You Did an Amazing Thing…But Now You Want Your Body Back
After having a children, it’s often very difficult to get your body back to the way it once was. Many women experience excess fat remaining in their abdominal area and thighs as well as sagging skin, spider veins, and stretch marks.
Having a Baby Can Affect More Than Just Your Body
The effects of having children are not limited to your body as many many women experience issues with fatigue, anxiety, depression, decreased libido, and insomnia. All these things combined can really hinder woman’s ability to enjoy life with her family to the extent that she wants and deserves.
A NEW Way to Get Your Body and Life Back!
In years past the only options for women who wanted to get their body and life back were surgeries and pharmaceutical drugs. Options for addressing diet and exercise resistant areas of fat were limited to liposuction, and the tightening of skin was limited to a surgical option such as a tummy tuck. As for addressing sleep and mood related issues such as anxiety and depression, conventional medicine is content with throwing pharmaceutical drugs at women to mask these symptoms. Both surgery and prescription drugs come with risk and side effects. Certainly there must be a better way?
At Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center we take a holistic approach to addressing these issues. We are able to treat woman both inside and out, from head to toe, and we do it all without surgery or drugs. We don’t mask symptoms, we get to the root cause and address it. We utilize the latest in cutting-edge technologies including advanced lasers, cryolipolysis, thermolipolysis, radio frequency, ultrasound, and more to address unwanted fat, stretch marks, lose skin, spider veins, and even vaginal rejuvenation.
Below is an overview of how we help moms (and all women) to get their lives and their bodies back, so they can live their best lives possible! You can click on the link in each section to get more detailed information about each area we treat.
INNER MOMMY MAKEOVER:
Anxiety & Depression
Most of us are aware of post-partum depression and that it has something to do with out hormones being “out of whack” after childbirth. It is important to have a basic understanding of what causes this, and what the long term effects of childbirth are on your hormones and mental status.
During pregnancy your placenta produces very large amounts of progesterone so that the body can sustain pregnancy. Upon the birth of the baby, the placenta is expelled resulting a sudden drop in a progesterone levels. Progesterone is our calming hormone that relieves anxiety, so when this sudden drip occurs this can result in post-partum depression.
Here is the part that most doctors will never tell you. Unfortunately for most women, after childbirth the ovaries, which produce most of your progesterone, do not go back to producing the same levels of progesterone you did prior to your pregnancy. This effects is also usually compounded with each subsequent pregnancy. This is why for mane women they really begin to notice a permanent change in their moods after their second or third child.
For some the anxiety or depression they feel is cyclical in nature (corresponding with your period) and are usually accompanied by other symptoms that can include heavy or irregular periods, fluid retention, menstrual cramps, and breast tenderness. This is often the most common cause of anxiety and depression I see in women. The term for this condition is called Estrogen Dominance. The solution is to put your hormones back into balance by replacing the lost progesterone with Bio-identical Progesterone.
>> Learn more about Bio-Identical Hormones & Depression
Insomnia
Often the cause of insomnia in women, especially those who have had children, is hormonal imbalance. There are 3 primary hormonal imbalances that can cause insomnia, including:
- Progesterone Deficiency (AKA Estrogen Dominance)
- Low Norepinephrine & High Cortisol
- Low GABA & Serotonin Levels
We treat insomnia by testing and addressing any underlying hormonal imbalances, introducing stress reduction methods (such as yoga or meditation), addressing nutritional deficiencies that can effects sleep, and the use of adaptogenic herbs and supplements to help relieve stress and promote sleep.
>> Learn more about how we Treat Insomnia
Weight Gain
So many women struggle with their weight after having children. It’s not just losing the “baby weight”, but also maintaining their ideal body weight can become much more difficult. Many of my female patients tell me that despite eating better and exercising more they they did before having children, the weight does not come off like it used to.
