More moms opting for ‘Mommy Makeovers’

Posted: Jul 16, 2012 11:16 PM EDTUpdated: Jul 16, 2012 11:44 PM EDT

Americans spend nearly $10 billion annually on cosmetic surgery according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Ironically, doctors say Hollywood’s elite aren’t the biggest buyers. Rather, its middle-class moms.

The biggest trend taking off in plastic surgery is called a ‘Mommy Makeover’. Hundreds of thousands of these procedures are performed every year on women ages 20 to 39.

Whatever extra blubber your baby bump left behind – a scalpel, a surgeon, and a lot of suction can take away.

Pamela Maple is a 44-year-old mother who told us she hoped a tummy tuck and body jet procedure would give her back the body she once had.

“I was always covering my stomach and always had a muffin top,” Maple recalls.

After three pregnancies, Maple had three beautiful boys and a saggy stomach covered in stretch marks that no amount of cardio and crunches seemed to cure.

“Look, let’s be honest. Women don’t want to look like pretty moms, they want to look like pretty women,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ditesheim who owns Ditesheim Plastic Surgery located in Charlotte.

He says many women who visit his office want a ‘Mommy Makeover which typically consists of a nip, tuck, and suck from the breasts to the hips.

For about $15,000, most ‘mom jobs’ involve a breast lift, implants, a tummy tuck, and some liposuction. This expense is not typically covered by most insurance providers.

Aside from surgery, there are several types of Laser or Ultrasound Technologies that can be used to slim you down.

Each technique has different degrees of results, recovery time and risk. Doctors say the most important question, however, is not about their tools, but about their training.

Make sure your surgeon is board certified with the Canadian and/or American Board of Plastic Surgery.

“What the general public does not often realize is all plastic surgeons are cosmetic surgeons. All cosmetic surgeons are not plastic surgeons,” Pratt points out.

Legally, any doctor can perform any procedure. So, technically, a dermatologist could give you a breast lift, but that doesn’t mean they have the extensive training and expertise, just a lower price in many cases.

Check the doctor’s credentials and their record with your area’s medical board.

Remember, just because it’s called a ‘Mom Job’ doesn’t mean it’s a packaged deal.

Don’t agree to procedures you don’t want or need. Doctors warn the more work done at once, usually means more risks.

A ‘Mommy Makeover’ isn’t about getting a picture perfect body. For many women, it’s about getting back the body they had before giving birth to their baby.

“Yes, I feel made over,” Maple said following her procedure. “I feel great. I feel like me, but I feel like a better me.”

Altogether, the procedures involve major surgery and cost major bucks. For women like Maple, the payoff comes every time she pulls out those hot-pink pants and takes a very happy peak in the mirror.

During any pre-op consultation with your plastic surgeon, be sure to arrive at their office armed with a list of questions, and ask how often they have performed the procedure in which you’re interested in.

Additional Information:

• Legally any doctor is permitted to do any procedure. For example, a psychiatrist could do a breast augmentation. If you use a board-certified plastic surgeon, you know he or she has completed three to five years of training in general surgery and a minimum of two to three years of training in plastic surgery, plus they have to take written and oral tests.
•  Board-certified plastic surgeons also have to do continuing medical education and take a written test every 10 years.
•  Check the surgeon’s record.
•  Malpractice judgments and disciplinary actions can be found through a state Medical Board.
•  Ask if the surgeon has hospital privileges.
•  Hospitals do background checks.
•  Come armed with questions for the doctor.
•  Find out how often he or she has done the procedure you’re interested in.
•  Be wary of multiple procedures. More procedures at once equal more risk.
•  Call the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (toll-free at 1-888-4-PLASTIC, or 1-888-475-2784)  or the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons (514-843-5415) to get a list of surgeons in your area who perform a certain procedure and are certified by the Canadian or American Board of Plastic Surgery.
•  Plastic surgeons certified by the Canadian or American Board of Plastic Surgery have graduated from an accredited medical school, completed at least five additional years of residency (typically three years of general surgery and two years of plastic surgery), practiced plastic surgery for at least two more years, and passed comprehensive exams.
•  Click here to find questions you should ask a plastic surgeon: http://www.plasticsurgery.org/articles-and-galleries/patient-and-consumer-information/patient-safety.html?sub=Questions%20to%20ask%20my%20plastic%20surgeon#content
•  There were more than 10 million cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures performed in 2008, an increase of 162% from 1997, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
•  Click to read FAQ from the American Board of Plastic Surgeons – https://www.abplsurg.org/ModDefault.aspx?section=Faq#Q7
•  Click to search for a list of local doctors who are board-certified – http://www.plasticsurgery.ca/locator.php or https://www.abplsurg.org/ModDefault.aspx?section=SurgeonSearch
•  Click here <http://www.realself.com/Mommy-makeover/reviews> to find reviews/blogs of personal Mommy Makeover experiences. The average cost of the Mommy Makeovers is $13,049.
•  Mommy Makeover: trifecta of a breast lift with or without breast implants, a tummy tuck and some liposuction. The procedures are intended to hoist slackened skin as well as reduce stretch marks and pregnancy fat. (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/fashion/04skin.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=6c2446ba8922cd94&ex=1192161600&emc=eta1&adxnnlx=1191867436-CQYfUZfR38QGR3JjifaNNA