What happens when you get pregnant after a tummy tuck? Ft. Dr. German Newall

In this episode of the best plastic surgery podcast "Big Butts No Lies", our host & plastic surgery consultant Mavi Rodriguez is joined by Dr. German Newall, a board-certified plastic surgeon from Houston, Texas. Together they discuss the following topics:

1. How safe are combination surgeries?

2.  Can you sit after a BBL?

3. What are the trends in plastic surgery?

4.  Can you breastfeed after breast surgery?

5.  What happens when you get pregnant after a tummy tuck and mommy makeover?

Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights into the world of plastic surgery and learn about more about the plastic surgery industry!

 Dr. German Newall, a board-certified plastic surgeon treats each individual patient with a unique treatment plan. To Dr. Newall, plastic surgery is not just a profession, but a passion, which reflects the satisfaction he finds in helping others achieve their appearance dreams. By combining an artistic eye for beauty with high standards of excellence, our team is able to achieve transformative results in body contouring, breast enhancement, and facial rejuvenation procedures.

Plastic Surgery Houston, TX | Sugar Land Medical Spa (drnewall.com)

Dr. Newall | Houston Surgeon (@dr.newall) • Instagram-Fotos und -Videos

Transcript

Mavi Rodriguez (00:01.799)
Hey guys, do I have the episode for you today? You guys are not gonna believe it. I finally got my surgeon to come on the show. I am so excited to have Dr. German Newell, board certified plastic surgeon out of Houston, Texas. Hello, Dr. Newell.

Dr Newall (00:18.667)
How are you? Good to see you.

Mavi Rodriguez (00:19.791)
I'm doing good. I'm happy to see you too. I am so happy to finally share my surgeon with all of my girls, my audience. They're always asking me, who did your work? Who did your work? Dr. Newell, he's in Houston. Y'all gotta come see him. So I'm so excited to finally get you on the show and get to talk about your amazing talent, which I think is combination surgeries.

Dr Newall (00:44.942)
Thank you so much, Mari. It's a pleasure to be here with you all and share my experience.

Mavi Rodriguez (00:48.847)
Thank you. Dr. Newell, so I'm going to talk a little bit about something that's a little controversial online, which is combination surgeries. And I've talked about my surgery, which I had a tummy tuck, lipo 360, BBL, all in one sitting. And you did all of that. And you know, as much as I know, how much controversy there is about doing multiple procedures at once.

and doing a tummy tuck at the same time as a BBL.

Dr Newall (01:20.414)
Well, I think the most important thing in any kind of combination surgeries is the issue of safety. We have an extremely safe team. We approach it in a team fashion, anesthesia, surgery, all of that. We take all the precautions necessary to avoid complications such as blood clots, which is the most dreaded complication.

We use anticoagulants in all our patients. So we have it down to a science. And I think it's typically a very doable procedure. We do it all the time. It takes me about 2 and 1 half to 3 hours to do the combination TamiTac, 360 liposuction, and the BBL. And that is a very safe time. So I feel very comfortable doing that operation.

and have no issues with it at all.

Mavi Rodriguez (02:22.271)
So something that I really love about your technique and I would love for you to tell us more about it is that we can sit post-op day one.

Dr Newall (02:31.014)
Yes, yes. The technique I use is the most advanced technique is a roller pump technique which allows me to put fat in pretty much everywhere in the buttock in a safe state in a very safe way from above down to avoid where all the vessels are that can give you trouble. With this technique you can sit from day one and not displace the fat that you place. Now typically

with this technique you can get a 70% fat take, meaning that of all the fat that I put there 70% stays forever and you lose about 30% which really is the best take there is in the market. So, no, I feel very comfortable with this technique, it's safe and again the results are outstanding.

Mavi Rodriguez (03:20.935)
And I really love that we can sit day one because that's probably one of the things that I hear a lot of my girls who come to me and they're like, man, I wanna have a BBL, but what, I can't sit for six weeks?

