Mummy Makeover

Mummy makeover is the term given to body contouring surgery of the breast and the abdomen. It is named this because it can help to counter the effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding. However it is not exclusively reserved for mummies!

Get a quote

What’s a Mummy Makeover?What to expect Breast Surgery Tummy Surgery FAQs Book Now

The surgery is aimed at tightening the skin and firming the tissues that become lax and sag following childbirth.

The abdominal skin stretches to accommodate your baby and your breasts swell as they become engorged with milk. These changes are all perfectly natural and in themselves do not cause any problems. The problems tend to occur once you have delivered your child because your body will often not go back to how it looked before. Once the skin has been stretched, it may not recoil and will sag.

The same is true following weight loss and a mummy makeover is not reserved for people who have had children. It is not unusual for a person who has lost a significant amount of weight to need body contouring of the breast and abdomen.

So it is not only women who may need this combination and if you are a man who has lost weight, you may well benefit from a ‘daddy do-over’!

The abdominal surgery can be done at the same time as the breast surgery, or they can be done at different times and we discuss this in our blog post ‘Mummy Makeover – 1 Op or 2?’

Why choose us?

There are many providers of this sort of surgery both in the UK and abroad.

We have built a reputation on making sure that we look after our patients and we believe that the aftercare is as important as the surgery.

Fortunately, complications are rare however there are often concerns and questions and we understand how frustrating it can be if you are not looked after properly following your surgery.

Our clinic director, JJ Staiano does a live Q&A every Tuesday and we hear too often from patients from other providers who are in the post-operative phase asking us for help and advice following their surgery. It’s important to be aware that the price of surgery is inclusive of all aftercare and it is not possible to just pay for an aftercare package if you feel you are not being looked after properly by your chosen provider. This is why it is so important to choose carefully and make sure whoever you decide to have surgery with, that they will listen to you and look after you.

I would love for that to be us, but whoever you choose, good luck and let us know if you have any questions.

Planning your surgery

This is a major undertaking and is elective surgery so needs to be planned carefully and done at the optimum time. Ideally you would be stable with your body shape before undergoing any surgery because if there are fluctuations after the surgery then this can have an unpredictable effect on your result.

This means that you need to let your body settle after having children and ideally have finished your family before considering surgery.

It normally takes at least six months for things to start to settle and ideally a year by which time not only would your body have had a chance to get over the changes associated with pregnancy but your child will also be a little bit older and perhaps easier to manage. All these things need to be taken in to account.

It is a similar situation with weight loss in that you need to avoid weight fluctuations after surgery and so need to be comfortable and stable with your weight to give you the best chance of a good long-term outcome.

Mummy Makeover

Get a quote

Don't take our word for it

View testimonials

Listen to Kerry’s mummy makeover experience!

What to expect

01. Candidates

The best candidates for a mummy makeover are people who have been left with empty loose skin following weight loss or pregnancy. It is important that your weight is stable and so if you are still in the process of losing weight then you should defer surgery until you have got down to your target weight and are comfortable that you can maintain this weight. We do not work on a specific BMI but a BMI of 30 is used as a guide above which your risks of surgery are higher and your outcome is likely to be worse. Ideally your BMI should be below 30 but more importantly you should be comfortable and stable with your weight.

You should be a non-smoker as smoking significantly increases your risk of wound healing problems and this can be catastrophic with a mummy makeover because the wounds are always closed tightly in order to give you the best possible result. For this reason if you are unable to stop smoking then we would advise that you do not undergo a mummy makeover.

We need to make sure that your goals are aligned with our expectations which is why we take care to ensure that you are given the time in space to talk to us in the clinic and there is never any pressure to proceed in fact we always encourage you to come back and go over things at least once before committing to anything.

We will work hard to ensure that you are the best candidate physically and psychologically before offering you the surgery and in this way we aim to get the best results for our patients.

02. Personal Consultation

Cosmetic surgery is a very personal decision and not one that can be made over a telephone call or an email. Whilst we are very open to discuss matters in general with you in an informal basis, when it comes to planning surgery we feel that this has been to be done in a face-to-face manner between you and your surgeon.

All of our surgeons are fully trained plastic surgeons and when you see one of our surgeons at the clinic, this will be your consultant who will see you through all of your treatment. Our surgeons work together and support each other but you will ultimately be under the care of one consultant plastic surgeon which is why it is important to develop a personal rapport and relationship by having as many consultations as you need over as long as a period as is necessary.

When you come for a consultation at The STAIANO Clinic, you are not just paying for a consultation, you will be qualifying for a Clinic Passport. There is no timeframe and no limit to the number of consultations you can have with your surgeon before undergoing surgery.

We believe the quality and care that we put into our consultations is what set us apart from others.

03. What happens in a Mummy Makeover

Whilst all of your consultations will be at The STAIANO Clinic, your mummy makeover surgery will be performed at one of our partner hospitals all of which have general anaesthetic facilities and overnight care with 24-hour medical input.

As well as having as many consultations with your surgeon as you need to get your questions answered and a surgical plan in place, you will also have a pre-admission appointment to go over your medical history prior to your admission to the hospital.

