Mommy Makeover Procedures Barrie, Ontario
What is involved in a Mommy Makeover?
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
Tummy tuck, also referred to an Abdominoplasty, is a surgical operation to improve the appearance of an abdomen which protrudes and has loose skin. The Procedure removes excess skin and tightens the abdomen.
Pregnancy can cause stress on the abdominal muscles, causing them to stretch apart resulting in sagging or rippling skin and/or stretch marks.
Related: Liposuction Cost in Canada
Regain your youthfulness and restore your breasts and tummy after pregnancy.
Are you a Mommy considering a makeover of your breasts and tummy? A Mommy Makeover isn’t a procedure itself, but a combination of procedures performed by Plastic Surgeons. Each person is unique, which is why you must consult with Dr. Dickie to decide which procedure or combination of procedures is best for you.
How Does a Tummy Tuck Work?
For many people, it doesn’t matter how clean their diet is or how often they work out; their tummy just refuses to lose the excess fat. A tummy tuck, referred to in the professional world as an abdominoplasty, can combat this issue. Tummy tucks work by removing both the undesired fat deposits and excess skin, oftentimes also correcting the muscles of your abdominal wall. The result is a firmer, tighter tummy. The actual process can take anywhere from one to five hours, depending on how complex the procedure is. The operation will require you to be asleep through the use of an anesthetic, which is an important thing to keep in mind for those who are averse to being “put under,” so to speak.
The rest of the process depends on which method you and Dr. Dickie have chosen: full or mini abdominoplasty. With full abdominoplasty, Dr. Dickie will make a straight incision across your your lower abdomen (hip area) and perform the muscle tightening and skin removal. If you require less correction, you can choose to go with the mini-abdominoplasty, which will require a smaller incision and can even be performed using an endoscope.
Dr. Kenneth Dickie, M.D., F.R.C.S. [C] • Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Kenneth Dickie, Director of the Royal Centre of Plastic Surgery, is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and a member of both the American and Canadian Societies of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery. As Chief of Plastic Surgery at Royal Victoria Hospital and a member of the teaching faculty of U. of T., Dr. Dickie will guide you in making the right decision.
Breast Augmentation/Breast Lift
Pregnancy and breast feeding may cause the breasts to become ptotic (saggy) and can leave loose, excess skin. The breasts may also appear to be smaller or deflated. Dr. Dickie will help in guiding you to the correct breast surgery required.
A breast augmentation or a breast lift (or both) may be required to restore the breasts back to a more youthful appearance.
Call Us 705.726.2800 • 1.855.726.2800
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Abdominoplasty Frequently Asked Questions
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[pane title=”Can exercise tighten the skin without abdominoplasty?”]Unfortunately no. Exercise is good for the mind and body in general, and toning the muscles can help fill out loose skin in the vicinity. By suppressing the appetite, and by slightly increasing the metabolism, exercise can assist weight loss. But there is no such thing as a “spot” exercise, to make the body lose weight in a certain area, nor to make the skin tighter. Excercise can increase muscle bulk, and that in turn can make skin look tighter in some areas, but exercise cannot tighten the loose abdominal skin. To date, only surgery can accomplish that.[/pane]
[pane title=”Is abdominoplasty a good way to lose weight?”]No, abdominoplasty is not a good method for weight loss. Not only is it less effective for people who are obese, but also the results are less than ideal, and there are increased risks for the significantly overweight person. The best candidates are those who have attained their correct body weight, and yet still have the abdominal problems which do not respond to further weight loss or exercise. After a consultation examination, Dr. Dickie often prescribes a diet program for overweight patients as preparation for abdominoplasty.[/pane]
[pane title=”Does abdominoplasty take care of cellulite?”]There is nothing mystical or special about “cellulite”, it is just fat, but it is fat located just under the skin, making a rippled look that is quite apparent. Abdominoplasty removes some of this cellulite fat also, but it is difficult to eliminate entirely. Weight loss by dieting is the best way. Sometimes, these skin irregularities can become more noticeable after abdominoplasty.[/pane]
[pane title=”Does abdominoplasty take care of stretch marks?”]Stretch marks are scars. They are produced by distension of the skin, but only in situations in which there are various hormones circulating, as in pregnancy and puberty. Those stretch marks located on the lower abdomen will be removed with the extra skin. Those located on the upper abdomen will be shifted downward as the skin is brought downward. The stretch marks that remain are tightened and smoothed out somewhat.[/pane]
[pane title=”Will abdominoplasty tighten up loose skin?”]Yes, that is one of the main purposes of abdominoplasty.[/pane]
[pane title=”What are the techniques of abdominoplasty?”]The excessive loose skin of the lower abdomen is removed, and the remaining skin is repositioned, stretched smooth, and tightened. Lower stretch marks are removed, and upper stretch marks are lowered down. Any low fat roll is removed or redistributed. The muscles are tightened and cinched together to accentuate the waistline. Sometimes liposuction is used as an adjunct procedure along with the abdominoplasty. Frequently, female patients may choose to have simultaneous breast enlargement via the navel leaving no additional scars, (or by other methods).[/pane]
[pane title=”Costs”]The fees for abdominoplasty by Dr. Dickie include preoperative testing, operating room, anesthesiologist, supplies, medications, dressings, surgeon’s fee, recovery room, overnight stay, and office checkups for 12 months, and the cost depends upon which surgical facility is used.
One can find surgeons offering lower fees for this surgery, and although lower fees do not necessarily mean that the surgeon is not experienced, there are several questions to which prospective patients must learn the answers:
- Is the surgeon certified by The Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons or The American Society of Plastic Surgeons?
