Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery that removes excess fat deposits from the body. Liposuction is not a surgery performed for weight loss as much as it is a surgery for perfecting or correcting the contours of the body for a more visually pleasing silhouette.

Liposuction is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States. One of the reasons that it is so popular, is that it addresses a multitude of problems. For those who are in their ideal weight, or slightly over, liposuction can remove stubborn fatty areas that drive you crazy. For example, those who are frustrated with touching thighs, or love handles, or saddle bags, liposuction corrects all of this. If you want a trim, tight waistline, liposuction can achieve this for you. Secondarily, it is a great adjunct for Gynecomastia, a condition where fat enlarges the breast tissue of men. Or removing Lipomas, which are benign fatty tumors that can develop as we age. Liposuction is a wonderful tool for creating those smooth contours you have always desired.

Dr. Larsen & His Liposuction Technique

Dr. Larsen is a double board-certified plastic surgeon who has been practicing for over 22 years. He has been performing liposuction successfully for many years. During liposuction, he uses an instrument called a cannula, which is a small, hollow, cylindrical surgical tool that allows fat to be suctioned through it without harming the surrounding tissues.

He makes small incisions in well-hidden areas and inserts the cannula just under the surface of the skin into the fatty tissue below. The cannulas he uses are small ranging in size from 2-6mm. The smaller the cannula, the more detailed the results can be and these are usually used for Liposculpture of the face and neck for instance. The desired amount of fat is then removed and the contours of your tissue are reshaped and the incisions are closed. Dr. Larsen is an extremely skilled surgeon and is known for creating natural-looking results. You will be pleased with the results of this surgery.

Are You a Good Candidate for Liposuction?

If you are considering Liposuction, it’s important to realize that this is a procedure for contouring and not weight loss. It’s common for people to think that liposuction can be a quick fix for weight loss, but the truth is there is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet and exercise are the best way to lose weight, and liposuction is meant to contour problem areas of the body.

Good candidates for a Liposuction procedure have the following:

• Maintained a healthy weight for at least a year.
• They are within 30% of their ideal BMI and have firm skin with good elasticity as well as a healthy muscle tone.
• A non-smoker.
• Have a positive outlook and realistic expectations of what is possible.

Remember, liposuction is not a quick fix. The typical recovery to being pain-free is a few days to a week or two. Swelling and your final contours will actually take several months. But you should be extremely happy with the results within 4-6 weeks. You should notice a significant result as soon as your first post-op visit.

Many patients are curious about the process of liposuction. Every procedure at Buckhead Plastic Surgery begins with a consultation. Call us today to book a consultation and Dr. Larsen and his talented staff will welcome you into our office. We will sit with you and listen to your concerns and answer all your questions. We will present you with all the possible treatment options for your optimal results.

If you’re looking to get a mommy makeover, chances are you want to know everything you possibly can before scheduling a consultation. And you should. After all, a mommy makeover consists of multiple procedures, and if you don’t do your homework, how will you know you’ve found the right surgeon? 

Knowing what questions to ask your plastic surgeon during a consultation can help you feel more confident in what you want and in your doctor’s abilities. Furthermore, you want to make sure your doctor understands your goals and needs. Every mommy has different expectations for a mommy makeover, and every person’s body is different and needs to be handled with unique attention and care. The right doctor like Dr. Alan Larsen, founder of Buckhead Plastic Surgery, will have the experience and training required to recognize these individual needs, but he will also have the caring and understanding to answer your questions honestly and make you feel at ease before going into surgery. 

Dr. Alan Larsen brings a unique perspective to the category of mommy makeovers in his 22 years of cosmetic plastic surgery and his double board-certified qualifications. He is one of the earliest pioneers of the body lift and has perfected the procedure. Thigh lifts, body lifts, augmentation/mastopexy combinations (lift and enlarge breast), were all relatively unpracticed procedures until Dr. Larsen opened his practice here in Atlanta. Truly inventing what is now referred to as a “mommy makeover”, Dr. Larsen’s work is unmatched. 