The hormonal imbalances caused from both childbirth and the aging process can make it extremely hard to lose weight and keep it off. The two specific causes that are most common are Estrogen Dominance and Sub-Optimal Thyroid Function, and may times these two conditions go hand-in-hand. When you are deficient in progesterone (Estrogen Dominance), your liver actually produces excess amounts of a protein called Thyroid Binding Glubulin (TBG). TBG “binds” to your thyroid hormones and reduces its ability to be used by the cells of your body, resulting in hypothyroid symptoms. The tricky part is that this form of Hypothyroidism does not show up on standard labs tests. In addition to the production of excess TBG, Estrogen Dominance also turns more calories into fat. You can see this in the dairy industry when they give excess amounts of estrogen to the cows because it fattens them up.
>> Learn more about Progesterone Deficiency and Weight Gain
>> Learn More about Sub-Optimal Thyroid Function
Low Libido
For most people, sex is an important part of their lives. It can have a dramatic impact on your relationships and even make or break a marriage. Many of my female patients find that after having children they begin to lose their libido.
Men get most of the attention in this area, but women experience these issues as well, if not even more so than men, it’s just not as physically apparent. The solution for both men and women is not found in a “little blue pill”, but in hormonal balance. Most of us know that there is a relationship between testosterone in a man and his libido, but testosterone is equally important for a woman’s libido. The only difference is the quantity of testosterone in men vs. women, which is obviously much higher in men.
When a woman has progesterone deficiency (aka estrogen dominance) they will actually begin to experience a drop in their testosterone levels. This is because progesterone is the precursor of testosterone. So, when your low on progesterone you will make less testosterone and your libido will go down. Bringing a woman’s hormones back into balance will usually result in a boost in libido. If you want to further enhance your sexual well-being you may be interested in our vaginal tightening procedure (scroll down to read more).
>> Read more about our Sexual Health Treatments
Stress Incontinence
Many women experience the inconvenience and embarrassment of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). It may happen when you cough, laugh, jump, sneeze, or exercise. SUI is the most common occurring form of incontinence in women under the age of 60 and is most commonly caused by childbirth. SUI is caused by a weak sphincter muscle and/or pelvic floor muscles as a result of the stretching of these muscles during childbirth.
Strengthening of the muscles through exercises called kegels or a surgical procedure used to be the only options available to women. We now have and amazing laser procedure for incontinence called IncontiLase. The treatment is delivered through the vagina, where short laser pulses create photo-thermal stimulation, resulting in tightening of the connective tissue around the vagina wall, urethral orifice, vestibule and anterior bladder wall. The shrinking and tightening of the vaginal and pelvic floor tissues results in greater support to the bladder and urethra, and the return of normal continence function.
>> Read more about Laser Incontinence Treatments
Vaginal Laxity (Looseness)
Vaginal Relaxation Syndrome (VRS) is defined as laxity, or looseness, of the vaginal wall. VRS can result in loss of friction and sexual satisfaction during intercourse. The most common cause of vaginal relaxation syndrome is the overstretching of the vaginal walls during vaginal childbirth. The effects VRS can increase with each subsequent birth.
The only option available to address VRS in the past was surgery. The results from this surgery vary greatly and come with many possible side effects including loss of sensation, nerve damage, tissue necrosis, uncomfortable or painful intercourse, excessive bleeding, infection, and scarring. Vaginal tightening surgery also requires an 8 week recovery time.
IntimaLase is a fast, effective, non-invasive, incision-less procedure for vaginal tightening with no undesired side effects. During the procedure a special attachment, similar to a speculum used during a pap test, is inserted into the vagina. Through this attachment the vaginal canal is treated with short non-ablative laser pulses through a small hand piece. The patented laser heats the vaginal tissue in a special way that causes stimulation of collagen. Scientifically proven clinical results show an average shrinkage of the vaginal canal after a single IntimaLase treatment was 17%. In 95% of cases patients report a noticeable difference, and most women who had the procedure done said that they felt more intense sensations and deeper orgasms.