Dr Newall (03:32.742)
Yeah. Well, that was a tough situation when you can't sit down for two weeks. How are you going to do it? So that's when we evolved this technique of the roller pump, which allows us to put all this fat everywhere. Now, most people still use the syringes. And that, of course, is limiting the amount of fat you can put on. Of course, they tell you not to sit down because they want to maximize the take.

But with the roller pump technique, there's no issue with such.

Mavi Rodriguez (04:05.771)
And can you tell it, Dr. Newell, my audience is very educated and they will go research. Whatever you talk about, they're going to go look it up. So can you tell us a little bit about what that roller pump technique, what does that mean?

Dr Newall (04:14.419)
Yeah.

Dr Newall (04:20.002)
Well, it's the same machine that we use to mess the tissues when we do liposuction. We came up with this idea of reversing that pump and then suctioning away whatever fat we had placed through that little roller pump and push it out through a different cannula and then direct it into the buttocks.

right now is pretty much all the gurus of fat grafting are really using it and it's just the best.

Mavi Rodriguez (05:01.751)
And it's it has I mean it You guys my fat took whatever he put in there. It's there. It's still there. And how long ago was my surgery in 2017? That's yeah, it's it stays it's still in there and I love my results dr. Newell

Dr Newall (05:15.884)
day.

Dr Newall (05:20.074)
That's great. I'm so glad she liked it, Mavi. I just always try to do my best on all my patients and try to give them that really hourglass figure and chisel look.

Mavi Rodriguez (05:22.247)
Hahahaha

Mavi Rodriguez (05:33.783)
Well, you know what, you just touched on something that I think we should really go into because you don't know this, but you were my second consultation. So I had a consultation before you and the surgeon that I saw, he was his recommendation was to lipo my hips down. Straight and. That's not what I wanted. I went to you and you were like.

Dr Newall (05:53.247)
Right.

Dr Newall (05:56.726)
No, no.

Mavi Rodriguez (05:58.991)
it's okay sweetheart we're gonna put some fat here we're gonna take it out of here we'll give you some curves and I was like you go dr. Newell you do that to me please

Dr Newall (06:04.462)
That's right.

Dr Newall (06:08.346)
That's right. Well, the whole idea is fat redistribution. So you take away the areas that it is like to create a more snatched look as they say now, and augment areas that you are lacking fullness, the hips, the trochanters, the buttocks, it's a unit and it's all an aesthetic unit. And you can have great results.

rather than throw it all away and giving you a boyish look, which is not what I desire.

Mavi Rodriguez (06:45.964)
Exactly. It wasn't what I was desiring either. And you know what? After my surgery, Dr. Nual, due to the confidence that I gained from my surgery and going off into the world and seeing how I saw the change in other women in their lives. And it's something actually that I saw that you talked about, which is it's not so much about the surgery.

on the outside, it's about transformation that's happening on the inside.

Dr Newall (07:15.23)
That's right. It's a combination. When you look good, you feel good and you express yourself in different ways. It's confidence that you lack before. Everything comes through the eyes and that really pumps up your psyche in so many different ways. Yes, I love that because really it's not only the material part.

physical part, but the mental part that also it's improved.

Mavi Rodriguez (07:50.311)
Dr. Newell and I know one of the things that I always saw in your office was such a big Latin community You have such a large Latin following and I think Honestly, let's get that is good channel. Kevlin is fine. You know, it's a little no hour less by no

Dr Newall (08:08.318)
Of course. They are my roots. I come from Latin America and I'm Peruvian, and therefore the Latin curves are what I like. That's what I try to do.

Mavi Rodriguez (08:09.343)
I'm sorry.

Mavi Rodriguez (08:24.835)
Exactly. And you do it very well, Dr. Newell.

Dr Newall (08:29.821)
Thank you, Mommy. Gracias.

