Some changes occur in the woman’s body during pregnancy. These changes become more evident as the baby grows in the womb and gets closer to birth. It is seen that with increasing weight and heart volume, some permanentchanges can occur, such as cracks in the skin, increase in breast volume, darkening of the nipple area, increase in diameter, and stains in the facial area. After birth, the abdominal volume decreases rapidly and the condition of the abdominal skin manifests itself according to the person’s age, skin type, amount of weight gained during the reproductive process and genetic predisposition. In some cases, this may appear as a sagging abdomen filled with deep cracks, and in others, it may appear as a slight feature. Again, if the birth wasachieved by cesarean section, sagging skin in the form of a fold can also be seen over the surgical scar in the lower abdomen. The separation of the abdominal muscles, which we call rectus diastasis, is one of the main causes of abdominal bomb disease that persists afterbirth. In some places, umbilical hernia may also be found in this situation.
Following the end of the breastfeeding process, the gradual expansion of fertility and the expansion of volume causes the breasts to collapse and the loss of volume and elasticity causes the breasts to become empty and sag. Compared to the pregnancy period, these deformations can be disturbing, especially withlarge breast tissue.
So, what is done under the name of ‘Maternity Aesthetics’?
The waist and abdominal area are shaped with abdominoplasty and liposuction surgery for the abdominal area that is deformed after birth. Excess sagging skin below the belly level, rich in stretch marks, is removed and the surgical scar is left in the bikini area. The location of the belly button is reconstructed. By bringing the separated muscles together, the curved appearance of the abdomen is eliminated and a straighter line is obtained. Additionally, liposuction can be applied in the same session to the side parts of the waist, where unwanted fat accumulates the most, and to the abdominal area in general, to make the waist fold lines more prominent. It is recommended to use a corset for 2 months after the procedure. Lymphatic drainage massages are recommended for edema management and healing accelerator.
It is expected that 6 months will pass after the breastfeeding period ends for breast aesthetics. In this process, the volume of the mammary gland tissue, which grows and expands during pregnancy, decreases and approaches the pre-pregnancy period. Patients who are now ready for surgery have two options for breast aesthetics. The first is breast lift or breast reduction surgeries performed only with the patient’s own tissues, and the other is breast enlargement or breast augmentation and lift surgeries using breast implants in cases of volume insufficiency. In breast enlargement surgeries, the surgical scar is on the lower breast fold; In surgeries where the lift concept is applied, a circular scar around the breast areola may be accompanied by a scar extending vertically to the lower breast fold, and a horizontal scar in the lower fold in breasts with excessive sagging. It is recommended to use a corset bra for 8 weeks after surgery.
So, will there be any scars after the surgery?
In surgery, scars will definitely remain wherever the incision is made. As plastic surgeons, we hide or design these incision marks in accordance with the aesthetic units of the body. We have a series of precautions and suggestions for the best healing of existing scars. Such as silicone bands, scar creams, massage applications, protection from sun exposure, and not smoking. In addition to breast and abdominal surgeries, under the name of maternity aesthetics, liposuction procedures performed on other parts of the body, genital aesthetic procedures, and non-surgical aesthetic procedures (mesotherapy, fillers, botox, laser applications) can also be included.
