Body

Iowa Plastic Surgery

The appearance of the abdominal section, hips and buttocks can be refined and contoured using various surgical procedures.

Dr. Van Raalte specializes in the following cosmetic surgery procedures:



Surgery of the Abdomen (Abdominoplasty or "Tummy Tuck")

Generally referred to as a “tummy tuck”, abdominoplasty removes excess fat and skin from the abdomen. The procedure also helps to flatten the abdomen by tightening the surrounding muscles. Women with stretched abdominal areas due to previous pregnancies can benefit considerably from abdominoplasty, although they should have completed their childbearing. Older individuals whose skin has lost some of its elasticity and are slightly obese can also experience an improvement in their abdominal area.

If you are in generally good physical shape but are concerned about abdominal fat deposits or loose skin that does not respond to diet and exercise, the procedure can potentially reduce or even eliminate a protruding abdomen. Abdominoplasty can produce a permanent scar which can possibly extend to both sides of your hips, although the scar will likely be located below the bikini or bathing suit line.

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Liposuction (Lipoplasty / Suction Lipectomy)

Now among the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, liposuction (also known as “lipoplasty” or “suction lipectomy”) sculpts the body by removing undesirable fat from areas around the thighs, knees, buttocks, waist, hips, abdomen, chin, cheeks, neck and upper arms. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL), tumescent technique and the super-wet technique are among the various techniques used to provide precise results.

Liposuction is not a substitute for a healthy diet and exercise, but the procedure can eliminate areas of fat that are unresponsive to typical weight-loss methods.

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Arm lift

After substantial weight loss, weight gain or simply from the effects of aging, skin on the upper arms can become inelastic, loose and flabby. Arm lifts, also known as brachioplasty, remove that excess skin and fat. Patients who have significant amounts of fat may want to consider combining the procedure with liposuction.

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thigh lift

A thigh lift is performed to remove excess skin and fat from the upper legs. Candidates typically suffer from loose, inelastic skin after extreme weight loss due to diet, exercise or bariatric surgery. Because of this, the procedure is often combined with others such as breast lifts, facelifts and arm lifts to retain an attractive body proportion.

In a medial thigh lift (inner thigh lift), the surgical incision is made in the inner thigh along the line where the leg meets the groin. In a lateral thigh lift (outer thigh lift), the incision is made from the groin around the back of the body, so that the buttocks are lifted along with the thigh. 

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