Rebecca Garza Plastic Surgery
322 U.S. 41 #103
Schererville, IN 46375
Phone: (219) 322-3131
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
As a female board-certified plastic surgeon and mother, Dr. Rebecca Garza understands the physical changes that pregnancy and motherhood can bring and that every mom experiences them differently. Not everyone needs or wants surgery after having children, and you don’t have to have children to want breast and body enhancement. For these and other reasons, the term “mommy makeover” isn’t used at our Schererville, Indiana, practice.
Dr. Garza has extensive experience performing body contouring and breast enhancement surgeries for all genders. She often combines procedures such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), liposuction, breast lift (with or without implants), and other body contouring surgeries for people seeking comprehensive improvements from one operation.
Are You a Good Candidate?
During your consultation, Dr. Garza listens to why you’re considering aesthetic surgery and your expectations for your results. The combination of procedures included in your surgery depends on your goals, and Dr. Garza customizes her approach to help you achieve your desired results. The best candidates for a combination surgery that includes both body contouring and breast enhancement are:
- In good overall health
- At or near the weight they are comfortable maintaining
- At a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or lower
- Clear about what plastic surgery can and cannot accomplish
- Not planning future pregnancies
We recommend bringing a list of questions to your consultation to ensure you get all the information you need to make an educated decision about the procedure.
Combining Procedures
Even though this combination surgery is often performed to address the needs of women who have had children, many people experience these same concerns—loose abdominal skin and sagging breasts, for example—due to aging, weight loss, or other factors.
Procedures that Dr. Garza commonly combines include:
Abdominoplasty: After pregnancy or significant weight loss, individuals are often left with stretched abdominal skin and weakened abdominal muscles. No amount of exercise or dieting can shrink skin that’s lost its elasticity or repair separated abdominal muscles (a condition called diastasis recti). A tummy tuck removes excess skin and repairs the underlying muscles, creating a flatter, firmer midsection. Dr. Garza takes care to make tummy tuck incisions as low as possible—usually just above the pubic area—so that your scar is hidden, even in swimwear.
Liposuction: Even people who lead healthy lifestyles that include a nutritious diet and exercise can have pockets of excess fat. Liposuction removes this fat and sculpts the abdomen and flanks to create attractive, smooth contours that look natural.
Breast enhancement: Age, weight changes, and pregnancy can take their toll on the size, shape, and position of your breasts. If you’re happy with the size of your breasts but want to restore a more youthful look, a breast lift can help. Patients with deflated, sagging breasts often combine a breast lift with breast implants to restore the shape and size of their breasts, while women whose breast size increases significantly during pregnancy and remains overly large may opt for breast reduction surgery to alleviate neck and shoulder pain and improve their breasts’ size.
Labiaplasty: An increasing number of women also opt to include labiaplasty in their combination procedures. Large or irregularly shaped labia minora can cause discomfort or make it difficult to wear tight-fitting clothes such as exercise leggings or shorts. Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure that changes the appearance of the labia minora.
By combining these components into a single operation, Dr. Garza can create a truly customized result and an impressive transformation.
Meet Your Surgeon,
Rebecca Garza, M.D.
Dr. Garza is one of the most accomplished female board-certified plastic surgeons in Indiana and the Chicagoland area. She completed elite fellowship training and is active in several prestigious professional associations, including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Aesthetic Society, and the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery. She performs a full range of facial procedures, as well as breast enhancement and body contouring, all tailored to your personal needs.
More About Dr. GarzaCredentials You Can Trust
Before and After Photos
Dr. Garza has performed numerous combined breast and body procedures and has an extensive portfolio of her patients’ before and after photos. Dr. Garza is happy to share these photos of past patients to help you envision the possibilities that your combination surgery can produce.
Is Combining Procedures in One Surgery Safe?
Dr. Garza has the extensive training and experience required to combine multiple body contouring procedures in a single operation. Because patient safety is her top priority, she carefully plans your operation to limit surgical time and ensure a low risk of complications.
If you have concerns about anesthesia or other elements of the surgery, be sure to share them during your consultation. Dr. Garza takes the time to listen to you and carefully review your medical history to make sure combination surgery is an appropriate and safe option.
What Is Recovery Like?
Total recovery time varies from patient to patient and depends primarily on the procedures you choose. Most people can return to work after about 2 weeks, but you will likely require more time off if you work at a physically demanding job.
Dr. Garza encourages light activity, such as walking, early in the recovery process to reduce the risk of blood clots. However, she advises patients to refrain from activities that involve bending and lifting. We typically remove drains and sutures in about a week. We will provide you with customized timelines to guide you through your recovery.
A Reputation Built on Results
A Reputation
Built on Results
Combined Breast & Body FAQs
What are the advantages of combining procedures?
There are several advantages to combining multiple procedures into a single surgery. One major advantage is price. Although the initial up-front cost of the operation is more than a single procedure, combining options means that some fees, such as operating room fees or anesthesia fees, need to be paid only once. If there are several surgical procedures you’d like to undergo, combining them is more affordable in the long run.
Patients who combine procedures also enjoy a reduced total recovery time. Instead of several 1- or 2-week recoveries spaced several months apart, they’ll generally only need a single recuperation period before returning to work and other daily activities.
How much does a combination surgery cost?
The cost depends on the specifics of the surgery. The procedures you choose, the techniques used by Dr. Garza, your anatomy, and other factors all contribute to the final cost.
After your consultation, we’ll provide a written quote reflecting your specifications. We also offer financing options to ensure your procedure fits into your budget.
Will I have significant scarring?
Today’s surgical techniques have minimized the potential for visible scars, but it’s important to remember that some scarring is still an inevitable part of any surgery. Prior to your operation, Dr. Garza will explain where she will make incisions and what type of scarring you may expect. Most incisions develop into discreet scars that are well hidden by clothing. With proper postoperative care and good sun protection habits, you can further minimize the appearance of scars.
How soon after having children can I undergo body contouring and breast enhancement surgery?
This answer differs between patients and mostly depends on whether your body is still changing after pregnancy. It’s important that your weight is stable, that your breasts are no longer changing, and that you are done breastfeeding.
Dr. Garza advises most patients to wait about 6 to 12 months after having a child. If you’re breastfeeding, you should wait about the same amount of time after weaning your child because the breasts continue changing during that time. You should also be able to commit to certain postoperative activity restrictions that some mothers of young children find difficult to stick to, such as not picking up a child for several weeks.
On the other end of the spectrum are women whose children are grown. This surgery is appropriate for them as it rejuvenates the confidence of women of all ages.
Should I undergo body contouring surgery if I plan to have more children?
Although it would be perfectly safe to have more children after your surgery, pregnancy would likely reverse some of the positive cosmetic results. If you plan to have more children soon, Dr. Garza recommends waiting to have surgery. If you don’t plan to have children for several years, you may want to go ahead and have surgery so you can enjoy the aesthetic benefits now. Be sure to discuss this with Dr. Garza during your consultation.
How can I maintain my results?
Getting the best results starts with following Dr. Garza’s instructions closely before and after surgery. By caring for yourself during this important time, you do your part to ensure your surgery is safe and your recovery is smooth and uneventful. Once you begin resuming your regular activities, maintaining a steady weight is a great way to ensure your results last as long as possible. Significant weight fluctuations or subsequent pregnancy can affect your results and necessitate revision surgery, so committing to a healthy, active lifestyle for as long as possible is essential.
Trust a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
for Your Combined Procedure
If you’re looking for a female board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in body contouring and breast enhancement surgery in Indiana, request a consultation using the online form to meet with Dr. Garza. You can also call us at (219) 322-3131 to schedule an appointment.