Mavi Rodriguez (08:32.531)
So, let's talk about this sitting after the BBL process. I know you give us the permission. We're allowed to sit. Can you tell us a little bit about after a BBL, what are some precautions that you recommend for your patients? Our audience is always looking for information that can help them make the best decisions on their surgical journey.

Dr Newall (08:36.749)
Yes.

Dr Newall (08:55.69)
Of course. Now we use garments, compression garments for about six weeks. And that is very helpful because it emolds the buttocks the way that I created them. Now there is a process and I tell my patients, don't criticize what you see the next day or even the next month because it takes up to seven months to see this process, this curvaceous look.

get better. So hold their hands and say, don't be critical. It's not over yet. So as long as you know and you are well informed that it will take up to seven to eight months to see the best results, patients are fine. You have to inform them. And once they know that they are okay. It is a very nice process, like I said.

We have to work with your own anatomy so we not we cannot create something that you don't have But we can enhance what you have and make it better

Mavi Rodriguez (10:04.327)
That's beautifully said. I love how you said that. We can't make something that's not there, but we can enhance what's already there and make it better. That leads me to this question that, what trends are you seeing as far as what patients are coming in and asking for BBLs?

Dr Newall (10:13.207)
Yes.

Dr Newall (10:22.586)
Yes, now things have changed in many ways. For example, I see the trends in breasts. Big is not better anymore. It's maybe perkier, smaller. That's one trend. In buttocks, more buttocks, more curvaceous forms is better, but not excessive either.

the natural look of a curvy, delicate body is better than a really blunt and aggressive change. I think natural looks by far are better than the really, you know, curvy, too grotesque, let's put it this way, changes.

Mavi Rodriguez (11:17.94)
Absolutely. Dr. Newell, something that I always noticed in your office was the BMI range of patients that you would see. And I knew it was because you were very comfortable in what you do and you're a professional, you're an expert, you know how to handle the higher BMIs. Why don't you tell us, I just had an episode recently about BMIs and the importance of being within a certain BMI. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Dr Newall (11:32.706)
Yes.

Dr Newall (11:43.758)
Yeah. Yes. And we don't operate on patients with a BMI higher than 45. And the reason being is more of an anesthesia risk. When patients are rather large and have such BMI above 45, the risk of having problems with anesthesia are higher. Similarly, in their way they heal.

So the optimal BMI of course is below 45, you know, below that. Of course, you know, 30, 25 is better than 44. But it's doable after that's safely done. And we take all the precautions to avoid complications. And I have fantastic results with a

patients that have a rather higher BMI than normal, around 44 or less, and that's fine. We can make the changes, the adequate changes. And hopefully the patient will change their bad habits and go back to a very athletic BMI.

Mavi Rodriguez (12:59.191)
You know what, that's something I always talk about on the show about after your surgery, it's either going to motivate you to change your eating habits and change the way your, your lifestyle so that you can maintain the results or you don't change and you just continue to live and eat how you were living and eating and you might not last. Your results might not last.

Dr Newall (13:11.554)
Yes.

Dr Newall (13:22.438)
Exactly. And again, I know, and you know it, Mavie, this is not magic. I mean, I can make changes that are beautiful and very desirable, but it's up to the patient to maintain them. I can't do more than that. And I think the majority of patients understand that. But there's a little part that really feel that this is just a procedure to lose weight. And it's not all about that.

It's about changing your bad habits and making you look your best.

Mavi Rodriguez (13:56.519)
Exactly. And after you have surgery, like for me, it motivated me to make lifestyle changes to keep so I could keep my results. And let me tell you guys, a few months ago, maybe it was last year, I went in to see Dr. Newell with a friend of mine who was going to have surgery with him. And I showed him my a very small part of my incision where my scar is a little bit not thick, but it's just a little raised. But it's the only spot.

Dr Newall (14:06.626)
Yes.

