As women age, they will notice changes to their body- especially their breasts. While it is normal for breasts to sag a bit over time, it is certainly something women don’t want. The good news is that there are several things ladies can do to prevent breast ptosis (the fancy medical term for breast sagging). Dr. Manish Shah, MD a board-certified Denver, Colorado  plastic surgeon, and Vince Sant, a Certified Fitness Trainer and Co-Founder of V Shred.com, an incredibly popular online fitness portal share tips and insights with some uplifting solutions for breast sagging.

Understanding sagging.

“Forget about the old beliefs of poor-quality bras, going bra-less, or breastfeeding being the cause to sagging breasts,” says Dr. Manish Shah. “There are ligaments in the breasts that stretch out over time. Gravity is certainly a culprit but there are others such as multiple pregnancies, menopause, breast motion from exercise, high body mass index, deficiencies in collagen, estrogen, rapid weight fluctuations, and of course smoking,” he explains.

Beware of the expensive hype.

When women are unhappy with breast sagging and want to lift their breasts; they want to do it quickly, painlessly and affordably. Dr. Shah says that while advancements are being made with procedures involving things such as stem cell therapies, radiofrequency, and fat transfer; right now, the science just isn’t there when it comes to delivering ideal lift, shape and significant restoration to warrant the investment.

“The last thing you want to do is get sold on a $4000, procedure done over the course of several visits spread out over several months that does very little. People want visible improvement. It’s important to ask questions about anything seeming too good to be true,” cautions Dr. Shah.

Clearly, there are a lot of factors that can explain away breast sagging in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and beyond. What options do we have in this very tough battle with gravity?

Quit smoking.

“We know that smoking accelerates aging in the face due to oxygen deprivation to your skin. When it comes to the breasts, smoking destroys elastin which is what maintains suppleness,” says Dr. Shah.

Manage menopause.

When perimenopause begins usually in the mid-’40s, you really want to revamp your diet and have a look at organ function and get a hormone test. “Drops in estrogen, a natural occurrence during menopause reduces collagen in skin tissue. Some supplements or phytoestrogens that boost estrogen levels naturally can have a positive effect on breast shape. However, this is certainly something to discuss with a specialist,” explains Dr. Shah.

Pump Up with weights or resistance training.

“A lot of women focus on their lower body when exercising. While this is great to blast cellulite and keep the thighs, legs, and butt shapely and strong, the upper body can’t be neglected. Doing various exercises using 5 -10-pound weights that strengthen and tone pectoral muscles (the muscles under the breasts) shoulders and back are key for preventing breast sagging,” says Vince Sant.

Many women fear losing their breast size or looking bulky or masculine. When you use less weight and do more repetitions, you get a nice lean, strong upper body. This raises everything up. According to Sant, who created a workout specifically targeting women’s trouble zones, it takes a lot of weight and many hours of training to get that thicker bulky look. “Doing combinations of exercises such as, plank rotations, shoulder presses, dumbbell pullovers, chest fly’s and standing raises are easy and can be done right in your living room,” the expert trainer with over 700,000 Instagram followers suggests.

Update your sports bra.

“While exercise is great, exercising with an old stretched out sports bra can lead to sagging especially for you Cardio Queens,” out there says Vince.

Quicker solutions…

What if you’re working out, not smoking and despite being tight and toned your actual breasts still sag? “Then you may want to consider a breast lift that factors in your frame, current breast size and desired shape, says Dr. Shah. “Nothing delivers a result as significant and long-lasting as the breast lift. The procedure does require 6 to 8-weeks of full recovery time and, depending on region and doctor, can be anywhere from $6000 to $25,000,” says Dr. Shah.

Check out this video segment I recorded on the 10 things Millenials can do  to stay looking young without surgery:

To check out my other videos, please visit my Youtube channel. If you like what you see please LIKE, SHARE, and/or SUBSCRIBE. Thanks!

 

Here’s what is certain: There are no firming or tightening products whose results can duplicate what you derive from in-office procedures such as dermal fillers, botox, lasers, or cosmetic surgery. Board-Certified Denver plastic surgeon Manish Shah says, “There are anti- aging products or ingredients that do perform significantly better than others and can make a profound difference in the skin’s appearance while others are simply “false hope in a jar.”