On the day of surgery you will be admitted a few hours before your procedure and you will be given instructions regarding where to go and what to bring. You will be seen again by your surgeon before your operation as well as your anaesthetist to go over any last-minute plans. The idea is that at this stage you will be fully comfortable with everything and so often the stress will fall away as you look forward to your new body.

When you wake up from the surgery you will be in the recovery area and you will be placed in a sitting up position to take the tension off your abdomen and no doubt everything will feel tight and unfamiliar. All the dressings would have been put on as well as any binders or garments that are necessary and we will make sure you are comfortable before we transfer you back to your room on the ward.

Once back in your room, your personal nurse will make sure you are comfortable with your dressings and garments and administer regular painkillers to ensure that you are able to move about comfortably.

For the first 24 hours you will need assistance in getting up and mobilising around your room which we will encourage to keep your blood circulating and reduce your risk of DVT.

Your surgeon will visit you after your operation as well as every day that you are in the hospital to monitor your progress and plan your discharge. When your pain is controlled and you are comfortable moving about, you will be discharged home with the contact details for the clinic nurse as well as a 24 hour number for any out of hours concerns.

04. Recovery

You will probably find it more comfortable to walk hunched over for the first week or two after surgery and this will gradually get easier every day.

It will be difficult to shower in the first week after surgery and you will need to be creative with washing in order to avoid getting the dressings too soaked.

Our clinic nurse will be in touch to ensure your well-being and make arrangements for you to have your dressings removed at around a week postop.

Your surgeon will normally see you at around six weeks postop and the whole clinic team will be available to you at any time should you have any questions or concerns.

05. Results

You will see your results immediately and this can be quite an emotional experience. However it takes several months for things to settle and so you will need to be patient before you can see your final result.

You will inevitably have scars and this will have been discussed with you preoperatively. These often increase in their colour and their firmness over the first few weeks before softening and fading over the coming months.

The shape of both your abdomen and breast will settle over the first few months particularly your breasts.

There is often abnormal sensations in all areas and this can take many months to return to normal and occasionally there may be persistent numbness. It is important to avoid anything too strenuous in the first one to 2 months and to avoid sun exposure to the scars while they are red and obvious which is usually the first 3 to 6 months.

Most of your wounds will be healed in the first few weeks but it can take 6, 12 or even 18 months for everything to settle in terms of the colour and feel of your scars and to get the final shape of your breast and abdomen.

Breast Lift

Probably the best way to tighten the skin if it has stretched and sagged, is with a breast lift.

A breast lift involves removing the excess skin and repositioning your nipple so that it sits higher and more central on your newly reshaped breast.

Your cup size will not change significantly after a breast lift as it is mainly the shape that is addressed rather than the size of your breasts.

Breast Implants

If it is just the size of your breasts that you are unhappy with and you are happy with the shape, then breast implants might be your best option.

Breast implants are the best way to increase the size of your breasts and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit your frame and compliment your current breast shape.

If your breasts are very droopy, it may not be appropriate to use implants alone and you may need a breast lift with implants.

Breast Life With Implants

If it is the size and the shape of your breasts that you dislike, then you may need a breast lift with implants (if they are too small) or a breast reduction (if they are too big).

A breast lift with implants (or augmentation mastopexy) will reshape and lift your breast as well as adding volume.

It can be transformational to the breast but it is quite a major undertaking and needs a comprehensive discussion with your surgeon to make sure that it is the right choice for you.

Breast Reductions

As the name suggests, a breast reduction will make your breasts smaller if they are too big. However, a breast reduction will also lift your breasts and improve the shape.

At the same time as reducing the size of your breasts, the tissue is re-arranged and the nipple is repositioned and so the shape is improved in the same way as a breast lift.

A breast lift is an integral part of a breast reduction.

Full Tummy Tuck

A full tummy tuck is probably the most common type of tummy tuck. It involves reshaping the whole abdomen and repositioning the belly button.

The resulting scar extends from hip to hip and we aim to keep it low down in your bikini line. There is also a scar around your belly button.

A full tummy tuck addresses the whole of the front of the abdomen but does not address the sides in the ‘love handle’ area, however a full tummy tuck can be combined with liposuction to address these areas.

Mini Tummy Tuck

A mini tummy tuck leaves a scar that is shorter than a full tummy tuck and is in a similar area in the bikini line.

There is no scar around the belly button although the belly button can sometimes look ‘pulled down’.

A mini tummy tuck addresses a bulge in the lower part of your abdomen below your belly button and can flatten the contour and improve any overhang, especially if you have a scar there such as from a Caesarian Section.

Fleur-de-Lis

A Fleur-de-Lis tummy tuck is a more extensive tummy tuck compared with a full tummy tuck and is usually reserved for massive weight loss patients.

There is a scar from hip to hip as well as a vertical scar centrally going down and around the belly button in an inverted T-shape.

Although the scarring is more extensive, the benefit of a Fleur-de-Lis tummy tuck is that it narrows the waist and removes skin in two directions – up and down, as well as side to side. However, the scarring is more obvious and the risk of complications is greater, so the pros need to weighed against the cons.

