DALLAS—
38- year old Teresa Hudson has it all--a great job and three healthy kids--but delivering those kids gave this mom more than she bargained for."A lot of loose skin," Teresa said. "I lots of extra fat there and where I had a C section, the scar was along the C section line--it wasn't quite right so the skin kind of hung over."
So last January Teresa decided to have a 'mommy makeover' and had a tummy tuck and liposuction performed on her back, hips and thighs with some of the fat transferred to plump up her lips.
Teresa loves her after baby body.
"I was probably a 36 then--37," Teresa said. "Now I'm probably a 31--32."
Dr. Carlos Barcelo is a plastic surgeon at Forest Park Medical Center where the mommy makeover business is booming.
"Well it has become more frequent that we do it every week, we do a case or two--or even more," Dr. Barcelo said.
Dr. Barcelo says the age of the typical patient is usually in her mid 30's but now he sees more women in their mid 40s and believes it's because women are having kids later in life.
Dr. Barcelo said a mommy makeover is not the easy way to a better than before body.
"The loose skin and the separation of the muscles of the abdomen that happen with pregnancy will not be corrected by exercise," Dr. Barcelo said.
Teresa agrees.
"I could exercise all day everyday and it wasn't going to get any tighter."
While Teresa is ready for the pool--the mommy makeover is no day at the beach. Teresa was laid up for a week and it was two months before she was her old self again and while many women also include breast implants with their mommy makeover--Teresa didn't need it.
Now after three kids--including a 17 year old--Teresa's body is back to the future.
"It's just a mental thing--you can go to the beach or go to the pool with your kids and not worry about wearing a big old drape around your midsection," Teresa said.
The mommy makeover costs about $10,000.00 and because it's considered cosmetic surgery it's generally not covered by insurance.