 Why don’t most products work the way they claim? Almost without exception, when you buy a product claiming to tighten skin, its effects, if any, are due to ingredients such as film-forming agents. Just like the name states, film-forming agents form a film on the skin, and that can make the skin “feel” tighter. The effect is temporary and you won’t see noticeable lifting of sagging skin, but the sensation is often enough to convince women that the product is working. Dr. Shah stresses that, “Skin “feeling” tighter is not the same as making a real change for the better in the tone or laxity of your skin. Using what really works will get you closer to the results you want.”

 THE HEROES

Dr. Shah says, “Sunscreen SPF 30 or above is the best anti-aging cream you can use.  It prevents skin cancer as well as UVA rays that cause loss of collagen and wrinkles in the skin.  Reapply every 2 hours, use a powder sun block and carry in your pocketbook for quick and easy sunscreen touchups.  My favorite powder sunblock is Colorescience, and my favorite base sunscreens have titanium or zinc oxide in them as active ingredients.”

Retinoids work great to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and help boost collagen production,” says Dr. Shah.”  He adds, “Over the counter retinols are decent. Neutrogena makes a good one, or prescriptions such as Retin-A.”

Glycolic acid also reduces fine lines and wrinkles and helps fade pigmentary damage from the sun.  “I often have patients alternate nights with retinoid and glycolic,” says Dr. Shah.

Vitamin C is a great antioxidant which reduces free radical damage and is great for anti-aging and helps brighten the skin.  Dr. Shah often recommends it in the morning, underneath sunblock, or at night if patients are too sensitive to tolerate retinoids and glycolic acid.

Ceramides are a type of lipid found in the membrane of cells. Dr. Shah states that, “They help hold skin cells together, forming a protective layer that plumps the skin and retains moisture. Ceramide levels decrease as we age which leads to loss of hydration, less skin turnover and dryer, more damaged skin. Replenishing the skin’s ceramide levels will help restore moisture and fortify the skin’s natural barrier, helping skin look and feel younger.” So use a ceramide containing moisturizer for your whole body daily.

Hydroquinone works to even out sun spots, blotches, and mottled skin. A little hydroquinone goes a long way. “It’s the most effective ingredient for bleaching skin,” says Dr. Shah.  Hydroquinone fades hyperpigmentation by blocking the enzyme that triggers melanin production in the skin.

Green Tea Extract is loaded with nutrients called polyphenols, which have been shown to fight free radicals. It is an amazing antioxidant. Studies have found that ingredients in green tea can reduce sun damage and may protect against skin cancer when applied topically. Dr. Shah offers that, “Using green tea extract under sunscreen can provide an extra dose of protection. Polyphenols in creams and lotions may help slow signs of aging, reduce sagging skin and decrease wrinkles.”

THE ZEROES

The majority of anti aging creams are still based on moisturizers such as mineral oil.  Wrinkles look worse when they are dry, so any kind of moisturizer helps, but it’s only temporary and doesn’t address the root cause of the wrinkles such as collagen loss, free radical damage, sun damage and environmental factors.  Don’t be fooled by the anti-aging labels.  Unless there is an actual “active ingredient” such as retinol, the benefit is just moisture but nothing else.

B Vitamins Many forms of vitamin B (like B12) can only be absorbed in the small intestine, so no matter how much is loaded into your moisturizer or serum, it’s not going to make a difference. “Vitamins like niacin can have an effect on the skin’s texture and color, but your skin can’t absorb them,” Dr. Shah explains. If you really want to tap into the power of vitamin B to improve your skin’s glow and appearance, stick to eating leafy greens like spinach, asparagus, beans, and peas.

Caffeine.  Much like a Starbucks Latte for your brain, caffeine in skin creams can give a boost to your skin, too. Until it wears off.  “Caffeine can temporarily reduce puffiness, especially around your eyes,” explains Dr. Shah.  “But don’t expect permanent results.”

