Matthew Kayser
To some, plastic surgery is about vanity. But when Twin Cities moms visit Harrington + Associates Plastic Surgery for a mommy makeover, they aren’t chasing trends or trying to become celebrity lookalikes — they’re seeking to restore their comfort and confidence after the grueling experience of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
From the moment they walk through the door, many of these patients instantly start to feel a little more comfortable. Dr. Jennifer Harrington, the clinic’s founder, is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, and she leads one of the area’s only all-female teams.
When working with each patient, Dr. Harrington and her team emphasize the whole person. Before performing any kind of procedure, each practitioner takes the time to ensure that it’s the right choice for the patient’s life circumstances, health, and aesthetic goals.
“Our whole practice is big on education,” explains Chad A. Smith, CRNA, Executive Director of Harrington + Associates Plastic Surgery. Whether someone is planning on a minor non-surgical treatment or intending to undergo extensive plastic surgery, their journey begins with patient-centered, education-forward counseling.
So what exactly goes into a mommy makeover? In keeping with the practice’s focus on individualized treatment, it depends on each patient’s goals. In many cases, women will choose a breast enhancement paired with body contouring and liposuction.
Breast augmentations and breast lifts are common, but some moms who experience an increase in breast size with pregnancy opt for a reduction instead. Many women also opt for a tummy tuck, liposuction, or both to create a smoother silhouette and get rid of stubborn fat. And in some cases, mommy makeover clients also elect to include a labiaplasty in the procedure.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach; the goal is to help each patient look and feel her best.
These procedures aren’t about undoing the experience of motherhood or trying to recapture fleeting youth. Rather, Dr. Harrington and her team see them as a way to help moms age gracefully as they step into a new chapter of life.
September is Healthy Aging Month, and for all of her mommy makeover clients, Dr. Harrington stresses the fact that “aging well” can (and often does) include a mixture of surgical and non-surgical steps.
That might be surprising to some, but Smith notes that there’s a widespread cultural misunderstanding about who gets liposuction and other kinds of plastic surgery.
“In pop culture, the people who get plastic surgery want to go from a nine to a 10 in the public’s eyes,” he says. “That’s really not who gets liposuction. People who get liposuction are moms who can’t lose stubborn belly fat. It’s the regular Joe Schmoes and Jane Does who are getting it.”
Liposuction might seem like a cornerstone of the mommy makeover, but in reality, it’s just a small part of each patient’s experience with Harrington + Associates Plastic Surgery. From in-home skincare recommendations to med-spa treatments to surgical procedures, Dr. Harrington is helping women navigate the journey of aging confidently.