“Mommy makeover” is not a medical term for one operation. It is the name people use for a plan that combines several procedures after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Here is what it usually includes, who it suits, and what to think about before you talk to a surgeon.
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The short definition
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) describes a mommy makeover as a combination of procedures to restore the body after childbearing. It usually treats the breasts, the abdomen and the waist, and sometimes the buttocks or genitals, typically in a single stage. ASPS lists breast augmentation, a breast lift, a tummy tuck, liposuction, buttock augmentation and labiaplasty as possible parts.
No two plans are the same. One person’s makeover might be a tummy tuck and a breast lift; another’s might be breast augmentation and liposuction of the waist. A surgeon suggests the pieces after examining you and hearing what bothers you.
The usual pieces
Tummy tuck
A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat from the belly and, in most cases, repairs stomach muscles that separated during pregnancy. ASPS says it is not a substitute for weight loss and only removes stretch marks on the skin that is taken away. More on the tummy tuck page.
Breast lift or augmentation
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can leave the breasts with less volume, lower on the chest, or both. Augmentation adds volume with an implant or your own fat; a lift raises and reshapes without changing size. ASPS notes augmentation alone does not correct significant sagging. If implants are part of the plan, the FDA requires a boxed warning in their labeling and a patient decision checklist your surgeon goes over with you, says implants are not lifetime devices, and notes that a rare lymphoma called BIA-ALCL appears more often with textured implants. More on the breast augmentation or lift page.
Liposuction
Liposuction removes fat from areas that do not respond to diet and exercise, such as the waist, hips or back. Cleveland Clinic calls it “not a weight-loss solution,” and it does not remove loose skin. More on the liposuction page.
Less common pieces
ASPS also lists buttock augmentation and labiaplasty as possible parts of a makeover. Buttock augmentation with fat, often called a Brazilian butt lift, carries a specific warning: a 2018 multi-society task force reported a death rate of about 1 in 3,000, the highest of any aesthetic procedure, from fat entering or going below the muscle, and advised placing fat only in the layer under the skin. If a surgeon suggests it, ask how they follow that advice.
Who it suits
ASPS describes good candidates as people in good health, at or near their ideal body weight, with realistic expectations, who are finished having children. An ASPS article suggests being no more than about 25 pounds over your goal weight and stopping smoking at least three weeks before surgery.
Being finished with pregnancies matters because a later pregnancy can undo the result. If you are not sure, say so at the consultation; it may change which pieces make sense now.
When to have it
ASPS suggests waiting at least six months after giving birth, and another ASPS article puts the window at six months to a year. Your surgeon will advise you on your own timing.
One stage or two
Combining procedures in one operation reduces total anesthesia time, cost and recovery compared with doing each one separately, ASPS says. But a longer operation, with more areas healing at once, adds risk, including blood clots. Most surgeons agree time under anesthesia should be no longer than about six hours, so some plans are split into two stages.
Recovery, in general terms
ASPS says feeling back to normal after a mommy makeover takes weeks, and sometimes months. For a full tummy tuck, an ASPS article gives two to three months to heal fully, with most swelling in the first three to six weeks. Lifting is limited at first, and childcare help may be needed for a while. Scars keep improving for up to a year. Your surgeon will give you your own timeline.
What it costs
ASPS publishes no fee for a mommy makeover as a whole, only for each piece, and those figures cover the surgeon’s fee alone. The cost guide lists the 2024 national ranges for each piece and what a quote leaves out.
What a mommy makeover is not
- It is not a weight-loss operation.
- It is not a fixed package with a fixed price.
- It does not stop future changes from aging, weight change or another pregnancy.
- It is not one surgeon’s brand name: any plastic surgeon may use the term.
Before your consultation
Write down what bothers you most, in order. Ask whether the surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and check it on the ABPS lookup. In Texas, look up the physician’s license on the Texas Medical Board lookup. If you live north of Dallas, see Frisco and Plano.
This site gives general information, not medical advice. A licensed provider decides with you whether a treatment suits you.
Questions people ask
Is a mommy makeover one surgery?
Often, but not always. ASPS says it is typically done in a single stage, though some plans are split into two to keep time under anesthesia shorter.
Do I have to have every piece?
No. A plan can be one piece, such as a tummy tuck alone. The surgeon suggests pieces after examining you.