Botanical extracts are ingredients extracted from plants (flowers, roots, stems, trees, etc.) for use in skin care for everything from healing blemishes to reducing fine wrinkles. They have been used for centuries and have anecdotal purposes in many cultures. The issue: Botanical extracts need to remain on your skin in order to work. Dr. Shah explains that, “In cleansers, there is simply not enough contact time on your skin for any true anti-aging benefit to take place. Another issue is that most botanical extracts are water soluble, which means that the moment you wet your skin and begin to wash your face, they’re watered down and rendered useless.”

Collagen and elastin in anti-wrinkle products. Collagen and elastin in skin-care products can serve as good water-binding agents, but they cannot fuse with your skin’s natural supply of these supportive elements. In most cases, the collagen molecule is too large to penetrate into the skin. But even when it is made small enough to be absorbed it cannot bind with the collagen existing in skin, and there isn’t any research indicating otherwise.

While this post isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of the heroes and zeroes of skincare, it is a great place for most of us to start on our journey to better skin.

About Dr. Manish Shah

Plastic Surgeon Colorado | Dr. Manish Shah, M.D. | Denver

Manish Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S. was born in Canada and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. He graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a degree in biomedical engineering. He then completed his medical training at the University of Virginia, earning his Medical Doctorate. During this time he also completed a one-year fellowship in microsurgery research at the New York University School of Medicine / Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. As a prelude to his plastic surgery training, Dr. Shah completed a rigorous five-year training program in General and Trauma Surgery at Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia. His formal training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was completed at the Univ. of Tennessee College of Medicine – Chattanooga Unit. After completing his plastic surgery training, he moved to New York City when he was selected for the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. He underwent extensive, advanced training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breasts, and body at the hands of some of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the world. This fellowship is widely considered to be the best of its kind in the world. Dr. Shah is one of only a select few plastic surgeons in the country who have undergone formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah’s specialties include revision facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty (“nose reshaping”), and aesthetic surgery of the breast (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction). He is, however, well-trained in all areas of aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah’s aim is to obtain a natural appearing transformation that complements the real you!

Dr. Shah is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.  He is a past Chief of Plastic Surgery at Denver Health Medical Center. He also maintains a private practice in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver.

Dr. Shah is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, and the Rhinoplasty Society.

Dr. Shah is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

 

It’s something every woman fears: Waking up on the day before or day of a big holiday party with an unsightly skincare emergency. How many women have cancelled an invitation because a cold sore erupted? How about cystic acne on your chin that appears New Year’s Eve? While neither of these are “life threatening” conditions, for a woman, they might as well be. There are solutions. Dr. Manish Shah is a Denver Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. As a father to girls, he can relate to these skincare 911s and shares his expertise on what can be done to mitigate various conditions.

Problem: Cold Sore

Solution: Dr. Shah offers cortisone injections to patients who want to look better faster. “Very diluted cortisone into the cold sore, this can bring the inflammation down quite rapidly,” he says. If you are afraid of needles, call your doctor and ask him/her to call in a prescription for Valtrex, Famvir, or Acylovir, Dr. Shah says. You can pick up Abreva, an over-the-counter medication. If you can’t make it to the pharmacy, you can try some old-fashioned remedies: Visine will help take the red out. You can also use a cold compress and Tylenol or ibuprofen.

Problem: Allergic Reaction

Solution: The first thing you need to do is stop eating or using whatever is causing the allergic reaction. If the reaction happens a few days before an occasion, Dr. Shah recommends using hydrocortisone cream twice a day and taking Allegra, Claritin or Zyrtec which are longer acting and less sedating than Benadryl. Try a whole-milk compress for 10 minutes twice a day. For allergic reactions, use the hydrocortisone cream and then cover up redness by canceling it out entirely. The opposite of red is green, so apply green tinted concealer on the red area. The combination will create a flesh-toned hue. A good quality tinted moisturizer naturally has green/yellow undertones and also provides moisture to dry skin. “If this type of reaction is something you have never experienced before, go immediately to your dermatologist,” says Dr. Shah.

