Post-Pregnancy Surgery Sydney

Post-Pregnancy Tummy and Breast Surgery Initial Consultation

On your first visit to our Sydney Plastic Surgeon, you will be able to discuss your concerns and desires with Dr Eddy Dona. Dr Dona will perform a physical examination to assess and advise you on your options, considering your desires and expectations. You’ll also get the opportunity to discuss any questions you have with Dr Dona about your post-pregnancy makeover surgery.

Although the term Post-Pregnancy Surgery refers to correcting the issues that arise from pregnancy, there is no set list of procedures. What goes into the surgical combination is very personal—no two woman are alike, so each procedure is tailored to meet the woman’s individual needs. During your consultation, Dr Dona will assess and discuss your particular concerns and discuss restorative options.

Further, although Post-Pregnancy Surgery generally refer to women who have given birth, you don’t need to be a mummy to have this surgery. It is a popular term for having breast and tummy surgery at the same time, as these two surgeries pair well together. Women who have lost a significant amount of weight can also benefit from “Post-Pregnancy Surgery”, regardless of whether they are a mother. As stated previously, it is often better to refer to these combination procedures as a Total Body Reconstruction (regardless of the cause of the problems).

What Does Post-Pregnancy Tummy and Breast Surgery Include?

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

The Tummy Tuck procedure is one of the most common surgeries included in Post-Pregnancy Surgery, second only to breast surgeries.

Pregnancy, weight fluctuations and the aging process can result in damaged muscles, damaged and scarred skin, excess skin and stubborn fat accumulation.

Abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure that designed to reconstruct the midsection for a tighter body contour. The procedure removes excess scarred skin, lifts the pubic region, and repairs weakened and separated abdominal muscles, further tightening the stomach. The muscle repair component of a Tummy Tuck can sometimes improve two of the most common physical complaints experienced by women after labour and delivery— back pain and incontinence.
There are many variations of the Tummy Tuck including a traditional Tummy Tuck, Fleur De Lis, Open Book Tummy Tuck and Mini Tummy Tuck to name a few. These different variations are designed to treat patients according to their individual functional goals. During your initial consultation, Dr Dona will be able to advise you on which type of Tummy Tuck you would be best suited for.
Whilst a Tummy Tuck is often considered a cosmetic surgical procedure, for the vast majority of patients it is first and foremost a reconstructive procedure.

Patients seek Tummy Tuck surgery to:

• Alter the tone and shape of the abdomen, creating a flatter and firmer abdomen.
  • Repair structural abdominal defects such as Diastasis recti (separated abdominal muscles), hernias and other abnormalities caused by trauma, obesity, pregnancy and extensive weight loss.
  • Alleviate itching, infections and irritations caused by excess skin.

A standard abdominoplasty surgery typically involves Dr Dona making a horizontal incision along the lower abdomen so that the underlying abdominal muscle can be tightened, and the fatty tissue and excess skin can be removed. In cases where the rectus muscle has separated (divarication), the muscle will be brought back together and sutured internally. The navel, or belly button, will be repositioned, and the incision will be closed with internal stitches. The incision is strategically placed along the pubic hairline to hide the scar underneath your underwear.

Ultimately, the procedure removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and repairs loose and separated abdominal muscles. The result is a flatter, firmer and functionally better abdomen.

Breast Augmentation

Breast Augmentation, also referred to as Bilateral Augmentation Mammoplasty (BAM), Breast Implants or a ‘boob job’, is a cosmetic surgery that involves using silicone implants to enhance the size, shape and volume of your breasts. Breast Augmentation is the most popular cosmetic surgery in Australia and worldwide. Generally, the Breast Augmentation procedure provides fuller and more curvaceous breasts. This procedure may also restore breast volume, shape and symmetry after pregnancy or extensive weight loss.

