Melissa Jolly, 32, underwent a ‘mummy makeover’ and says it has changed her life – ‘It’s like a trapped person has been released and I’ve taken ownership of my body back’
When Melissa Jolly looked in the mirror, she “despised” her reflection and would “feel sick” when clutching her untoned stomach, which once carried her four children. In a bid to get her pre-pregnancy body back, the 32-year-old from Manchester tried “every diet under the sun” and regularly exercised.
She lost weight, going from a size 16 to a 14, but it wasn’t just about shedding the pounds for her as she tells us, “everything was just very saggy”. Her body image severely impacted her mental health, took a toll on her relationship and stopped the doting mum from going to certain places with her children – Lucca, 11, Annabel, eight, Reggie, six, and Acer, three.
It wasn’t until her friend recommended asurgeon that she made the drastic decision to go under the knife for a full “mummy makeover”, costing an estimated £15,000. “I had a breast enlargement with uplift, tummy tuck, liposuction and muscle repair – I don’t regret a thing,” Melissa shares.
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On reflection
“I was miserable before, and I avoided the mirror at all costs, I just despised what I looked like. I felt down about it and I was constantly hating on myself,” she adds. Melissa’s stomach was the main body part she battled to come to terms with after welcoming her first child at the age of 20 and her fourth at 29.
“It made me feel sick touching my belly. I couldn’t resonate with my body, so what I felt on the inside just wasn’t reflected on the outside,” she says. “I’d stand in front of the mirror and grab my belly and be like, ‘Ugh.’ I would pretend mybelly was gone and thought of how I’d look without it. I just did not like what I saw.
“You just become a vessel for carrying children and that’s all I saw. I’m very blessed and grateful for my body to have been able to do it four times, but I couldn’t register that’s all [my body] was for, just being a mum.”
She also battled insecurities with her breasts following pregnancy. “My boob stook a hit, they just went south. My belly and my breasts were saggy – I tucked my belly into my leggings and scooped my boobs into a bra.”
Her insecurities impacted her relationship with her ex-husband, as she struggled with “feeling low”. Melissa remembers, “I wouldn’t like him putting his hand on mystomach – it made me feel very insecure. But in general, I didn’t feel happy with who I was so it had a knock-on effect.”
Hiding behind clothes
The simple task of choosing what to wear became a challenge for Melissa as she recalls avoiding certain clothes in a bid to hide her body. “Things that I’d want to wear, I just couldn’t put on – I would be down all the time,” she explains. Even in summer, Melissa always covered her body. She says, “I used to dread summer because I knew it would mean I should be in something a bit more revealing, and for me, that wasn’t an option. I’d still be in a hoodie on a hot day, and I’d have big Bridget Jones knickers on underneath.”
Taking action
In November 2024, Melissa reclaimed her confidence and went under the knife to have a breast enlargement with uplift, tummy tuck, liposuction, and muscle repair, also known as a “mummy makeover”. She underwent surgery with Mr Ramachandran Prasad at Pall Mall and had four procedures done in one go. “It was very convenient for me because of the kids, and I only had to have one round of anaesthetic so I could get it done and recover,” she shares.
The surgery took around five hours, and when she woke up, Melissa was instantly delighted with the results. She says, “My boobs were where they should be, and my belly had gone. I woke up and felt like me for the first time in a very long time. I thought,‘ This is what I was meant to look like.’”
During the first week of recovery, Melissa needed a lot of support, but by the second week she was up and about. “I think people expected it to be a lot worse than it was, but I just got on with it. By the end of the second week, I felt pretty normal,” she adds.
The makeover was expensive, but seems worth every penny. She tells us, “I had separated from my husband, and it was the last part of any financial statement I had, so I decided to invest in myself.”
Melissa has since found a new lease of life, is in a new relationship and points out she’s a better mum following the makeover. “My kids have seen natural happiness from me, my mood has lifted because I feel a lot better in myself, so they’re getting more out of me just on a general day-to-day basis,” she says. “On a nice day, I’d normally suggest a garden day because I didn’t want to go out and cover up, I now say, ‘Come on kids, let’s go.’
“We’re looking at holidays, and I don’t have that panic about being in a bikini; I can’t wait to go bikini shopping. I don’t have that worry of my insecurities any more.” Her confidence has rapidly grown, with shopping for jeans a personal highlight. “I can wear things that I’ve always wanted to wear. I can go out in a top and not even have to wear a bra and they look natural. I can wear jeans – I’ve never worn jeans as I’ve had this bulging belly in the middle.
“I look forward to shopping and going in changing rooms, knowing I’m not going to be sad looking in the mirror. Instead, I feel attractive and confident. I enjoy the experience of going shopping and everything I feel I’ve missed out on.” She adds, “I feel a lot happier and like a weight’s been lifted. It’s changed my life – like a trapped person has been released.”
The term “mummy makeover” has faced backlash from those seeking surgery after giving birth, but Melissa says, “My body changed because I’m a mum, so calling it a mummy makeover makes sense. The term doesn’t offend me or offer me any negativity. If anything, it’s given me validation. It’s OK not to like those changes, and if you want to, you can change it. My body is not a mum any more, it’s my body now, my carrying babies is done. I’ve taken ownership of my body back.”
‘Complications can happen’
Cosmetic surgeon Gerard Lambe, who heads up the Reflect Clinic UK, says, “While most ‘mummy makeovers’ are straightforward if carried out by an experienced and registered surgeon, complications can happen. It’s vital to stress that this is major surgery, requiring hours under general anaesthetic and weeks or months of post-operative care.
“The most worrying risk is one of blood clots in the legs which can travel to the lungs and can be potentially fatal. The extent of incisions means there is a greater risk of wound breakdowns, infections and collections of fluidpost-operatively.
“Patients need to remain mobile and motivated in the post-op period to reduce these risks. Patients who don’t mobilise and take excessive amounts of pain medication can also end up with chest and urine infections, and constipation. Although there will be some visible scars initially, these typically fade overtime and are carefully placed to be as discreet as possible.”
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