Problem: Cystic Acne Breakout

There are some people who use a lancet or small knife to cut into a cyst and fish out the clogged part of the pore. “Cutting open a cyst is extremely risky. You not only run the risk of getting an infection, but you also run the risk of scarring, as in a permanent skin indentation or protrusion,” says Dr. Shah. And what if you cut open a cyst but can’t squeeze out the root clog? You don’t know where the root is or how deep it resides inside your skin. You can’t even be 100% confident that you will be able to completely remove the hardened plug of the cyst. If any remnants of the clog remain, the cyst is likely to get re-inflamed and come back even worse. It’s also not exactly good to cut open skin and dig around and squeeze the wound. Doing so will only make a bloody mess, increase the chance of skin scarring, and prolong the time it takes the cyst to heal.

Solution: Here’s a secret that many a supermodel or actress use: Steroid shot. Dr. Shah explains that, “when we discuss treating acne with cortisone or “steroid” shots, we are referring to the process of gently placing a very dilute quantity of a “glucocorticoid” steroid into the cyst. Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid molecules that are naturally produced by our bodies and have numerous functions including the regulation of human metabolism, immunity, and inflammation. They have very potent anti-inflammatory effects, so they are often used to treat inflammatory diseases in medicine. They can be formulated as creams to treat skin rashes or as pills to treat systemic disease. They can also be injected directly into local areas of inflammation such as in arthritic joints and inflamed acne cysts. Within one or two days of injection into a cyst, the steroid will shrink the inflammation producing relief of pain and almost immediate cosmetic improvement.”

Problem: Puffy Eyes

Solution: The key to reducing the puffiness of puffy eyes is having something cool applied to them. “A cool compress or cooled cucumber slices applied for 5 to 10 minutes can constrict blood and lymph vessels,” says Dr. Shah. You can also use cool tea bags, which contain tannins and caffeine that will help reduce swelling. And, since puffy eyes can be caused by a high salt diet or alcohol, try to cut out both before an important occasion.

Problem: Sunburn

Solution: Take a cool bath or shower. Set the water to a cool temperature that’s just below lukewarm and relax for 10 to 20 minutes. The temperature will ease the pain, and the water will stop your skin from becoming as irritated. Repeat as often as you need to. Avoid using soap, bath oils, or other detergents as you bathe – they’ll irritate your skin and possibly make it even worse. If you have blisters forming on your skin, take a bath instead of showering. The pressure from the shower might pop your blisters. When you get out, don’t rub your skin dry with a towel. Instead, let yourself air dry, or pat the towel over your skin in small, gentle movements. Apply cold compresses to your skin. If you’re not in a situation where you can bathe, or you’d just prefer not to, you can instead apply cold, wet compresses to your skin. Dampen a washcloth or other piece of fabric with cold water and lay it over the affected area for 20 to 30 minutes. Re-wet it as often as you need to. Apply aloe vera to burned skin. Using the pads of your fingers, gently apply the aloe to your sunburn. Don’t “rub it in” all the way, like you might with a regular lotion. Leave it a bit goopy and moist on top of the burn – this helps prevent the skin from drying out and becoming more irritated. Reapply as often as necessary. Treat inflammation with cortisone cream (optional). Cortisone creams contain a small dose of steroids that can work to reduce inflammation to your sunburn.

Problem: Too much filler

The Solution: Dr. Shah suggests doing fillers no sooner than 1 month before a big event to allow time for healing and touch ups. One of the reasons Dr. Shah leans toward hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm and Perlane is because they are easily reversed with Hyaluronidase. This product dissolves and degrades the Restylane, Juvederm or Perlane so as to reverse the results of the initial injection. It’s a great insurance policy when choosing a practitioner. Make sure yours has it at his/her disposal. Most patients find the immediate results of soft tissue filler treatments very satisfying. If an undesirable result occurs, your treatment provider should be able to discuss and carry out all of the treatment options. Removing the effects of a “filler” treatment can be difficult. This is why any filler treatment needs to be done carefully, conservatively and only by very experienced and Board -Certified Specialists. Hyaluronic Acid based dermal fillers have the additional benefit of being partially or completely reversed with time or with the injection of a commercially available enzyme known as Hyaluronidase.

