Women often combine breast augmentation and tummy tuck surgery as part of a Mommy Makeover, but plastic surgeon Dr. Ellen Mahony in Westport, Connecticut, says there are excellent reasons for non-mothers to have the procedure, such as weight loss.
Westport, Connecticut (May 2014) — Dr. Ellen Mahony (www.drellenmahony.com), one of only a few female plastic surgeons in the Westport, CT area who performs Mommy Makeover surgery, says that in spite of the procedure’s recent rise in popularity, some people aren’t aware that it’s not just mothers who make good candidates.
“Although it has a catchy name, the designation is a little misleading,” Dr. Mahony says. “The Mommy Makeover was originally intended to address the most common aesthetic concerns of women who have had children, such as sagging breasts and loose skin on the abdomen, but being a mother is not necessary to get the surgery.”
“Mommy Makeover” is not a medical term, so there are no official guidelines regarding the specifics of the procedure.
“I usually include some form of breast enhancement, liposuction, and a tummy tuck in a Mommy Makeover,” says Dr. Mahony, who has practiced in Connecticut for years. “The procedures are done all at once for convenience and for a dramatic transformation. These options are especially well-suited to the bodies of women who have been pregnant, but they’re also popular with people who have never had children.”
Significant weight loss is one reason many non-parents undergo the surgery. When the body loses volume rapidly, as it does after bariatric surgery, the skin doesn’t have a chance to repair itself and shrink back into place.
“Many bariatric surgery patients struggle with loose skin once the weight is gone,” Dr. Mahony says. “Surgical excision is the only way to alleviate it, as no amount of diet or exercise will have any effect on the skin.”
Dr. Mahony emphasizes that prospective plastic surgery patients in Westport, Fairfield, and other Connecticut communities shouldn’t hesitate to pursue the surgery whether they have had children or not.
“There’s no physical reason someone with the same aesthetic concerns as a mother couldn’t undergo the procedure,” she says. “It comes with great physical and emotional benefits for all kinds of patients.”
Dr. Mahony says she believes her credentials and reputation as a female plastic surgeon make her uniquely attuned to the needs of her diverse patient base.
“I see patients of many different body types and backgrounds,” she says. “I know that I’m able to connect with them on a deeper level, because I understand the aesthetic demands placed on us. These demands are not unique to mothers, and I encourage anyone who needs a confidence boost to consider the procedure.”