>> Read more about Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation
OUTER MOMMY MAKEOVER:
Fat Reduction
Vanquish ME is an amazing technology that uses radio frequency to heat the fat cell while leaving the skin and underlying muscle protected. The procedure uses a large curved applicator that can treat large circumferential areas of the body at one time. Vanquish can effectively treat the upper and lower abdomen, flanks, upper thighs, upper arms, and back. We commonly see 2-4 inch reductions in our patients waistlines with this treatment.
>> Read more about Vanquish ME
>> Read more about Coolsculpting
Skin Tightening
You might see it in the belly, on the hips, or on your backside. Maybe you’ve lost the weight and tightening that skin is what you need help with. This can be one of the hardest areas to address, but fortunately there are some amazing new technologies that are providing fantastic results for our patients. The primary function of these treatment is to work on the collagen fibers of the skin causing them to both contract and to stimulate new collagen.
Fotona TightSculpting uses a unique dual-wavelength laser technology. The first wavelength is an nd:YAG that send deep dermal heating underneath the skin causing the underlying collagen fibers to contract, tightening the skin. the second wavelength is a gentle fractionated er:YAG that causes an immediate contraction and tightening of the skin. By combining both of these wavelengths the TightSculpting procedure is able to achieve skin tightening results previously only achieved with surgery.
Exilis ULTRA is the first non-invasive skin tightening procedure to simultaneously transmit radio frequency and ultrasound energy. The combination of ultrasound and radio frequency will create a contraction in the collagen fibers, causing the body to rapidly reproduce more collagen for tighter, smoother skin. The Exilis treatment is pain-free with zero downtime and allows patients to return to their daily activities immediately following treatment.
>> Read more about TightSculpting
>> Read more about Exilis ULTRA
Stretch Marks
Stretch marks are actually a form of scarring that is usually associated with rapid weight gain – such as in pregnancy. They can also occur as a result of rapid growth during puberty, and are most commonly seen on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and breasts. Stretch marks are something that most all women experience to some degree, especially after having children, but they can now be treated with advanced new technologies.
Micro-needling with PRP is an ideal treatment for stretch marks. It can also be beneficial for acne scars, surgical scars, stretch marks, wrinkles and fine lines, hyperpigmentation, lax skin, sun damaged, large pores, and uneven skin texture. This treatment uses your bodies own platelet rich plasma with is full of natural healing growth factors. The PRP is combined with a hand-held micro-needling device that create tiny wounds in the skin that stimulate the body’s healing process and allows the PRP to penetrate deeper into the skin.
Laser Genesis is a noninvasive, restorative laser treatment that can help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. This laser reaches deep into the Dermis layer of the skin to rejuvenate the appearance of the skin, and can also boost the body’s natural collagen production, providing continued improvement over time. This treatment can also improve the appearance of fine lines, enlarged pores, stretch marks, hyper-pigmentation, uneven skin texture, and poor skin tone on the face, neck and chest. Laser Genesis can be safely performed on any skin type and can be done over a lunch break with no downtime.
>> Read more about Micro-needling with PRP
>> Read more about Laser Genesis
Spider Veins
For many women spider veins are something that make them feel like they look much older than they really are. They can be a hard thing to deal with when summer comes along and there is pressure to have picture-perfect legs for baring in shorts and skirts. Pregnancy causes spider veins by an increased pressure against the inferior vena cava, the main vein that drains blood from the lower half of the body.
Although this is one of the most common things women experience after childbirth, it is also easily treated. Our laser quickly treats spider veins of varying sizes and color by heating the blood vessels to the point where it causes the vein wall to collapse. You can notice the disappearance of many of the treated spiders veins immediately while some may take up to 4 months to completely disappear.
>> Read more about Laser Spider Vein Removal
Let Us Put Together a Mommy Makeover Plan For You!
Everyone is different, with unique needs and desires. At Dr. Shel Wellness & Aesthetic Center we offer complimentary consultations with our new patient advisers. We take your desired goals and provide you with a road-map to achieve your goals safely, effectively, and without surgery.
