Mummy Makeover

Many of our patients ask if they are suitable for mummy makeover surgery. Of course this is not only about the actual desire for surgery on the part of the patient but must also take into consideration any medical and psychological concerns too.

The following are usually considerations for this kind of surgery:

• Patients who may feel unhappy with their bodies after having children.
• No plans to have further children.
• Have maintained a concerted effort to diet and exercise to remove excess fat with little or no success.
• Normal body mass index (BMI)
• Have a steady body weight.
• Patients who would like to improve the appearance of unwanted stretchmarks (striae) or scars.
• Patients who would like to improve the appearance of their post-pregnancy breasts.
• Are relatively fit and healthy with no significant past medical history.
• Have realistic expectations for the procedure.
• Patients must not trivialise the cosmetic surgery process.
• Are emotionally ready for surgery.

Please note that a history of mental health is not a contraindication for surgery but according to national guidelines, Mr Banwell can offer access to excellent psychologists for support through the cosmetic surgery journey.

Please note that Mr Banwell will consider all patients for surgery but he may recommend that you are not suitable.

It is not essential to have a GP referral and many patients will self-refer and contact the Practice directly. However, Mr Banwell regularly gets private referrals from GPs for such surgeries and when he consults with you he  will usually ask permission to write to your GP for a summary of your medical history and suitability for surgery.

This is a very personal decision and of course there is never any pressure to embark upon surgery. However, please do arrange a consultation with Mr Banwell as this will give you an opportunity to discuss you specific concerns and explore the procedures over several meetings. The bottom line is that these procedures can help reshape your body and restore your pre-baby figure.

Mummy makeovers aim to change your body shape, improve your silhouette and help restore body confidence. It can have not only positive physical effects but positive psychological benefits too. Shifting that so-called ‘baby weight’ can be a struggle not withstanding any excess skin and emptiness or sagging of the breasts is an extremely common complaint.

This procedure aims to reverse and help restore the physical changes that have occurred in having a baby –

• Removing excess tummy skin and fat.
• Tightening the tummy wall muscles.
• Recreating a more desirable breast appearance.
• Reducing or restoring breast volume.
• Improving the appearance of unwanted scars and/or stretch marks.
• Removing excess fat and skin from the arms and thighs.
• Enhancing the volume and shape of the bottom.
• Rejuvenating the appearance and tone of the vaginal area.
• Enhancing the volume and shape of cheeks and lips
• Removing excess upper eyelid skin.

The mummies who undergo such procedures describe a major increase in self-confidence. Therefore, the mummy makeover can have significant positive effects on you both physically, emotionally and psychologically!

The consultation is the most important part of the cosmetic surgery process. For a mummy makeover where you may be considering 2 or 3 procedures at the same time, it is especially important. Mr Banwell usually likes to see his patients several times to ensure everything covered. He prefers to focus on one procedure at a time and you will be seen as many times as required until you feel fully prepared. Please contact Mr Banwell’s team to arrange a suitable time in any one of our locations.

It is important to realise that complications can occur with any surgery. The idea is to minimise these complications by practising as safely as possible (includes patient selection, good surgical technique & optimising aftercare).  if However, if complications do occur, they should be managed quickly and efficiently and as transparently as possible. Mr Banwell’s complication rate is extremely low and he prides himself on his safe practice and attention to detail. Every year he also submits his figures and any complications to The British Association of Aesthetic Surgeons (BAAPS) Audit which is declared on the BAAPS site annually.

The main complications of any surgery are usually bleeding in the first 24 hours necessitating return to theatre, infection and wound healing issues. After this this may be specific issues relating to the surgery in question. Mr Banwell will explain all the potential complications in detail and write a comprehensive letter (by email) detailing the discussions at consultation. Please be rest assured that Mr Banwell also offers a ‘peace of mind’ package of care that covers any immediate problems or readmission in the rare eventuality of a complication.

The most important preparation for surgery is to be fully informed! Mr banwell believes the consultation process is fundamental and he will see you several times to make sure you are fully prepared and have had opportunity to have all of your questions answered by himself or the team. He encourages you to do your research but there is no substitute for a one to one consultation.

Of course it is vital to vital to eat healthily in the lead up to surgery, ensure you drink plenty of water and get lots of sleep – we realise this sounds obvious but it is amazing how many people are rushing around beforehand trying to do too much. This journey is an important one – and often emotional too – so take your preparation seriously and feel free to ask any questions at any time. We are always at the end of a phone or email.

Mr Banwell and his team believe that knowing as much information as possible about the mummy makeover aftercare will help avoid fear of the unknown and prepare you in the best possible way.

Mr Banwell will always give you a rough time frame about returning to work, return to normal activity, driving and return to physical activity and exercise. He prefers to put longer timelines on this to be safe but the majority of patients recover much quicker.

After your surgery, you will be given a post-operative appointment to come back and see the excellent nursing staff for a wound review and general check at Week 1 and then you will see your surgeon Mr Banwell at Week 2. At this stage Mr banwell will review you progress, remove the tape and then reapply for a further week or two. You will continue to shower normally, pat the tape dry and then use a hairdryer to dry everything off. In the following weeks you will feel stronger and stronger, the bruising and swelling will settle and you will  he following weeksIf you would like specific aftercare about each procedure,

Sadly as we get older our body and skin continues to change and, in particular, our skin loses its firmness and elasticity. It is important to realise that the results of any surgery – in this case, your  mummy makeover – will last for some years but inevitably the result are not permanent. Your lifestyle subsequent to surgery, any hormonal changes and indeed further pregnancies will all affect outcome. Weight gain (or loss) , especially when dramatic can also affect outcome which is why Mr Banwell  recommends you reach a steady weight that you a re happy with prior to surgery to minimise the likelihood of future fluctuations. Furthermore we would also reinforce the message that mummy makeovers should really only be performed once you have finished you family (although it does not exclude further pregnancies. Please discuss all thought thoughts and concerns with Mr Banwell and he can advise on the way forward.

Patients must accept that scarring is an inevitability of surgery and are permanent. All scars are initially red and lumpy and then pale and flatten over time. This maturation process takes around 18 months and regular massage of the scars with a moisturiser (eg. Rationale Proceramide Balm or Codage Skin Recovery body milk are both superb for scars) will help the scars fade; eventually you should be left with a pale fine scar. Remember that scars can sometimes widen and stretch though so it is vital that you adhere to Mr Banwell’s post-operative advice with taping and restriction of exercise.

We do have information sheets on scar management and post-op wound care too so feel free to download these.

Mr Banwell’s team will give you an estimate for surgery which will cover the Surgical Fee, the Hospital Fee and the Anaesthetic Fee. This is a peace of mind package and covers all dressing clinic appointments and Mr Banwell’s post-operative appointments.