Mavi Rodriguez (14:26.063)
And you know what Dr. Newell told me? He said, sometimes you don't break what's not broken. And I really want us to talk about that because I feel like there's a chasing of perfection in plastic surgery. And I want us to be realistic. And you put me in my place that day. You were like, Mavi, you look great. Your incision is perfect. Live your life.

Dr Newall (14:37.676)
Yes.

Dr Newall (14:50.806)
You know, you touch upon a very important issue. The enemy of good is better. You try to achieve perfection. There's no such thing as perfection. You got to realize that if you look good, be happy about it because perfection doesn't exist. And sometimes, like I said, the enemy of good is better. You try to go for that and you get a complication and things go downhill.

Mavi Rodriguez (15:20.547)
Exactly. So I've always really appreciated how you were so honest with your patients and you were always caring about, you know what, it's okay. Save your money. We're not going to go for more surgery. You don't need more surgery. And I've always really appreciated that and admired that about you because it's not something that is a given across the board.

Dr Newall (15:44.714)
Yeah, I agree, Mavi. I care for my patients and I know what I can give them and offer them and what I can't. And I will never mention something that I cannot deliver. And you just have to be honest with yourself and say, hey, this is as much as I can do.

Mavi Rodriguez (16:06.243)
Absolutely. Dr. Newell, give me one second. Let me read my notes about what I had here for you, because I was so excited to have you on the show today. I was like, yes, I can't wait. I get to showcase my surgeon. I'm so happy. One of the things that you did for me during my surgery was after my BBL, you are during my BBL, you blended my you blended it into my legs.

Dr Newall (16:21.593)
Thank you, Bobby.

Dr Newall (16:34.666)
Yes, yes and I do that routinely Mavi because it's one aesthetic unit and it's just the buttock part, the outer thigh called trochanters and it goes down to your lateral component of the thigh. You have to make it smooth so that everything blends beautifully. So yeah, it's like sculpting. You want to make the best out of it.

Mavi Rodriguez (16:35.667)
So.

Dr Newall (17:04.718)
create a big buttock on chicken legs. You know, it just doesn't look good. So you have to blend everything so that it's proportional. Everything is about proportions. And that's the answer for beauty, you know, proportions.

Mavi Rodriguez (17:25.335)
And I think that definitely was the key because once I noticed that and then I started noticing other people's BBLs, I was like, oh, okay, I see what he did. I see why he did this, why he does this. And we can talk a little bit about it. When you don't do it is when you get Aunt Booty. Have you seen the Aunt Booty?

Dr Newall (17:47.218)
Yes, yes, it doesn't look good. Again, you can't just do one area without touching upon others. So I not tell that to my patients. I'm trying to say, well, why do you have to go there? I say, well, because if I don't, then it doesn't look as good. So as long as you explain things to patients, they do understand and they will agree with the plan.

Mavi Rodriguez (18:14.679)
Absolutely. I listened, I understood, and I said, I'm gonna do whatever Dr. Newell tells me to do because I want to look like one of his girls. And I do, you know, actually, when people ask me, I always tell them body by Newell, body by Newell. I did after my mommy makeover, about two years later, remember we were going to do my breast and we were like, no, maybe not. We'll wait. You told me.

Dr Newall (18:21.45)
That's right. And you do.

Dr Newall (18:29.944)
Yeah.

Dr Newall (18:38.356)
Yes.

Mavi Rodriguez (18:41.523)
wait, you might decide you don't want to do it later. And I said, okay. And at first I was like, you know what? I don't even mind them anymore. Now I can just stick them in a bra, my stomach's flat. I look, you gave me the hourglass. But later I came in and we talked about breast again. And one of the things I want to, I heard in one of your consultations was about breastfeeding and breast work. And I'd really, we haven't talked about it on the show and I'd really love to talk about it.

Dr Newall (19:09.534)
Yeah. Well, if you do, of course, a breast reduction, you're taking perenchyma away from your breast. So yes, you can breastfeed, but the amount of milk production is going to be lowered. So yes, people that have a breast reduction lift will be able to breastfeed, but they might need formula to add to the situation.