For More info about the Mommy Makeover Download our Ebook: “THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO MOMMY MAKEOVERS”

What to Expect

Dr. Larsen emphasizes safety first. Mommy makeovers include a combination of procedures. Depending on Dr. Larsen’s evaluation, your desires, the number of 

procedures involved, your individual health and history, a surgical plan will be created where your procedures can be performed safely, whether performed all at once or over a period of time. Either way, your health is prioritized as well as ensuring your optimal results to meet your needs. Whether you 

choose Dr. Larsen or another surgeon, you should prioritize your safety first.

A mommy makeover is a combination of procedures performed at once or over time to help you gain back the body that was lost after childbirth. These procedures help a mother restore parts of the body that were heavily impacted by childbirth and pregnancy that took a toll on your body. After pregnancy and childbirth, mothers notice their figure has changed and it is difficult, if not impossible, to restore by diet and exercise alone. Other common problems include sagging skin around the abdomen, buttocks, breasts, and arms, which can be addressed with a mommy makeover.

Dr. Larsen’s vast experience allows him to assess your individual needs and provide you with the best surgical plan for your mommy makeover. You are able to take his expertise and advice and make the decision that you feel most comfortable with. You can trust that your personalized plan is going to yield the best outcome based on your wants and needs. Dr. Larsen and his team will guide you every step of the way, ensuring the best experience 

and results for you. 

Surgeons like Dr. Larsen will also ask you about any medical conditions, drug allergies, medicaltreatments you currently have or have had, to determine if the surgeries will be safe for you. Additionally, you will also be asked about any medications, supplements, vitamins, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs you may be taking. It is crucial, to be honest with these answers as they can impact your immediate health and your results. Your doctor is only asking for this disclosure to ensure you have a safe surgery because all procedures done during a mommy makeover require general anesthesia. Certain medications or things such as smoking and alcohol, not only can react negatively with anesthesia but may also impact your healing and increase your risks of complications. 

Furthermore, Dr. Larsen or one of Buckhead Plastic Surgery’s patient coordinators will also ask you about any previous surgeries you have had, your diet and exercise routine, along with weight gain and loss and other risk factors you may have for surgery. These questions are asked to further understand you as a patient and to fine-tune your treatment options. By obtaining the information given, Dr. Larsen will formulate your general health evaluation. He will also examine the areas you want operated on to make a note of their size, shape, and skin thickness. This evaluation helps Dr. Larsen determine the best routes for surgery, including what kind of incision needs to be made, what type of breast implants will work best if you decide on breast augmentation, etc. Knowing this Dr. Larsen will further guide you as to the procedure or procedures to be performed. By combining this complete knowledge of your health history along with your goals and desires, you and Dr. Larsen will have chosen the best surgical path for your personalized mommy makeover. 

For years, mothers have looked into the mirror post-pregnancy and closely examined the ways in which their bodies have changed. As a new mom, you may notice you have fat in places you didn’t before, a pouch in your tummy, sagging breasts, and more. This is because pregnancy and childbirth take a huge toll on your body, which you probably realized very quickly during and after giving birth. 

You may have also noticed a large number of celebrity moms who seem to bounce back after childbirth without a hitch. Contrary to what you may think, they are not superhumans. Many celebrity moms work with nutritionists and trainers to keep themselves fit and healthy during pregnancy, making it easier for their body to recover after giving birth, without any extra weight gain. They also work with trainers during their recovery, which expedites the process. And for what exercise and a healthy diet can’t fix, there’s the mommy makeover.

A mommy makeover is a set of cosmetic procedures meant to restore your postpartum body, or at the very least enhance some of what was lost during pregnancy and childbirth. These procedures commonly include a breast lift and/or enhancement, which helps to restore breasts that may have lost their fullness from breastfeeding. Liposuction can assist in removing stubborn fat deposits that may develop during pregnancy, especially around the midsection. Furthermore, a tummy tuck helps restore a tight midsection and get rid of the dreaded “pouch.” 

