Mommy Makeover in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Weight gain is common in pregnancy, but not all of that accumulated fat leaves after the baby does — even if you try diet and exercise. Is there anything more frustrating than nibbling away at a restrictive menu and pouring sweat out in a spin class each week, only to see nothing change?

Liposuction is a standard method of surgical fat removal, ensuring that the unwanted fat cells don't just shrink and wait for a new opportunity to grow large again, but that they leave the body and never return. Many of our Grand Rapids Mommy Makeover patients include liposuction in their procedure. Pregnancy is about more than weight gain, though. A growing baby needs room to move and expand, which is why a pregnant woman's abdomen swells with each passing day of her pregnancy. Unfortunately, not every woman's skin and abdominal tissues are pliant enough to stretch along with the baby, then tighten back into place on their own. Another Mommy Makeover component, a tummy tuck, removes lax skin that hangs down like an apron, and can also include some fat removal, too. Internally, a tummy tuck (also known as an abdominoplasty) may involve the surgical tightening of abdominal muscles that have spread apart, making it an important part of the Mommy Makeover.

Vaginal Rejuvenation

Lower down on the body, some women may notice that their vaginal area looks and feels different than it did before childbirth, with problems ranging from ill-fitting underwear and swimsuits to discomfort during intercourse.

Talk to the Bengtson Center Grand Rapids Mommy Makeover team to learn whether a labiaplasty could help with the problems you are experiencing. Physical changes to the area can cause labia to appear more pronounced. The birthing process can also weaken muscles on the pelvic floor, a structure that provides critical bladder support. Without that support, women may find it difficult to prevent leakage, especially when jogging, laughing, sneezing, jumping rope — in other words, living life day to day. A nonsurgical treatment known as THERMIva uses heat energy to stimulate new collagen growth in the area and build up the pelvic floor, as well as thicken vaginal walls and increase moisture. These improvements can get your vaginal area looking and feeling great again, allowing for a return to enjoyable activities (including the sort that got you a baby in the first place!). At the Bengtson Center, every labiaplasty — part of a Mommy Makeover or not — comes with a THERMIva treatment, so women who want to fix up down there get the best benefits of both. You may choose only one or two of the Mommy Makeover elements noted above, or you may want them all. The point is that you get to make the decision, with help from a board-certified plastic surgeon and our team, ready provide expert care and answers to your questions.