Anti-aging is the medical endeavor to extend life, indefinably preserving health, youth and vitality. Common approaches to anti-aging include good nutrition with the intake of beneficial substances such as antioxidants and fiber to improve health, physical conditioning to maintain cardiovascular endurance, muscle mass, bone strength and avoidance carcinogenic agents which cause gene mutation leading to cancer. Other approaches to anti-aging including nutritional supplements and hormone replacement have questionable effect with potential detrimental consequences. When considering approaches to anti-aging and health, one should consider the options, what is proven to be safe and effective and their desired endpoint.
For women following childbirth, aging may come with the expansion and retraction of the abdomen as the baby grows in the womb and following delivery. The abdominal expansion can be associated with the development of abdominal stretch marks. These changes to the skin are most prominent below the bellybutton. While there are a variety of creams and potions purported to prevent the development of abdominal stretch marks during pregnancy, there is not scientifically proven agent to prevent the development of stretch marks. This is not to say that moisturizing agents don’t have their benefits to keeping the skin hydrated. Applying a moisturizing cream to the abdominal skin during pregnancy can help the skin feel better, stay hydrated and relieve itching and burning sensations that may develop as the abdomen extends.
In general, the development of abdominal stretch marks following pregnancy will depend much more on our genetic makeup which determines inherent qualities of our skin to stretch. Therefore if your mother developed abdominal stretch marks, you will be more likely to develop stretch marks and vice versa.
Once a stretch mark develops, there is no method to eliminate the underlying changes to the dermis of the skin. While stretch marks cannot be eliminated, their appearance can be diminished with procedures such as ProFractional Laser™ resurfacing with the goal of tightening the skin and enhancing deep dermal collagen grow to help fade the mark and diminish its appearance. This approach may be preferred for women who are not interested in surgery or have limited abdominal skin laxity.
A more direct approach to treating and eliminating abdominal stretch marks following pregnancy would be to remove the stretch marks with Abdominoplasty (also known as Tummy Tuck). This is often combined with liposuction to enhance body contour, creating a body figure with curves along the lines of an hour glass.
The breasts undergo change during pregnancy as well. One month into pregnancy the breasts begin to increase in size often one or two full cup sizes by the end of the third trimester. While the increase in breast size is often appreciated by some women, this may be associated with development of stretch marks in the skin. Following childbirth and breast-feeding, the breasts will often decrease in size and develop ptosis or drooping of the breast. Similar changes will also occur as women age with loss of breast volume and increase ptosis. Not all changes that occur with pregnancy are negative. In fact, women who have pregnancy before age thirty or have multiple pregnancies have been found to have half the risk of developing breast cancer than women who do not have a pregnancy.
Surgical correction of the changes that occur with the breast can be achieved with breast lift, breast augmentation or a combination of the two procedures.
Mommy makeover is the term coined to describe the combination of the tummy tuck with the rejuvenating procedure of the breast. Many women are too busy in their careers and raising their children to take time out for a makeover. Now may be the perfect time in your life to consider this procedure. The mommy makeover is typically performed as an outpatient procedure and can provide permanent effects of creating a more youthful appearance to body and breasts.