What procedures are in a mommy makeover?

There are a few different procedures that can be included in a mommy makeover, but which procedures you receive are up to you and Dr. Larsen, which is discussed in detail during your consultation.  Most of the procedures included in a mommy makeover target the abdomen, breasts and buttocks, since these areas are typically the most affected areas during pregnancy and childbirth. Mommy makeovers can include the following procedures:

Breast Augmentation—a breast augmentation, informally referred to as a “boob job,” uses breast implants or fat transferred from other areas of the body to enhance the natural shape and size of your breasts. With different types of implants available, you can enhance your breasts’ volume, which may have been depleted after breastfeeding. However, if your breasts have drooped since breastfeeding, you might also consider a breast lift. Dr. Larsen will advise the need for a lift at your consultation.

The procedure involves making an incision around the breast—either around the areola (the skin surrounding the nipple), in the fold under the breast, or in some cases in the armpit—and then inserting the implant. If you have saline implants, your doctor will insert the silicone shell into your breast and then fill with the saline solution once it’s in place. A silicone implant will be inserted whole, which means they usually require slightly larger incisions than saline implants.Full recovery time is a couple of months, but you will be able to move your upper body more and partake in light, lower-body exercise after 3 weeks. 

Breast Lift—a breast lift helps reshape sagging breasts that have lost their elasticity due to swelling and breastfeeding. The procedure is meant to give your breasts a more youthful and taught appearance; it is not designed to increase or reduce the size of your breasts. Your breast may appear larger once lifted. Even though the volume did not change, it significantly enhances the appearance. 

The procedure involves removing excess skin from around the breasts and then tightening the skin around the areola. Then, the areola is lifted, which helps reshape the breasts. Dr. Larsen may choose to reshape some of the breast tissue as well. Sometimes, surgeons will even remove some skin from the areola if they have become disproportionately stretched. Recovery time is a couple of months, but you will be 

able to partake in light physical activity and cardio after the first three weeks. You may return to work in around 3-5 days. There is an increasing popularity in breast lifts combined with breast augmentations. Sometimes done in together, sometimes staggered, patients enjoy these two procedures for a full, firm bust, and smaller areolas.

Breast Reduction—a breast reduction is the opposite of a breast augmentation. In this procedure, breast tissue is removed to decrease the breasts’ volume. Sometimes, women’s breasts grow during pregnancy and don’t return to their previous size, or at least reduce to some extent. Overly large breasts can cause a number of physical issues, including back pains and difficulty engaging in physical activity. 

Under general anesthesia, your doctor will make incisions around your breasts and remove excess breast tissue and skin. The type of incision depends upon the shape and size of your breasts, how much skin is being removed, and where your areolas are positioned. After removing the skin and tissue, Dr. Larsen will lift the breasts, reposition the areolas, and close the cut with the sutures. Recovery will take acouple of months, although you will be able to partake in light, lower-body physical activity after 3 weeks (movement of the upper body should be limited in the first-month post-surgery). For the first couple of weeks, expect to wear a compression garment to keep your breasts in place while they heal. 

Tummy Tuck—a tummy tuck does two things: it removes extra sagging skin and tissue from your abdomen and tightens abdominal muscles that may have torn or become lax during pregnancy. If you notice a persistent pouch in your abdomen, and eating healthy and exercise doesn’t seem to help, then ask your plastic surgeon if a tummy tuck is right for you. This pouch occurs from damaged abdominal muscles that have been overly stretched during pregnancy and weight fluctuations. No amount of healthy diet and exercise can repair these muscles and skin. Dr. Larsen takes extra time to cut out the fatty tissue rather than liposuction it which allows for the smoothest, flattest result, unlike the lumps and bumps that can be left behind from liposuction alone. 

During the procedure, Dr. Larsen will make an incision along the bikini line and then lift the skin to repair damaged abdominal muscles. Once that’s complete, excess skin and tissue will be removed. If work needs to be done on the upper abdomen, then your doctor will make a second incision right below your belly button. Full recovery time is approximately 2 months, and your physical activity will be limited for a few weeks. Note that while a tummy tuck can remove stretch marks that are in the area being operated on, it is not designed to remove them. 