 

About Dr. Manish Shah

Plastic Surgeon Colorado | Dr. Manish Shah, M.D. | Denver

Manish Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S. was born in Canada and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. He graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a degree in biomedical engineering. He then completed his medical training at the University of Virginia, earning his Medical Doctorate. During this time he also completed a one-year fellowship in microsurgery research at the New York University School of Medicine / Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. As a prelude to his plastic surgery training, Dr. Shah completed a rigorous five-year training program in General and Trauma Surgery at Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia. His formal training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was completed at the Univ. of Tennessee College of Medicine – Chattanooga Unit. After completing his plastic surgery training, he moved to New York City when he was selected for the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. He underwent extensive, advanced training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breasts, and body at the hands of some of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the world. This fellowship is widely considered to be the best of its kind in the world. Dr. Shah is one of only a select few plastic surgeons in the country who have undergone formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah’s specialties include revision facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty (“nose reshaping”), and aesthetic surgery of the breast (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction). He is, however, well-trained in all areas of aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Shah’s aim is to obtain a natural appearing transformation that complements the real you!

Dr. Shah is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.  He is a past Chief of Plastic Surgery at Denver Health Medical Center. He also maintains a private practice in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver.

Dr. Shah is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery, and the Rhinoplasty Society.

Dr. Shah is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are of course the most important habits to maintain in order to feel as good as possible as the years go by. Dietary fads come and go, but a diet consisting primarily of fruits and vegetables (and avoidance of processed sugar) will always be important no matter what the current trend.

Keeping your body moving is also important not only for your physical health, but also for your mental health. Regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart pumping and makes you sweat, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning according to a study at the University of British Columbia. As we age, it’s also important to incorporate exercises that improve your balance. Walking is good. Cycling, rebounding, and Tai Chi are even better.

That being said, Dr. Shah believes that supplements can also play an important role in helping the brain and body adapt to stress and meet the challenges associated with aging. He takes a few supplements to be at his best physically and mentally with his busy life as a doctor and father of three. If you are interested in supplementation, you can pick and choose from the following categories if there are particular areas you’d like to focus on.

For overall health: A food based multivitamin/multimineral. Even if you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, typically the farm land on which they’ve been grown has been tilled for so many decades that it’s depleted of nutrients. Vitamins and minerals perform a wide range of functions in the body that encompass mood, metabolism, cardiac health, bone and skin health, and more. Vitamin C, for example, plays a role in collagen production in the skin to keep it looking firm. And unfortunately, unless you are preparing all your meals from your own garden, it is difficult to achieve optimum vitamin and mineral levels from the food you eat alone. People often have low levels of certain nutrients, commonly vitamin D and magnesium. A food based multi will contain a complex of nutrients that work together to increase absorption so Dr. Shah recommends them over cheaper multivitamins such as Centrum(TM).

Antioxidants: A multivitamin will contain the antioxidants vitamins C, E, and the mineral selenium. Antioxidants help to prevent oxidative damage to your cells that occurs naturally as by-products of normal body processes, from certain medications, and from air pollution. For even stronger anti-oxidant protection, Dr. Shah also takes astaxanthin. Astaxanthin has also been proven to improve eye health and reduce inflammation. (Buy only astaxanthin sourced from microalgae.) You can learn more about free radical damage, antioxidants, and astaxanthin HERE.

For brain health: Beginning an Omega-3 regimen as early in life as possible is helpful for optimizing brain function and preventing memory loss. Omega 3’s are also important for cardiac support and cell permeability to help the cells absorb nutrients. You can learn more about omega 3’s HERE. If you feel you need extra support with brain function or memory, a Lion’s Mane mushroom supplement is a great addition to an Omega-3 supplement.

For mood: Omega-3 supplements and the vitamin D and B vitamins found in a multi-vitamin are also helpful for mood. If you feel you need additional mood support for mild depression or anxiety, St. John’s wort has been shown to be effective for some people although it may take 1 – 3 months for it to take effect so be patient. St. John’s wort should not be taken with birth control pills, antidepressants, HIV medications, or blood thinners so if you are on any of these medications you should try 5-HTP instead.

Stress/adrenal health: Excess daily stress causes an ongoing “fight or flight” response whereby the stress hormones adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol can become elevated causing excess wear on the body and also causing the body to hold on to fat stores. Trouble sleeping through the night is another effect. If you feel you lead a particularly stressful life and could benefit from some extra adrenal support, you can try holy basil, rhodiola, or ashwaganda (or an adrenal formula containing one or more of these). Rhodiola is especially good to take before workouts to promote endurance or try holy basil if you suffer from anxiety or sleeplessness.

