Postpartum body restoration is the collective term for surgery that corrects the abdomen and breasts together after childbirth; the approach depends on whether diastasis recti is present.
Pregnancy and childbirth change many parts of the body at once. The abdominal skin stretches and stretch marks remain, and the rectus muscles separate so that the abdomen stays rounded even when you tense it. After breastfeeding, the breasts lose volume and sag. Postpartum body restoration is the collective term for surgery that plans and corrects the changed abdomen and breasts together; it is also called a mommy makeover.
The abdominal approach is decided by whether diastasis recti is present. If only skin and fat remain without separation, a mini abdominoplasty or liposuction may be enough; if the separation is pronounced, a full abdominoplasty including rectus muscle repair is needed. For the breasts, we choose between a breast lift, breast augmentation, or an augmentation mastopexy that combines the two, depending on whether the problem is sagging or volume. Whether to operate on both areas at once or in stages is decided by surgery time, your health and your recovery environment.
The director of Atelier Plastic Surgery is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has given conference lectures and published journal papers on both breast lift and abdominoplasty, and she is also a mother of two. Knowing what recovery means while raising children, she builds the recovery environment into the surgical plan during consultation. Only one general anesthesia surgery is performed per day, and Dr. Go handles the consultation, surgery and follow-up herself.
This applies when the gap between the rectus muscles is within the normal range and only skin and fat remain. If the sagging is below the navel, a mini abdominoplasty removes the skin; if skin elasticity remains, liposuction alone refines the contour. The incision and recovery burden are relatively light.
If the rectus muscles are separated, removing skin alone leaves the abdomen rounded and back pain may continue. The skin is lifted up to above the navel, the rectus muscles are sutured at the midline, the excess skin is removed and the navel is reset. The excision line is designed before surgery.
If the main problem after breastfeeding is sagging, with the nipple sitting below the inframammary fold, we plan a breast lift; if only volume has been lost, an implant or autologous fat breast augmentation; if both, an augmentation mastopexy. The incision pattern — periareolar, vertical or inverted-T — is chosen by the degree of sagging. If the breasts have become large and heavy, a breast reduction is considered.
Treating both areas under a single anesthesia reduces recovery to one period. However, the longer surgery raises the risk of bleeding and blood clots, so we check your health, the expected surgery time and whether you are anemic, and plan combined surgery only when the total surgery time falls within our limit. If it exceeds the limit, the abdomen and breasts are treated in stages.
If vaginal laxity or changes to the labia minora after childbirth are also a concern, vaginal tightening or labia minora reduction can be included in the same plan. Because the recovery posture and hygiene care overlap with abdominal surgery, the timing and order are decided at consultation.
Surgical designs and results are drawings based on photos; results vary by individual.
These may vary depending on your condition; we will give you precise details at your consultation.
The postpartum abdominal approach hinges on whether the rectus muscles are separated. At consultation, you lie down and lift your upper body slightly while we palpate the gap between the rectus muscles and measure it with ultrasound. Without separation, we plan around excision and liposuction; with separation, the plan includes rectus muscle repair.
After breastfeeding, the breasts often sag as they lose volume, so augmentation and lift frequently need to be considered together. We look at the nipple position, the amount of loose skin and the remaining breast tissue to decide on a lift alone, augmentation alone, or both. The incision pattern is decided by the degree of sagging.
We understand the wish to finish everything at once, but the longer the surgery, the greater the risk of blood clots and bleeding. Atelier Plastic Surgery schedules only one general anesthesia surgery per day and calculates the expected surgery time with an anesthesiologist, proceeding with combined surgery only when it falls within our limit. If it exceeds the limit, we operate in stages.
For about 4–6 weeks after abdominoplasty, lifting your child is restricted. After breast surgery, too, you need to avoid raising your arms high for about 2–4 weeks. In Personal Consulting we confirm together whether you have someone to care for your child and a suitable environment during recovery, and decide the timing of surgery accordingly.
You wake from anesthesia in a private recovery room. You keep your waist slightly bent to reduce tension on the abdomen, and begin short walks wearing compression stockings to prevent blood clots.
Drain output is checked, and once it decreases the drains are removed and you are discharged. You wear an abdominal compression garment and a supportive bra. This is a period when you should avoid lifting your child and will need help from a caregiver.
At the first visit we check the abdominal and breast wounds and look for seroma and hematoma. Showering is permitted depending on the wound, and light seated activities are possible.
Stitches are removed. You begin straightening your waist gradually and return to light daily activities. Holding your child is still restricted; limit it to holding them on your lap while seated.
You finish wearing the compression garment and supportive bra. Once the rectus repair has stabilized, lifting your child is gradually allowed, and you start light aerobic exercise.
Swelling subsides and the shape of the abdomen and breasts settles. Scars fade during this period, and laser scar care continues as needed. The final shape takes about 6 months to 1 year, varying by individual.
Postpartum body restoration is general anesthesia surgery combining abdominal and breast procedures, and the complications of each can all occur. On the abdominal side: bleeding and hematoma, seroma, infection, wound dehiscence and skin necrosis (the risk is higher in smokers), navel distortion, reduced sensation in the lower abdomen, thickened scars, skin bunching at the ends of the incision and asymmetry, and pain at the rectus repair or recurrence of the separation. On the breast side: hematoma, infection, changes in nipple and areola sensation, nipple necrosis, asymmetry, thickened scars, and with implants, capsular contracture and implant malposition, as well as changes in future breastfeeding function. Operating on both areas at once lengthens the surgery and raises the risk of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and anemia from blood loss, which we prevent with preoperative testing, compression stockings, early walking and anticoagulant therapy when needed; if the risk is judged to be high, the surgery is divided into stages. If you become pregnant again after surgery, the rectus muscles can re-separate and the skin can stretch, changing the result. Results vary by individual and additional correction may be needed; all of the above is explained fully at consultation.
The content on this page is general medical information provided in accordance with the Medical Service Act. The results of surgery and treatments and the recovery period may vary by individual. All surgeries and treatments carry a risk of side effects, so please decide after a thorough consultation with a specialist.
Abdominoplasty and diastasis recti repair with the excision planned in advance
Learn more Related Breast liftA breast lift with the incision pattern chosen by the degree of sagging
Learn more Related Implant breast augmentationImplant breast augmentation with size and pocket plane chosen by body type and tissue thickness
Learn more Related LiposuctionLiposuction matched to the fat layer and skin elasticity of each area
Learn more Related Academic ActivityPapers · books · conference lectures and chairs · society positions · ORCID
Learn moreConsultations are conducted by the Director herself. Schedule one by phone or KakaoTalk, or leave an online consultation request.