Dr. Larsen has taken tummy tucks a step further by pioneering and perfecting the belt lipectomy. In a belt lipectomy, excess skin is removed not only from the front along the bikini line, but additionally from the back above the curve of the butt. Dr. Larsen seamlessly creates incisions to blend the back, forming a “v” shape so that the lower back skin matches perfectly into the crease of the butt. An added

 benefit of the belt lipectomy is the resulting smoothing of the upper thigh area and potential reduction in cellulite appearance of the thigh and/or butt area. Patients have also reported a firmer, more lifted butt following the procedure. The belt lipectomy ensures the greatest possible results for the patient as excess skin is removed from all angles. 

Body Lift—much like a breast lift is supposed to reshape the breasts, a body lift is meant to reshape and tighten your body. The procedure includes a full tummy tuck and also lifts the buttocks, and thighs—all of which are notorious for losing their former firmness after giving birth. These areas of body sag more than other parts because the skin is thinner, thus its more susceptible to losing its elasticity. It should be noted that body lifts are not designed to remove excess fat—they are designed to tighten the skin to give a more youthful appearance. 

For More info about the Mommy Makeover Download our Ebook: “THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO MOMMY MAKEOVERS”

Body lifts are not exclusive to women, Dr. Larsen performs lifts for both men and women creating incredible results. 

One thing to be aware of with a body lift is that the incision needed for the procedure is circumferential, however, artists like Dr. Alan Larsen will make the incisions in places that can be easily hidden. A lower body lift requires incisions around the bikini area, and they are usually made on the bikini line and continue on the upper buttocks around the backside. After the unwanted skin and tissue are removed, your surgeon closes the incision with sutures, skin glue, and tape. Most patients return to work after 2-3 weeks, are cleared for activity and cardio at 3 weeks, and full activity including core at 8 weeks. 

Liposuction—many women develop extra pockets of fat in various areas of their body postpartum, including around the thighs, abdomen, back, upper arms, and the hips and buttocks. Liposuction can only target small pockets of fat; it is not designed to help people lose weight,that are overweight, or obese. 

Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure performed under local or general anesthesia, which is determined upon consultation with 

Dr. Larsen. The procedure requires the insertion of a narrow tube or cannula in the desired area to tumess the area which numbs and then loosens excess fat through a back and forth movement. Then, the fat is suctioned out. Once recovered, you should notice a new contour to your body. Recovery isn’t difficult, but Dr. Larsen may place temporary drains in the existing incisions so excess blood and fluid can be removed. Recovery with liposuction is very minimal, patients are able to return to work within 2-7 days. Compression garments are worn to speed recovery time and improve results. Skin tightening via BodyTite is often combined with liposuction to achieve maximum results andcontours.

Another technique that sets Dr. Larsen apart is liposuction to the mons, the area below the groin, which is done during every tummy tuck to allow for a smooth transition along the incision.

Labiaplasty—labiaplasty is a reconstruction of the inner vaginal lips (labia minora), which can be stretched and torn during 

childbirth. The stretching and tearing can leave flaps of skin that protrude outside of the protective labia majora (the thicker, hairy skin surrounding the vagina), which is often embarrassing and uncomfortable. Since labial skin is so delicate, protruding labia minora is subject to chafing during exercise and intercourse.  

During a labiaplasty, your doctors Dr. Larsen remove excess skin from the labia minora and stitches the remaining skin closed. You may experience bruising, swelling, and soreness post-surgery, but you should be able to take part in normal levels of physical activity after oneweek. However, you should refrain from intercourse for at least one-month post-surgery to ensure you have healed completely.

What to Know About a Mommy Makeover Before Getting Started

The first thing you need to know about a mommy makeover is that you have to wait at least six months after giving birth to qualify for any of the included procedures. This is because your body needs time to recover from the stress and trauma childbirth causes. No reputable cosmetic surgeon will approve a mommy makeover if your body is not fully healed from giving birth. 

