Mommy Makeover

It is not a single operation but a personalised combination of procedures that addresses the changes of pregnancy and breastfeeding together — typically breast surgery (a lift, implants or both) planned alongside a tummy tuck and liposuction, in a single anaesthetic and one recovery.

The abdominal component may be a full or mini tummy tuck, a lipoabdominoplasty, or — for patients with excellent skin elasticity — the MILA scarless technique. The breast component may be an augmentation, a lift (mastopexy), or an augmentation-mastopexy combining both. Liposuction of the waist, flanks or back is frequently integrated, and fat transfer (BBL) or rib remodeling can be added. The exact combination is decided from your examination.

That is a consultation decision, not a fixed rule. Combining procedures in a single surgery means one anaesthetic, one recovery and lower overall cost than separate operations. But suitability depends on your health and the total operating time — when the combined plan would be too long, staging the procedures is the safer choice.

The ideal candidate is in good overall health, at a stable weight, not pregnant or nursing, and a non-smoker. Typical concerns are loose abdominal skin, separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) and breasts that have lost volume or begun to sag after pregnancy and breastfeeding — changes that diet and exercise cannot resolve.

Yes, it is highly recommended. While it is medically safe to become pregnant after a tummy tuck, a subsequent pregnancy will stretch the repaired muscles and skin, likely reversing the functional and aesthetic benefits. You should also not be nursing at the time of breast surgery.

Yes. Repairing diastasis recti is a fundamental component of the tummy tuck: the separated abdominal muscles are sutured back together at the midline, acting as an internal biological corset. This flattens the stomach, improves core strength and frequently relieves the chronic lower back pain caused by lost core support.

Modern pain management has transformed the experience. Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks precisely numb the sensory nerves of the abdominal wall and chest during surgery, which drastically reduces immediate post-operative pain, minimises reliance on heavy narcotics and allows you to walk sooner.

The abdominal component sets the pace. Plan strict rest at home for the first 1–2 weeks, a return to desk work around weeks 3–4, and no gym, heavy lifting or swimming for 6–8 weeks. A compression garment is worn continuously, you sleep on your back with the upper body elevated for the first 4–6 weeks, and manual lymphatic drainage begins in the first week.

It depends on the liposuction volume. If extensive liposuction is part of your plan, a temporary drain is used to manage fluid; with minimal liposuction, progressive tension sutures allow a completely drainless tummy tuck. Breast lift surgery is performed drainless.

The tummy tuck incision sits very low on the abdomen, designed to be hidden beneath standard underwear and swimwear. Breast scars depend on the technique — from a periareolar scar for mild sagging to a lollipop or anchor pattern for more significant lifts — and are closed with surgical glue for the finest possible lines. Stretch marks on the excised abdominal skin are permanently removed.

Yes. Patients travelling from Dubai and across the UAE are seen at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, where all consultations and surgery take place. Where possible the consultation, pre-operative tests, surgical date and follow-up reviews are scheduled to minimise the number of journeys, and the first days after surgery are spent in Abu Dhabi under clinical monitoring.

Combined surgery demands more of the surgeon and the facility, so check the fundamentals: board certification, membership of societies such as ISAPS and ASPS, and a fully licensed hospital with board-certified anaesthesiologists. Then ask how the combination is decided — a good surgeon explains which procedures your anatomy actually needs, how long the combined operation will take, when staging is safer, and the honest trade-offs of each component.

The investment depends entirely on which procedures are combined, the operating time, the hospital facility and anaesthesia services. Combining procedures in one session costs less overall than separate operations. A transparent, all-inclusive quote — covering surgical expertise, anaesthesia, hospital costs, compression garments, medications and follow-up — is provided after your consultation.