Mavi Rodriguez (19:33.359)
Hmm, okay.

Dr Newall (19:39.154)
I typically put the implant under the muscle and so there's no contact with the breast parenchyma. So all the patients that have breast augmentation and breastfeeding, no problem. It's okay. The answer is you could breastfeed with patients that have some sort of breast surgery.

whether it be an augmentation, whether it be a lift, whether it be even a reduction.

Mavi Rodriguez (20:12.219)
Absolutely, and I've heard in your consultations when you would recommend to your younger client, your patients who would come in, who haven't had kids yet, that you would tell them, it's up to you if you wanna go through.

Dr Newall (20:25.266)
Exactly, exactly and that's information they need to know because when you are pregnant and you deliver, a lot of the parts of your body change and I hate to do a breast lift on a very young patient and then she has two or three pregnancies and the breasts drop a little bit or quite a bit.

Mavi Rodriguez (20:53.883)
or drop a lot.

Dr Newall (20:55.642)
So it's important they know. Now I've had patients that had a tummy tuck or a breast lift and they got pregnant and they retracted. Some do but some don't. So it's one of those things. You just can't be sure all the time.

Mavi Rodriguez (21:15.851)
That leads me to this very funny common thing that happens Dr. Newell and I know you know that after they have their mommy makeover they get pregnant.

Dr Newall (21:26.026)
Yes, yes. It is unfortunately true. They become so good looking and desirable husbands just get uncontrolled.

Mavi Rodriguez (21:40.039)
Can't keep their hands off.

Mavi Rodriguez (21:44.768)
So let's talk about what if somebody gets pregnant after a tummy tuck, what happens? What can they expect?

Dr Newall (21:51.762)
Okay, you know, I've seen many of my patients get pregnant after a tummy tuck and I would say that 85% to 90% of them, once they deliver, they retract and they're fine. There's a small percent, like a 10% that may have some excessive skin still there that they decide to excise and get rid of.

many abdominal blasts, touch up, but not to the extent of the major one. But yeah, most do fine. Most do fine.

Mavi Rodriguez (22:31.015)
Do you have to, like if they get pregnant, I swear to God that three month range, that's usually when I hear, oh, I'm three months post-op, I have a positive pregnancy test. So what do the muscles, I'm assuming, because I've heard you talk about it, they stretch kind of like a first time pregnancy, the tightness you would feel.

Dr Newall (22:43.636)
Yeah.

Dr Newall (22:49.238)
Yeah, yeah, yes, yeah, they can. Um, now when, when I do the repair of the muscles, typically takes between three and six months for that muscle to be totally healed. That's why I tell my patients no crunches or hardcore exercises for six months. Um, of course, if you get pregnant before that six month period.

then you can stretch those muscles again. So that is the window where they can stretch those muscles again.

Mavi Rodriguez (23:29.887)
Okay, so they could possibly stretch within that three to six month range when it's not completely healed. But after that, they'll just be pushed out.

Dr Newall (23:37.495)
Yes. I've.

Yeah, after that, the strength of the muscle is there, so the stretching is not that dramatic.

Mavi Rodriguez (23:48.143)
Mmm. That's and that's why they don't end up with a lot of excess skin.

Dr Newall (23:54.535)
Exactly, exactly.

Mavi Rodriguez (23:56.415)
Okay, so if you're listening and you got pregnant and you're like in the first few weeks, you know, okay, what to expect. Now you heard from Dr. Newell what could happen in the next six to eight months. And after a pregnancy, Dr. Newell, how long does somebody have to wait to have, like if somebody's pregnant right now and they're like, okay, this is my last kid, this is it, mommy's getting redone.

Dr Newall (24:25.27)
Yeah. Well, I usually tell them between four to six months because remember your uterus has been stretched and grown and you want that uterus to be reduced to its normal size before you go and tighten those muscles because that will impede you from making a good repair. So I usually tell them from four to six months because that's

Mavi Rodriguez (24:25.607)
How long do they have to wait?

