What Is the Best Treatment for a Postpartum Pooch?
After pregnancy, many women develop a postpartum pooch that often cannot be removed with diet and exercise alone. This blog discusses the pros and cons of CoolSculpting®, liposuction, tummy tuck, Mommy Makeover, and body lift as treatments for a postpartum pooch.
6 Min Read:
Bouncing Back After Pregnancy
There is no denying that pregnancy can be a magical and incredibly rewarding experience. In a matter of months, a beautiful bond between mother and child is created, forever changing their lives. While this connection and love continue far beyond the birth, many women discover that their beautiful pregnancy may have left behind less-than-desirable physical changes.
While many are prepared for hormonal and bodily changes during pregnancy, some women are not prepared for the physical challenges that remain with their bodies after they have given birth. These changes are normal and very common, as hormone changes continue for at least six months after childbirth. Weight gained during pregnancy tends to remain after birth. It may take several months to shed those extra pounds with a healthy diet and exercise, especially since many women struggle to find the time to prepare nutritious meals and get into a regular exercise routine. After all, they have new motherhood responsibilities to attend to.
What Is a Postpartum Pooch?
Carrying, delivering, and breastfeeding all take a toll on a woman’s body, and women are often left with a “pooch” in their lower stomach that no amount of exercise can remedy. The pooch usually looks like a disproportional bulge in the lower abdomen and can distract from your natural body contours.
The postpartum pooch—composed of unwanted extra skin and fat—can affect the entire figure and damage a mother’s self-confidence. Its protruding appearance is often the result of weakened or even separated abdominal muscles due to pregnancy. Only surgery can be used to tighten these muscles together again once they have weakened or separated.
However, there is good news. Even the most stubborn fat pockets and sagging skin can be treated cosmetically. There are several techniques designed to return a body to its pre-pregnancy size and shape, helping women restore and enhance their confidence in their bodies.
CoolSculpting®
CoolSculpting® has significantly risen in popularity over the years, and for a good reason. Much like its name implies, CoolSculpting® freezes away body fat, resulting in firmer and sleeker silhouettes. It does so by damaging the fat cells while leaving the healthy tissue alone, allowing the damaged fat cells to exit the body naturally. This procedure provides long-lasting results with little chance of complications.
Pros:
- Non-surgical, non-invasive procedure; no downtime and no scarring
- Not only treats the abdominal “pooch” but can also treat the lower back and thighs
- Up to a 20 to 25 percent gradual reduction of fatty tissue over 12 weeks
Cons:
- Provides subtle results; only ideal for those within or very close to their goal weight
- Not for patients with skin laxity or muscle separation
Liposuction
Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries, with over 300,000 procedures undergone last year alone. Liposuction uses hollow tubes inserted through small incisions to loosen unwanted fat before suctioning it out. Candidates for liposuction should be within 30 pounds of their ideal weight with firm and elastic skin. This is performed under general anesthesia to guarantee a painless procedure with long-lasting results.
Pros:
- Removes larger amounts of fat deposits compared to CoolSculpting®
- Targets specific trouble areas like the abdomen, thighs, arms, chest, back, and neck
- Uses small incisions
- Permanently removes fat from the body
Cons:
- Not intended for patients with skin laxity
- Incisions result in mild scarring that will generally fade over time
- Recovery may involve one week off work and three weeks of refraining from exercise
- Bruising, bleeding, and infection, though rare, may occur
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is a surgical procedure that provides long-lasting results by targeting skin and muscle laxity. This does so by removing excess skin and repairing separated abdominal muscles.
Pros:
- Smooths the entire abdomen by trimming excess skin, reducing fat deposits, and tightening lax muscles
- A tummy tuck targets tightening the abdomen with a single incision hip to hip
Cons:
- Although uncommon, risks such as anesthesia complications, bleeding, swelling, and infection are possible
- The scar will run from hip bone to hip bone under the bikini line but will typically fade over time
- Recovery involves one to two weeks off work and the avoidance of heavy lifting for six weeks
Mommy Makeover
While the stomach is typically looked at as the most affected body area during pregnancy, it is not the only area that experiences changes. Many women also notice that their breasts change, especially if they breastfeed. Some women experience a loss of breast volume after pregnancy, resulting in the appearance of deflated breasts. Others experience breast sagging due to excess, loose skin. Additionally, many women have stubborn fat pockets on the hips, flanks, and other body areas due to weight fluctuations during and after pregnancy.
A Mommy Makeover allows patients to address two or more body areas during the same procedure for comprehensive body contouring results. Most Mommy Makeover procedures include a breast procedure (a breast augmentation and/or breast lift), tummy tuck, and liposuction.
Pros:
- Combines multiple procedures for full-body contouring
- Creates a smoother, slimmer abdominal contour by removing excess skin and fat and tightening the abdominal muscles
Cons:
- Scars can be expected in the areas where incisions are made (typically around the breasts and stomach)
- The recovery period may last four to six weeks or longer, depending on the procedures you choose
Body Lift
A body lift can eliminate loose abdominal skin and increase the visibility of muscle tone. Many patients choose body lift surgery since it can improve the appearance of not only the stomach but also the hips and buttocks.
Pros:
- Loose, sagging excess skin is removed from the abdominal area as well as the hips and buttocks
- Abdominal muscles are tightened
Cons:
- Scars will form at the incision sites
- Some patients may experience a change in sensation in the treated areas
- Recovery will include refraining from strenuous activities for six weeks or more
Want to Know More About Postpartum Pooch Treatments in Ladera Ranch, CA?
Are you ready to finally get rid of your postpartum pooch and restore your pre-pregnancy body? If so, you can schedule a cosmetic consultation with Dr. Doezie in Ladera Ranch, CA, to learn more about your treatment options.
For many of these procedures, it is important to remember that while they permanently remove fatty tissue in the midsection, the remaining fat cells can still increase in size with weight gain. It is important to maintain a stable weight through a healthy diet and exercise regimen, as this will promote the longevity of your body contouring results.
To set up your consultation, call our office at (949) 481-9850 or fill out our online contact form today.