon's front office team will probably be more than happy to help you apply. They feature low- and fixed-rate interest options so you can break up your costs into manageable payments that won't break the bank.
Feeling Great as a Mother and an Individual
As a surgeon, my greatest joy is seeing patients who are pleased with the results I provide. I see new mothers as well as patients who have waited 10 or more years after having children to have their mommy makeovers. Nothing should stand in the way of you enjoying motherhood to the fullest. If you are a mother who feels self-conscious about any of the physical changes you experienced as a result of giving birth, I would strongly encourage you to speak with a surgeon about your goals and consider a mommy makeover. In many cases, I find that my patients are surprised at how affordable their treatments can be.
Although your children are the focus of your life, that does not mean you don't deserve to feel confident about your appearance
Motherhood is a beautiful experience that can add a rewarding new dimension to your life. Although your children are the focus of your life, that does not mean you don't deserve to feel confident about your appearance. If you are ready to take action and undergo surgery to restore the body contours you loved before giving birth, take time to research the best surgeons in your area, and schedule consultations with the ones who impress you the most. By taking time to find a surgeon who is a great listener with an artistic eye and a great reputation, you can experience benefits that can help you achieve even greater enjoyment in your life as a mother.