One of the most significant blessings of motherhood is the deep perspective it bestows on most of us. Once we start this crazy journey, many of us simply don’t have the time or energy to focus on little annoyances that used to bog us down. Raising a human can also show us how silly those concerns really are, anyway. I’m talking about the fat we deal with after having a child.
Motherhood
But motherhood also comes with its own set of never-ending challenges, ensuring there’s never a dull moment. If you’re like me, you’ve no doubt noticed that your body is, well, different than it used to be. As it turns out, carrying 2 children for 9 months. Well, 9 months for Thaddeus and 7 months for Xavier apiece can change your body in ways you never imagined.
Fat Transfer
When you’re young, it’s easy to scoff at plastic surgery. However, as we get older, the idea may not seem so far-fetched. Although I’ve not had any plastic surgery myself, I’ve run into many who have had a bit of work done. Recently, curiosity got the best of me, and I started browsing before-and-after photos online. Wow — plastic surgery has definitely changed a lot in the past 20 or so years. One procedure that kept catching my eye was fat transfer. A seemingly miraculous surgery during which a surgeon removes fat from one part of your body and adds it to another. In the hands of the right surgeon, the results can be simply astounding.
I think the sheer practicality of fat transfer is one of the reasons it stood out to me above all others. Unlike other surgeries, fat grafting is a true multitasker. In a single session, a plastic surgeon liposuctions away fat from an area where you have an excess of it, such as your abdomen. While you’re still asleep, he or she processes it to remove impurities and get it ready for transfer. Finally, the surgeon adds it to the desired part of your body.
Transferred fat can be used to fill in wrinkles and add volume to the face. This can be especially useful when things start to sag. It’s also beginning to catch on in breast augmentation, either on its own or to “soften” the appearance of implants. In this way, it gives patients a level of control over their bodies that most of us will never experience naturally, allowing a patient to decide how her own tissue should be distributed. If you’ve ever thought the fat in your full thighs or tummy pooch would be better off in your breasts, you can finally make it happen.
I started to think the entire thing sounded too good to be true, especially here in Michigan. Don’t get me wrong — I love it here, but this is hardly the epicenter of plastic surgery (think Beverly Hills). But as it turns out, there are quite a few surgeons around the state offering fat transfer. Each surgeon seems to have his or her own approach. For example, Partners in Plastic Surgery of West Michigan most often uses fat grafting for breast augmentation at their Grand Rapids practice. It seems like it’s a good idea to shop around for a surgeon who specializes in your procedure of choice if you decide to take the plunge.
Plastic surgery certainly isn’t what it used to be, and neither are our attitudes about it. Is there a procedure you’ve been eyeing? Let’s talk about it in the comments!