Women seek Breast Augmentation to:
• Improve breast shape after pregnancy, weight loss or breastfeeding
• Enhance their breast size
• Improve breast symmetry
• Increase projection and fullness of breasts
• Provide a more balanced physique

Breast Lift

Mastopexy, also known as Breast Lift surgery, is a surgical procedure that lifts and reshapes the breasts. It can correct sagging and asymmetry caused by pregnancy, breastfeeding, aging, illness or defect. The procedure will not make your breasts appear larger. Instead, it involves removing excess skin, tissue and fat, and effectively create a new breast shape..

A Breast Lift is worth considering if:
• Your breasts have lost shape and volume
• Your nipples and areolas point downward
• Your nipples are low (below your breast crease is a crude guide that some may use).
• Your breasts appear to be sagging and stretched
• You have a very heavy underboob with a long distance from your lower breast fold to you nipple.
• Your breasts are asymmetrical, with one falling lower
• Your areolas have stretched out of proportion to your breasts

Breast lift surgery involves the process of deconstructing and reconstructing the breasts, while removing excess breast skin, to provide much more aesthetically pleasing breasts. The nipples are often repositioned and raised, and larger areolas are reduced so the breasts appear better proportioned. Mastopexies can be done in isolation or can sometimes be combined with a Breast Augmentation if additional volume is required.

Nipple & Areolas

When it comes to the breasts, the nipple and areola often draw the most attention. Women who are unhappy or embarrassed with the appearance of their nipples or areolas may undergo surgery to improve the look, size, length, thickness. Shape and/or symmetry. A Mummy Makeover typically includes undergoing surgical changes to the nipple areolar region, either in isolation or as part of other breast surgery – such as a breast augmentation, breast lift or breast reduction.

You may consider areola and nipple surgery if:

• Your areolas are disproportionately large
• Your nipples are exceedingly long or droopy
• Your nipples are asymmetrical

An areola reduction is where an incision is made around the areola to remove pigmented areas. This procedure creates a smaller areola circumference while also creating the desired size, shape and symmetry. Many women have this surgery along with a breast lift or augmentation so that the nipples and areola complement the new breast appearance. This procedure is also often performed on women with droopy or misshaped areolas, where some of the pigmented areas are removed, making the areolas more proportionate.

Liposuction

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery procedure that involves the removal of excess stubborn superficial fat. Liposuction is not a magical weight-loss method; instead, it is a method that reshapes certain areas of the body by removing excess fat deposits. Liposuction is commonly used to target areas of stubborn fat that do not respond to diet and exercises.

It is worth considering liposuction if:

• You have stubborn fatty deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise

During the Liposuction procedure, Dr Dona creates a small incision, and a cannula is inserted into your superficial fat layers. The cannula is attached to a liposuction device, that is operated by Dr Dona, to break up the fat cells. The dislodged fat is then suctioned out of the body using a surgical vacuum.

The fat cells that are removed are gone permanently. If a patient gains a little weight after Liposuction, the existing cells accumulate more fat. Thus, their figure simply becomes a larger version of their new body shape.

Preparation for Post-Pregnancy Tummy and Breast Surgery

You will need to disclose your complete medical history to your Sydney Plastic Surgeon, Dr Eddy Dona, including all health problems.

Do not take any blood thinning medications such as aspirin or any medicine containing aspirin, large amounts of vitamins or anti-inflammatory drugs for two weeks prior to any surgery.

Do not smoke for at least two weeks prior to surgery, as smoking increases surgical and anaesthetic risks and can lead to serious complications.

How Soon After Pregnancy Can I Undergo Surgery?

Post-pregnancy surgery should not be done until you have allowed time for your body to fully recover (3-6 months after breastfeeding is ideal). It is essential to diet and exercise to get back to your optimal and sustainable pre-pregnancy weight.

Preparation for Post-Pregnancy Tummy and Breast Surgery

You will need to disclose your complete medical history to your Sydney cosmetic surgeon, Dr Eddy Dona, including all health problems.