- Does the surgeon have considerable experience with the surgery?
- Is the surgical facility fully accredited for general anesthesia?
- Will there be an M.D. Anesthesiologist present?
- Will the surgeon be doing the surgery himself/herself?
- Can you be sure the surgeon is not just supervising trainees?
- Does the quoted fee include everything listed above?
You want to be certain the answer is yes to all of these before deciding.
All cosmetic surgery is prepaid, but various financing options are available. It is not appropriate for health insurance to cover cosmetic surgery, and abdominoplasty is almost always cosmetic surgery. In some rare situations, such as after massive weight loss, or presence of an abdominal hernia or similar problem, health insurance assistance may be appropriate, and only in such a case would Dr. Dickie submit abdominoplasty to a patient’s insurance company.
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[pane title=”Where are the scars after abdominoplasty?”]There is always a scar around the navel. There is almost always a low horizontal scar across the lower abdomen just above the hairline. Sometimes there is also a short vertical scar above the pubic area. A person whose problem is only laxity of the muscles, rather than skin excess, may be able to have endoscopic abdominoplasty, leaving only the scar at the navel and a short scar above the pubic hairline.[/pane]
[pane title=”Can the problems come back after abdominoplasty?”]Fat cannot come back unless one gains weight again, in which case all body areas will share in the weight gain. However, after abdominoplasty the treated area has a permanently decreased capacity for additional fat, because so many of the fat cells have simply been removed. But there are still fat cells present, so some gain in that area is to be expected with weight gain. Skin stretches with the passage of time, and so as the years go by there will be more skin, and for the same reason the muscles will gradually stretch out again. Nevertheless, a better contour after surgery is in a sense permanent, in that no matter what the person’s age, the benefits remain.[/pane]
[pane title=”Is abdominoplasty surgery painful?”]Yes, moderately so, because of the tightening of the muscles that is almost always included. All the patients are given strong narcotic pills to take at home, and limit their activities accordingly.[/pane]
[pane title=”What is the recovery period after abdominoplasty?”]Recovery time depends on the individual, but usually follows a general pattern. For the first five to seven days, the patients take fairly strong pain medicine, usually a mild narcotic. During this time they generally stay at home, and they cannot drive a car or operate machinery. Near the one-week mark, when they are on milder medicine, they can start light exercise, such as walking, treadmill, stationary bike, but not impact exercises like running or aerobics. The second week, weights or exercise machines can be added, and then after three weeks, running and aerobics can be done. The point at which work can be resumed depends upon how the work activities fit into the progression described above, and this is individualized. Dr. Dickie often recommends that an elastic binder be worn for varying lengths of time.[/pane]
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Breast Augmentation Frequently Asked Questions
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[pane title=”Who is a candidate for breast enlargement?”]
- women with underdeveloped breasts
- women, who had more breast tissue at one point in their life, but developed
- sagging breasts through weight loss, pregnancy or aging.
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[pane title=”Can a woman breast feed after breast augmentation?”]If a woman would be able to breast feed without implants, YES, is the answer.
Various studies have shown that breast feeding can be an issue for small breasted women. It is likely that implants will not have an effect either way. Regardless of the type of implant used, there is no known risk to the infant.[/pane]
[pane title=”Do breasts with implants sag over time?”]Factors such age due to the loss of elasticity, weight loss, or even the weight of the implant can cause the breast to relax and can cause sagging. However, though the implants can add some weight to the breasts, the surrounding scar tissue can provide some support for the tissue in the breast.[/pane]
[pane title=”What is a mastopexy?”]A breast lift can be performed surgically if a woman with or without implants feels that her breasts have sagged. If there is excessive sagging, then a breast lift may be performed at the same time as an augmentation.[/pane]
[pane title=”Are silicone implants safe in the body?”]The FDA and thousands of accredited researchers have approved silicone gel implants and saline filled implants for breast augmentation.[/pane]
[pane title=”Which implant lasts longer, saline or silicone?”]The failure rate of a saline filled implant and silicone filled implant is the same. This stands true only if the saline implants are filled to their optimum value. Saline implants, filled below the optimal suggested value, may experience excessive rippling and will consequently not last as long as the silicone filled implant.[/pane]
[pane title=”Which implants are more natural?”]When saline filled implants are filled beyond the manufacturer’s so-called maximum volume, the breast will appear the same as a silicone filled implant. However, some women prefer the very natural feel to the touch of a silicone implant.[/pane]
[pane title=”How is the correct implant size chosen?”]Dr. Dickie will discuss your desired implant size, not by comparing yourself to your friends, who will most likely have a different body type than you, but by a thorough discussion of your expectations and desired look. In your discussion with Dr. Dickie, you will be deciding upon the desired bra size. Your band number won’t change with a breast augmentation, only your cup size. Dr. Dickie will take measurements of your breast, in particular, the diameter of the base of the breast. This will determine the amount of CCs that your chest wall is able to accommodate. [/pane]
[pane title=”Do the implants ripple or wrinkle?”]In general, the degree of wrinkling or rippling can become more apparent in the patient if the patient is thin with a thinner fatty layer in the breast, a smaller pre operative breast size or whether the implant is saline or silicone.
Factors that will help to decrease apparent rippling would be if the patient has a thicker fatty layer, larger pre operative, silicone rather than saline filled and smooth surfaced implants.
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[pane title=”Can I take my herbal medication before my operation?”]Prior to surgery, Dr. Dickie will ask you to refrain completely from taking any medication containing an anti inflammatory agent. For safety reasons, herbal medication should be discontinued two weeks prior to surgery.[/pane]
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