Aside from this general requirement, there are several other criteria you must meet to be approved for a mommy makeover:

You must be at a healthy weight: Not only is the mommy makeover not designed to be a weight loss procedure, but your skin also cannot go through a proper resection if you aren’t close to your ideal weight. If you gained a lot of weight during your pregnancy, you should work to remove most of it before you decide to book a consultation. We suggest you be within 25 pounds of your ideal weight for optimal healing 

and results. 

You should be prepared financially: Expect to pay anywhere between $15,000 to $30,000 (sometimes even more) for a mommy makeover. Since a mommy makeover usually involves more than one procedure, it is also more expensive. Buckhead Plastic Surgery does offer several different financing options, through 3rd party companies such as Alphaeon Credit, CareCredit, Greek Sky, and Prosper. It is recommended to contact them and apply in advance of your consultation so you know what you are eligible for.

You should be done having children: Of course, this isn’t a requirement, but it is highly recommended that you’re done having children. The point of a mommy makeover is to restore your body to its postpartum state, and having another child after going through these strenuous surgeries has a high probability of ruining the results you paid so much for. You can always opt for more surgeries, but that is expensive, inconvenient and may entail additional procedures to lift and tighten the areas again.

Dr. Larsen wants his patients to be up and moving after surgery to get their blood flowing. Slower movements and some restrictions are advised after certain procedures but patients typically take 2-5 days off from work and can return to minimal activity at that time for the majority of the cosmetic surgeries Dr. Larsen performs. Cardio and full activity typically resumes at 2-3 weeks. Tummy tuck and belt lipectomy recovery is a bit more extensive and requires 2-3 weeks off from work with minimal activity, cardio resumes at 3 weeks and core and full activity at 2 months. 

Before going through surgery, you want to be as prepared as possible for your recovery time. You want to see your best results, so your body needs proper time to heal and recover. It helps to have a partner, friend, or family member around who can help you complete daily tasks. 

After the first week, you should be able to move around on your own (albeit slowly), but you won’t be able to complete more strenuous tasks like cleaning, cooking, or tending to your children. Plan to have someone help you care for your kids temporarily  if you don’t already have someone at home to help. 

During those first two weeks, you will not be able to lift more than 5-10 pounds, especially if you had work done on your breasts. However, after this period, plan to slowly start integrating small tasks into your routine. This includes taking walks around the house, lifting no more than five pounds, and light cleaning. Eventually, you’ll be able to incorporate more physical activity into your routine.

Last but not least, be sure to remember that the results you want aren’t going to be evident at first. Your body has been through a lot, so be patient with it and let it heal before examining yourself too closely in the mirror. If you ever have any concerns or questions about your recovery, just talk to Dr. Larsen and his medical team. 

Reviews of Mommy Makeovers at Buckhead Plastic Surgery

 “I’ve been coming to Dr. Larsen for 21 years. I’ve always very happy with my results.”

“All of my wants were taken care of. Dr. Larsen and his staff told me what to expect after the surgery and they were willing to answer any questions I had. I would definitely go back to them for any other surgery needs I may have or want and I would definitely send others to them.”

“The doctor was extremely knowledgeable, confident, and friendly. The wait time at the office was never more than a few minutes. The staff was very friendly and helpful. My body looks and feels a thousand times better than it did. The doctor did great work!!”

“From the beginning, everything was explained to me. His entire staff was fantastic! They answered all of my questions before and after surgery. The pain management was phenomenal and I had zero complications. I am very happy with my result and will definitely use them again in the future should I choose to have other procedures.”

Additional Sources: 

https://www.smartbeautyguide.com/procedures/body/lower-body-lift/ 

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/tummy-tuck 

https://www.smartbeautyguide.com/procedures/body/tummy-tuck/ 

https://www.smartbeautyguide.com/procedures/breast/breast-lift/