MOMMY CLINIC

One or more pregnancies can have a significant effect on a young woman’s body.

Sagging skin in the breast and belly area, loss of volume in the breasts, umbilical hernias or weakened muscles are examples of the unpleasant side-effects. Luckily, there are several tried-and-true surgical solutions that are available at the Coupure Centre/EMC2.

Earlier this year, we began looking at all these problems together. It is possible to combine various aesthetic procedures during the same period in order to make a young mom’s body look like it once did.

In the belly area, we can perform a traditional abdominoplasty, which involves the relocation of the belly button and the removal of sagging skin (usually with stretchmarks). During this procedure, it is possible to repair a small umbilical hernia or make the abdominal muscles firmer.

If the patient has undergone a caesarean section, we can correct or remove the resulting scar. Sometimes, it is not necessary to perform a full abdominoplasty. Instead, a “Hollywood Tummy Tuck” or mini abdominoplasty will be enough to tighten the loose skin at the bottom of the belly.

This procedure can be combined with a breast correction during the same operation.

It is common for the volume of a woman’s breasts to decrease as a result of weight fluctuations and breastfeeding. The most common solution is a small breast enlargement in order to restore the lost volume. This does not necessarily mean that the breasts will end up being larger than before the pregnancy: a small prosthesis may also be sufficient. This will all be discussed in detail during the first consultation. Sometimes, it is necessary to tighten the loose skin in order to create firm breasts. This is usually done with a vertical incision, although sometimes an anchor-shaped scar will be necessary.

In case of extreme loss of volume in the breasts, we may propose a hybrid breast enlargement. This involves making the breasts bigger with a combination of a prosthesis and one’s own fat. This fat will be removed via liposuction, e.g. from the love handles or the thighs. The advantage of this hybrid solution is that the prosthesis will be less noticeable, and the result will therefore look and feel more natural.

The latest trend that is offered alongside this classic mommy makeover is intimate surgery. Particularly after a vaginal birth, these tissues have undergone significant stress. Plastic surgeon Dr Pieter Vermeulen specialises in this form of genital aesthetics: “Pregnancies also lead to swelling and mechanical stress in the labia, just like in the breasts. This results in the same laxity in that area.”

The most well-known procedure is the labiaplasty, which involves the tightening of the inner labia. This procedure is growing in popularity. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the demand for this procedure grew by 36% last year. Dr Vermeulen: “Our centre offers the classic technique with a V-wedge that results in natural scars. We can even go beyond that. We can strengthen the vaginal wall itself, either via lipofilling or by tightening the muscles in the area. Lipofilling can also be used to make the outer labia look younger and fuller.”

By offering this intimate surgery in our mommy clinic, the final piece of the puzzle is now available. This form of surgery used to be plagued by taboo, which should not be the case in this day and age.