You have finally been blessed with your bundle of joy! Congratulations! Over the next few months and years, you’ll find yourself adjusting to different aspects of motherhood, like minimal sleep, spit up on your clothes, watching endless episodes of Blue's Clues and Doc McStuffins, and listening to The Wiggles on repeat. But the one thing you might not adjust to is losing your pre-baby figure. Your body can do some amazing things, like creating a whole, entire little human. But you can be left with some not-so-amazing results, hence the mom bod. There are times when all the exercise and dieting in the world just won’t get rid of that baby pooch. That’s when you might want to consider a mommy makeover. WHAT IS A MOMMY MAKEOVER? Mommy makeovers have been on the rise for the past two decades, with more younger women seeking them. The abdomen and breasts are the areas that typically change the most after pregnancy, leaving you with less-than-perky breasts, stretch marks, and sagging, loose skin around the belly. A mommy makeover typically involves procedures that address these areas and include the following: breast lift, breast augmentation, breast reduction, abdominoplasty (also called a tummy tuck), and liposuction. More than 1.8 million cosmetic surgical procedures were performed in 2018. Of those, breast augmentation, liposuction, and tummy tucks were in the top five. But drastic surgeries like tummy tucks are not the only option to help rid you of that stubborn post-baby flab. There are now many nonsurgical procedures that can give you nearly the same or, in some cases, even better results. Nonsurgical mommy makeovers are also a better option if you are not done having kids yet, but still want your pre-baby beach body back in time for the summer. HERE ARE SOME NONSURGICAL MOMMY MAKEOVER PROCEDURES TO CONSIDER: FAT REMOVAL/FAT REDUCTION: Liposuction is no longer the only option for fast fat removal. Instead of surgically suctioning fat out of your body, new technologies use laser heat, freezing, and radiofrequency energy to get rid of unwanted fat. * Laser lipolysis uses laser technology like SculpSure to heat up fat cells and eliminate them. Approved by the FDA in 2015, Sculpsure can treat the upper, lower, and sides of the abdomen. * CoolSculpting uses cold to freeze and kill fat cells in the targeted area and can reduce them by up to 25%. It was approved by the FDA in 2010 and can be used to treat more areas including the thighs, belly, upper arms, back, sides, under the butt and chin, and along the bra line. In 2018, it was the most popular body sculpting procedure in the U.S. * Zerona is another cold laser technology, but unlike CoolSculpting, it only damages fat cells, shrinking them. It can be used on the waist, chest, back, neck, arms, thighs, hips, ankles, and more. * Velashape uses a combination of infrared light, radiofrequency energy, mechanical massage, and suction to reduce the appearance of cellulite and sculpt treated areas. The most commonly treated areas include the thighs, butt, upper arms, and stomach. It can also be used to reduce fat under the chin and address mildly sagging skin. SKIN TIGHTENING: * ULTHERAPY: This nonsurgical alternative to a facelift uses high-focused, intense ultrasound energy to heat the tissue below the surface of your skin, stimulating collagen production. It is FDA-approved for use on the brow, neck, under the chin, and the décolletage, but providers also use it to address loose skin on the abdomen and above the elbows or knees. * RADIOFREQUENCY: This treatment uses radiofrequency energy to heat the tissue under the skin to stimulate collagen growth to give the skin a smoother look. It can be used for facial skin tightening, body contouring, and vaginal rejuvenation, around the eyes, along the jawline, on the stomach, arms, backs of the hands, thighs, knees, and butt, and as a cellulite treatment. TINY TUCK: Like a tummy tuck, but without major surgery and downtime. Plus, you keep your belly button! Since the procedure is minimally invasive, with no general anesthesia and dissolvable stitches, your recovery is quicker and nearly painless. You can also combine a Tiny Tuck with Air Sculpting to permanently remove fat while correcting loose skin. MUSCLE TONING AND TIGHTENING: * EMSCULPT: Similar to CoolTone but using different technology, namely High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic energy, this procedure simulates doing 20,000 crunches in 30 minutes. It can be used on the abs, butt, upper arms, thighs, and calves and gives you increased muscle definition and reduced circumference. * COOLTONE: Used as a complement to CoolSculpting, this procedure uses magnetic muscle stimulation to stimulate muscle contractions to create more toned-looking abs, thighs, and butt. NONSURGICAL BREAST LIFT: There are several options to address drooping post-baby breasts that will give “the girls” a lift without surgery or implants. * CACI BUST TREATMENT: Similar to muscle toning, this treatment uses electronic pulses to tighten the muscles under your breasts, which results in more toned and lifted breasts. * THERMAGE: This treatment uses radio waves to stimulate collagen production and tighten the fibers within your skin and works best for mild sagging. * VAMPIRE BREAST LIFT: An anti-aging treatment using platelet-rich plasma from your own blood to slightly lift your breasts, giving an effect similar to wearing a push-up bra. While this won’t treat sagging breasts, it can give the breasts a lift and reduce wrinkles and scars. ENJOYING YOUR NEW MOM BOD To get the best results from your nonsurgical mommy makeover, make sure you thoroughly research each procedure, how many treatments are recommended, and understand the risks, as well as what each can and can’t do. Whether you are looking to address stubborn pockets of fat, loose skin, cellulite, or post-baby breasts, having realistic expectations and understanding that these procedures are not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle will help you enjoy your new and improved mom bod!