Dr Newall (24:55.234)
how long it takes for the complete regression of the uterus.

Mavi Rodriguez (25:03.059)
And usually by that time, like a lot of the swelling and a lot of like the pregnancy weight is kind of coming off. So you say if you're going to have a tummy tuck after pregnancy, usually wait six months.

Dr Newall (25:20.835)
Yes, yes, usually you wait about four to six months.

Mavi Rodriguez (25:23.731)
Perfect, so if you're listening now, you know, you can time it out and schedule your tummy tuck at least six months after your last baby.

Dr Newall (25:34.446)
That's correct.

Mavi Rodriguez (25:36.143)
Dr. Newell, it was such a pleasure to have you on. I'm so happy. And you guys, I love Dr. Newell. You have if you're looking for a tummy tuck, if you're thinking about having a mommy makeover, Dr. Newell is definitely the place to go. If you're here in Houston, the place to go. If you're traveling, the place to go, because let me tell you about his surgical facility and not just his surgical facility, but his office, his staff.

His coordinator is Maggie and Patty and these girls have been with Dr. Noor for how long Dr. Noor?

Dr Newall (26:11.819)
Patty about 24 years, Maggie about 15 years.

Mavi Rodriguez (26:16.703)
Yeah, so what does that tell you? To me that says, these girls are happy because he's a good surgeon and he takes care of his patients and he's a standup guy. And not just that, the facility, you guys, it's a five star, beautiful office. You walk in and the smell, if you listen to the episode of, we had one of your patients on and she was telling us about her experience. If you listen to the episode about Melanie, she states,

Dr Newall (26:41.78)
Oh yes.

Mavi Rodriguez (26:45.207)
I walked in and I smelled the office. She was like, I knew that was it. I'm staying here.

Dr Newall (26:53.515)
Yes, well, we take great pride on our staff. They are fantastic people. They've been trained to the T and we care about patients, customer service, all those little things that you don't see in every place. We do. We send our nurses.

for follow-up in their houses. Nobody does that. We go above and beyond of whatever the standard is to make sure the patients are happy. So yes, we do it all.

Mavi Rodriguez (27:38.187)
you do. And Dr. No, I do want to do a special mention of that beautiful bow tie. And you're always wearing your beautiful bow ties.

Dr Newall (27:47.638)
Thank you so much, my friend.

Mavi Rodriguez (27:49.443)
They look great on you. And if you go in to see him, you're gonna see him dressed up in a really nice suit with his really nice bow tie, smelling great and just going in and turning moms into hotties left and right.

Dr Newall (28:03.771)
Thank you, Bobby, you're so kind.

Mavi Rodriguez (28:06.384)
Dr. Newell. So if my girls want to come see you, where can they come see you?

Dr Newall (28:10.71)
Well, you know, I see patients Tuesdays and Thursdays at the post-doc office. And you know, just make sure that they can call Patty and Maggie or the entrance service and they can contact them and we'll take good care of you.

Mavi Rodriguez (28:31.155)
They will. Dr. Newell, I know anybody who comes in to see you. You guys, if you come and you're telling you learned about Dr. Newell on the podcast, tell him Mavi sent me. So he knows to give you the special Mavi treatment.

Dr Newall (28:42.606)
That's right. Of course, always, always.

Mavi Rodriguez (28:47.891)
Thank you so much, Dr. Noll. It was such a pleasure to have you on. It was good seeing you too.

Dr Newall (28:49.739)
Thank you, mom. It's been a pleasure seeing you. It's been a pleasure seeing you and talking to you. You're fantastic

Mavi Rodriguez (28:56.319)
Thank you, Dr. Newell. And with that, I will see you guys next week.

Dr Newall (29:02.126)
All right.

Mavi Rodriguez (29:03.998)
Okay.