Do not take any blood thinning medications such as aspirin or any medicine containing aspirin, large amounts of vitamins or anti-inflammatory drugs for two weeks prior to any surgery.

Do not smoke for at least two weeks prior to surgery, as smoking increases surgical and anaesthetic risks and can lead to serious complications.

Post-Pregnancy Tummy and Breast Surgery Recovery

Your recovery process will be dictated by the type of procedures that you require. This information can be found on the relevant procedure pages on this website.

Your post-operative plan will be detailed and involve multiple weekly in-clinic post-operative care visits with our amazing nursing team that will continue for at least five weeks. Unlike most Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Clinics, we integrate light-based therapy into your post-operative wound healing journey. Light therapy expedites the healing process by helping your body reabsorb fluid faster and reducing inflammation. Since swelling and inflammation are the main cause of pain, you will find your post-surgery recovery far more comfortable. In addition, light therapy will promote healing cells, used to mature your surgical scars much faster, thus, providing the best possible scar formation.

Like with any surgery, you will experience swelling in the areas that have been operated on for the first few weeks. The combination of procedures you undergo will determine when you can see the final results. Breast Augmentation is a relatively straightforward procedure that takes about one – two hours. The Tummy Tuck is a much more personalised procedure, tailored to the individual depending on the amount of excess skin needing to be removed and the level of muscle tightening required.

After six weeks, you can start returning to your normal day-to-day activities, as the bulk of the pain and swelling will have settled, and you can really start to appreciate how things will aesthetically look.

Recovery from the Tummy Tuck component of your surgery will still take some time, as you will still be quite sore and swollen around your abdomen, but this is when you can return to your regular lifestyle at your own pace.

At the six-month mark, you will be able to appreciate the final results of your Post-Pregnancy Tummy and Breast surgery fully. Your breasts will have fully settled into position, and any swelling or tightness around your abdomen (associated with your Tummy Tuck), will have resolved. Surgical scars will have faded considerably by this time however, scars do take up to 2 years to fully mature

Post-Pregnancy Surgery Recovery

When Can You Expect The Final Results?

As per any surgery, expect to wait at least six months after your surgery before you can truly start to appreciate the new you.

However, no surgery stops the ageing process. Therefore, your body will continue to change based on your lifestyle, genetics, and any significant life event such as a subsequent pregnancy or weight changes.

Potential Complications

As with any surgery, there are always possible risks and potential complications associated with a post-pregnancy makeover. However, they are generally rare and, if they occur, are detected and managed during your post-operative follow-up. The possible complications will depend on exactly what procedures you have done. These details can be found on each relevant page on our website.

When someone has an anaesthetic, no matter what it’s for, things can potentially go wrong. That is why no surgery should be considered “minor”. Of course, whilst the chances of the following potential problems occurring are extremely small, you still need to know about them:

• Anaesthetic issues – which can affect heart, lungs or cause strokes
• Allergic reactions – This can be very mild to life threatening.
• Clots
• Superficial vein clots, which is a complication of the cannula or drip that’s placed in your vein
• Deep vein clots – these can potentially spread to the lung and be life threatening. We do several things during surgery and after surgery whilst you’re in hospital to minimise the risk of you developing these.
• Wound problems – such as infection and breakdown
• Bleeding – early or late
• Death – whilst the chances of this is exceeding rare, any of the previous issues can result in this devastating complication.

All these potential problems are standard for any operation, although some operations and some patients have an increased risk of developing them.

Will Medicare or Private Health Cover Post-Pregnancy Surgery?

Post-Pregnancy Tummy and Breast surgery is an elective surgical procedure consisting of multiple procedures, including Breast Augmentation & Tummy Tuck. In patients experiencing significant amounts of excess skin, some surgery procedures may be partially covered by Medicare and your health insurance. During your initial consultation, Dr Eddy Dona will advise whether this applies to you.

How Much Does Post-Pregnancy Surgery Cost?