Paul F. Fortes, M.D., double Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, is an artist and a leading aesthetic plastic surgeon based in Houston, Texas. Dr. Fortes sees patients in two beautiful facilities in Memorial/ Town and Country and Galleria/River Oaks District in Houston. He is an owner of ACPS Spa and Rejuvenation Center, also in the two Houston locations, as well as ACPS The SurgiCenter, an AAAASF-certified state of the art four-operating room facility located in Memorial/Town and Country. He has lectured domestically and internationally on body contouring and now heads a safety course presented yearly at ASAPS’s The Aesthetic Meeting on body contouring surgery. Dr. Fortes attracts patients from the Greater Houston area as well as all over the United States and the world. Haute Beauty sits down with Dr. Fortes to learn what really makes up a Mommy Makeover, and how the procedure is different for everyone.
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HB: What is a Mommy Makeover?
This is a group of aesthetic surgical procedures for women who have had one or more term pregnancies that have resulted in physical changes to their breasts and body. These changes include volume loss and drooping of the breasts, new skin and muscle laxity of the abdomen wall, and new areas of fat accumulation in the hips and waist.
HB: How does the procedure work?
Each patient that comes in for Mommy Makeover is asked about the specific areas of aesthetic concerns and is examined to determine the best treatment options to meet her aesthetic goals. A thorough review of medical history is done to make sure that the patient is ready for surgery. The surgical treatment is designed to the needs of each patient, but these can include procedures like abdominoplasty, liposuction, fat grafting, breast augmentation, and breast lift.
HB: Who is the best candidate for this procedure?
The best candidate for a Mommy Makeover is a woman who is at least three to six months postpartum and post-breast feeding who is not planning any future pregnancies. She should be in a good state of health and back to a pre-pregnancy weight that is healthy, sustainable, and consistent with her desired lifestyle.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
HB: How does this treatment compare to others of the same nature?
A Mommy Makeover is not a "one-size-fits-all" operation. It is an individualized plan to make improvements in the body, breasts, or both and that is designed specifically to meet the aesthetic goals of each individual patient. The options can include mini or full abdominoplasty, liposuction to various areas of the body, fat grafting of the buttocks and/or breasts, augmentation of the breasts with an implant, breast lift surgery, breast reduction surgery, and ANY imaginable combination of these individual procedures.
HB: What does recovery look like?
The recovery will vary according to the scope of the operation. If the operation involves minor areas of liposuction and mini-abdominoplasty, then the recovery can be as short as a week or two! When the operation involves a full abdominoplasty, liposuction, and breast surgery, then the full recovery will be extended to 2-3 months. Recovery is also contingent on activities. During the first 24 hours the patient will be at bed rest in the facility where the surgery was performed. In the first week the patient will be walking is slight bent position. By the third week, the patient will be off narcotic pain medications and be ready to drive and return to light work activities. By the sixth week, the patient will be ready to start a light exercise program and a full and unrestricted exercise program by 3-6 months.
