Want a tummy tuck with that?

Until now, patients were concerned about being under anesthesia too long. Or at least the time required for breast surgery and a tummy tuck, the popular procedures often referred to as a ‘mommy makeover.’

The procedure got that name because, as you may already know, pregnancy and nursing can be very hard on the mother’s body.

As a fetus grows into full term, the mother’s stomach muscles are often stretched beyond the point of rebound.

After birth, those loosened muscles allow the abdomen to bulge in a small – but nonetheless bothersome – pot belly.

Breasts don’t fare much better. After being filled with extra fluids and tissue they are then emptied, resulting in sagging.

Many of these women often say to cosmetic surgeons and plastic surgeons: “I just want my pre-baby body back!”

And have it they shall. In safety and at a rate less pricey than undergoing separate breast augmentation and tummy tuck proceudures. Plus, you can imagine the benefits of going through only one recovery period!

Reported in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, one practice studied the health records of 268 women who had a mommy makeover from 1997 to 2007.

The breast surgeries included:

• Breast enhancements only
• Breast lifts only
• Augmentation and breast lifts
• Breast reduction
• Removal and replacement of breast implants

The procedures were all performed by highly experienced, Los Angeles board-certified plastic surgeons in a certified surgery center. While the patients had no additional risk from the combined surgery, it does not mean all practices, everywhere will deliver the same results.

You still must do your plastic surgery homework and check on certification of the surgeons and surgery center.

Tummy tucks included:

• Mini tummy tucks
• Full tummy tucks
• Circumferential tummy tucks, or, lower body lift
• Reverse tummy tuck (for excess skin above the belly button).

(Read more about the breast enlargement and tummy tuck study.)

Study results showed no life threatening conditions. Thirteen percent of the patients asked for revisions, meaning they wanted some part, or the entire, procedure done over again. Most of those requests involved tummy tuck scars or seromas, pockets of clear fluid.

Complications for the combined procedure was close to the rates for doing each surgery by itself.

In this video, Jennifer, a young middle school teacher with four toddlers, sees a Minnesota plastic surgeon for breast augmentation and goes ahead with the procedure. Like many moms, Jennifer only wants to restore her bosom to where she was before marriage and children. It’s non-gory, G-rated, has very minimal nudity and wonderful classical music.

View the breast augmentation video.