Circumferential Tummy Tuck

A circumferential tummy tuck is also known as a 360degree lift or a belt lipectomy or a lower body lift. As the name suggests, it involves continuing the tummy tuck all the way around the back so that the scar meets itself and forms a complete circle around the body.

A circumferential tummy tuck is a major undertaking and is not a common procedure in the UK. It will remove and tighten the skin all the way around the body and as well as tightening the skin over the back, probably the biggest difference compared with a full tummy tuck is the amount of tightening at the sides.

*In general terms, the types of tummy tuck which have the greater amount of scarring and the higher risk of complications, also offer more opportunity for skin tightening and a greater transformation.

This is why you need to have a consultation so that we can assess you and talk about what can be achieved and weigh up the pros and cons and make a tailored plan to suit your body shape and your desired outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ask a question

Is a mummy makeover right for me?

I would like to make one thing clear from the outset and that is that a mummy makeover is not right for everybody. It is a major undertaking and should not be taken on lightly. Having said that, it can completely transform your body in a single operation and has a dramatic effect on both the physical and emotional burdens that dramatic weight loss and pregnancy can have on you.

What are the benefits of a Mummy Makeover?

The mummy makeover is extremely popular because it offers a complete transformation of your torso in one operation.

Despite the length of surgery it is often extremely well tolerated because it is only soft tissues that are being operated on and it is usually the tummy tuck that you will feel more than the breast procedure.

Whether you have only recently developed loose skin or have been living with it for years, within a few hours in theatre the changes that can be made by removing the hanging skin of your abdomen and contouring the rest of your breast and body whether that be by adding volume or tightening skin, can be truly life changing.

Will I need a general anaesthetic?

This is major surgery and will require a general anaesthetic. It is not the sort of surgery that can be done under Twilight anaesthetic due to the length of time of the surgery and the areas of the body that we need to work on.

Do I need to stay overnight?

You will need to stay at least one night in hospital in order to make sure that you have recovered fully from the anaesthetic and that you are mobile and able to cope at home before being discharged.

Will I need to change my dressings?

You will have dressings applied in theatre and then our clinic nurse will be in touch with you a day or so after your surgery to arrange your dressing clinic appointment at a week postop. This would involve removing your dressings and usually either no dressing or a light dressing as required. You will not be required to change any of your dressings yourself as we will fully support you and you will be under the care of your consultant and our clinic nurse.

Will I have drains?

Drains are being used less and less as they can be uncomfortable however we do still use drains for select operations. It is mainly bigger breast reductions and tummy tucks where drains are still used and so you may come out of theatre with drains. You can read more about drains after tummy tuck here

We will not expect you to go home with your drains as they are usually removed prior to your discharge and this will be discussed with you at the consultation.

Will I need to wear pressure garments?

We will supply you with a supportive post-operative bra and abdominal garment which we put on in theatre. This helps with the swelling and is for your comfort rather than acting like a pressure dressing. These will all be provided for you and our clinic nurse will support you to ensure the fit is right.

How do I know what combination of procedures I will need?

This is a difficult question to answer without having a face-to-face consultation at the clinic with one of our surgeons. The combination of procedures that you would need depends on your unique shape and size of your body as well as the outcome that you are hoping to achieve. We encourage you to have a 15 minute virtual consultation in the first instance in order to get a feel for our surgeons and our clinic but we will only be able to make a definitive plan once we have seen you in the clinic and sometimes this might take several consultations to come up with a plan that you feel really comfortable with (we do not charge after the initial consultation).

What are the risks of a Mummy Makeover?

The risks of a mummy makeover are the same as the risks of the independent individual operations and so would need to be considered if you are having the operations done separately. The benefit of having it done as one procedure is that you only have one period of rehabilitation and so if you do suffer a problem with the healing in both breast and tummy then they can be dealt with at the same time.

The issue is that because it is a bigger operation and two areas are being operated on, this does mean there is the potential for a complication in either or both areas.

As with most things there is no right answer and you would need to be comfortable with the risk of surgery before going ahead. While the risks are there, we do everything we can to reduce them and have robust processes to look after you and make sure that you get the best result possible.

How much does a Mummy Makeover cost?

Cost will vary depending on the combination of procedures that you choose but we will be happy to give you an idea of the costs by clicking here and filling in this form.

While we charge for the initial consultation, this charge includes your Clinic Passport and so you can come back to clinic as often as you need to go over things.

Furthermore, the cost of surgery is a one off fee and includes all of your aftercare, any dressings, and any revision surgery that may be required within the first six months.

Book online

We offer a variety of calls and in person consultations with the surgeons.

Some words from our patients

“Mr Staiano has done an amazing job for me! He listened to what I had to say and I was realistic with the results I wanted! The actual results far exceed them the results were amazing and I’m so pleased. I would 100% recommend Mr Staiano.”

Words by RM

Procedure: Mummy Makeover

“Everyone at Staiano were amazing. Attentive to my individual needs and compassionate and caring throughout my whole procedure. Communication before during and after was outstanding and went above n beyond my expectations. Mr Staiano was awesome!”

Words by KG

Procedure: Mummy Makeover

1 2