Although Posh Spice, Victoria Beckham, has already had three children, the announcement that she is expecting her fourth doesn’t mean she’ll know all there is to know about bouncing back into shape. MyFaceMyBody talked to Dr Tapan Patel, Medical Director at the Viva Clinic, London about the procedures favoured by the capital’s mothers when they visit his clinic for a mummy makeover. Beckhams take note!
1. What is your most popular post-pregnancy treatment?
We get more enquiries for stretch mark treatment than other procedure. Stretch marks are a form of scar and as such can be difficult to treat. We use three main treatments in our clinic:
When the stretch mark is recent. New stretch marks tend to be pink in colour so at this stage we find the best treatment is to use either an Nd:YAG laser or IPL (Intense Pulse Light). This can reduce the pink colour and make the mark less visible.
As the stretch mark ages. Older stretch marks are more silver in colour. At this stage we use either a dermaroller or an ablative laser. The dermaroller uses multiple small needles to puncture minute holes in to the stretch mark which then undergoes a repair process. The ablative laser redoes the upper layers of skin which can have a fading effect.
We are currently also seeing some promising results with carboxytherapy. This involves injecting small amounts of carbon dioxide gas under the stretch mark which stimulates local blood flow. Generally a course of treatments is required with any of the procedures and some people can get impressive results by combining the different treatments.
2. What are the best procedures for new mums?
We generally favour less invasive procedures, especially for new mums who will have more important things to deal with! Other than stretch marks, the skin over the abdomen can be quite lax after a baby and so we aim to tighten this using radiofrequency sessions. This causes gentle heating of the layers below the skin which stimulates collagen and can contract the loose skin. If there is some residual fat in the abdomen area, many mums opt for the VASER procedure which is a liposuction technique performed under local anaesthetic. It can selectively remove fat from specific areas but we encourage mums to wait a few months as often the pregnancy associated weight gain will reduce with normal activity.
3. Are there any ‘cheats’ new mums can go for?
The phrase “too posh to push” came about due to the relatively high number of celebrities who opted for a caesarean section as opposed to a natural delivery. It is possible to have a tummy tuck at the same time as a c-section and clearly this will result in a faster improvement in shape. However the surgery does mean that recovery is longer. Many celebrities will undergo fairly strenuous personal training and combine it with special diets to achieve their figures. The simplest “cheat” is simply to use a compression garment which helps contract the skin and gives the impression of a slimmer figure under clothes.
Dr Tapan Patel, Medical Director, Viva Clinic, 592 Finchley Road, London
www.viva-clinic.co.uk
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