For high altitude locations such as here in Denver, Colorado, you may want to try a chlorophyll supplement to help oxygenate the blood. Especially if you feel fatigued or experience dizziness, sleeplessness, or headaches.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It’s important to always buy quality supplements. Buying from a reputable health food store is recommended as they have high quality standards that their suppliers must meet. Buying supplements from other retailers or online outlets may be cheaper but unfortunately can be risky in terms of the quality, potency, or even authenticity of product you may be getting.

Motherhood, with its ups and downs, provides the satisfaction of knowing that you have the opportunity to leave a good impression on this planet through the child you raise. However, one universally acknowledged downside of motherhood happens to be the toll it takes on the body.  For women who decide that they no longer want to live with the changes resulting from childbirth, there is the Mommy Makeover. The Mommy Makeover procedure consists of several procedures that address changes to the breasts and abdominal areas as the result of pregnancy and childbirth.

Breasts

Breasts can change significantly during the process of pregnancy and breast-feeding. Breasts can get large, stretch out, involute (shrink), or stay the same size.  Areolae can stretch out and change shape.  Many women complain of a loss of fullness in the upper pole (upper part of breasts).  All these changes permanently alter the aesthetics of the breasts. While some of these changes can be camouflaged with bras and clothing, the limitations of these maneuvers mean that women still may have difficulty finding clothes that fit well and that they may still not be comfortable with the appearance of their breasts when naked.

Procedures such as breast augmentation with either implants or fat can revolumize the breasts providing fullness and better shape.  If the breasts hang too low, a mastopexy or breast lift operation can be performed to tighten the breast envelope placing the breasts higher on the chest wall in a more compact space.  A smaller percentage of women end up with large breasts after multiple pregnancies due to the amount of pregnancy hormone exposure.  For these women, excess breast tissue can lead to both aesthetic and functional problems.  Breast reduction surgery is an incredibly successful option to both reduce the size of breasts and lift/shape them.

Abdomen

The most obvious area of change from childbirth is the abdomen.  As a baby grows inside the womb, and the body responds to pregnancy hormones, the abdomen changes by stretching out the rectus abdominus (“6-pack”) muscles and thin out support structures like ligaments, etc.  After delivery, most women are left with some amount of loose skin and split musculature.  The greater the number of pregnancies, the worse the situation becomes.  Unfortunately, all the sit-ups in the world won’t fix this.

An abdominoplasty or tummy tuck operation is designed to improve this situation. This procedure involves removal of excess skin of the abdominal wall via an incision low on the tummy and around the belly button.  If the rectus muscles are split, then they can be repaired at the same time.  Repair of the muscles creates a corset effect tightening lax abdominal wall.

Excess fat

Lots of things happen both during pregnancy and in the years to follow.  For many women, the day to day aspects of living often make it so that their needs take a back seat to the needs of others.  Stress, poor nutrition, aging, etc. result in changes to the body.  The most common change is an increase in body fat.  When this can’t be corrected through diet, exercise, and changes in lifestyle, the options of surgical liposuction and non-surgical fat removal are available to those healthy enough for aesthetic intervention.

There are lots of options for liposuction and are well-described here.

Stretch marks

Stretch marks are definitely a problem for many women both before and after pregnancy.  Hormonal changes and stretching of the skin can result in breaks in the skin called striae, or stretch marks.  In the past there were few options for improving the stretch marks.  Nowadays, patients have a good number of options to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.  In my practice, we offer the  Venus Viva, which is an RF (radiofrequency) microneedling device that can be used to tighten loose skin and rebuild collagen in the broken skin that leads to the development of stretch marks.  Several treatments are required, but the results tend to be very satisfying.

As you may have surmised by now, a Mommy Makeover is a very personal procedure custom-designed for each patient.  Some women will need only one procedure, while other women will need several procedures to achieve their goals. If you would like more information about the Mommy Makeover procedure, give us a call at 303-708-8234 or visit us at http://drmanishshah.com.