Body

At Plastic Surgeons of Alaska, we offer a variety of body contouring procedures to help patients from Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula, Wasilla, Palmer, and throughout Matsu Valley feel more confident.

To schedule an appointment, please call (907) 563-2002 today.

Tummy Tuck

Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is a common procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen. It will help restore a flatter appearance to the upper and lower abdomen especially if the abdominal wall muscles are tightened. This may be necessary due to stretching and laxity resulting from pregnancy. The operation takes 2 hours, requires general anesthesia and can be done as day surgery. Recovery may extend to 6 weeks until you can resume full activities. Occasionally liposuction may be added to further contour the abdominal shape.

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Liposuction

This is the removal of fat tissue from body areas to achieve a better contour. It is not intended as a weight loss operation. It utilizes high-power suction and a small tube called a cannula. The cannula is moved back and forth within the fat, the suction pulls the fat into the tube where it is ‘cut’ and removed from the body. Application of pressure (an elastic garment) will then allow the skin and residual fat to recontour to a new shape. Not all areas of the body can be contoured by liposuction. Successful recontouring requires that the fat deposit be accessible and that the overlying skin tone or elasticity is good enough to allow the skin to “shrink” to fit the new underlying shape. Factors such as excessive wrinkling, large volumes of fat to be removed, cellulite and stretch marks all need to be considered when evaluating someone for liposuction. If the skin tone is of poor quality, an additional or alternative procedure may be required to tighten the skin. This often is the case in the abdominal area, especially following pregnancy or repeated bouts of weight gain and loss. The operation requires small incisions near the area to be treated. These are usually hidden in natural body folds or creases. Although this procedure can be done under local anesthesia when small areas are being treated, general anesthesia usually provides a greater margin of safety and comfort when large or multiple areas are to be treated. The operation takes 1-3 hours depending on the number of areas to be treated and the volume to be removed. It is usually done as day surgery in a hospital setting. This ensures the safest environment for your surgery. Recovery may take as few as 3-4 days or may take several weeks until you can resume full activities. 

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Mommy Makeover

Women who have had one or more children can benefit from a combination of body and breast procedures designed to improve the areas most impacted by pregnancy. These typically include breast lift, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and sometimes liposuction.

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Thigh Lift

Similar to the removal of excess skin from the arm described above, the thigh lift removes excess skin from the upper, inner thigh. The scar will run from the groin to the knee in most patients but may occasionally stop short, ending in the mid-thigh. Operative time, recovery time and anesthetic needs are similar to the arm lift described above. 

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Brachioplasty (Arm Lift)

Removal of excess skin and fat from the upper, inner arm can help reduce the effects of weight loss and make the arm thinner. The resulting scar will run from the axilla or armpit to the elbow in most cases. This scar will usually be thicker and redder than in other areas of the body and may make the wearing of short sleeve garments difficult. The operation will take 1-1.5 hours under general anesthesia as day surgery. Recovery is usually 3-4 weeks of limiting your arm activity to normal daily motions.

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Gynecomastia

Male breast enlargement can be treated with one of two methods. Occasionally, liposuction can be used to recontour the chest. If the skin excess is great, excision of skin along with gland and fat removal may be indicated. Treatment can be performed after the age of 14-16 years depending on the extent of involvement and the duration of symptoms. The operation may take 2 hours and requires general anesthesia. It is day surgery and recovery may take 4-6 weeks. 

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Extremity Reconstruction

Post-traumatic reconstruction may take many forms depending on the location and extent of the injury. Simple procedures to place a skin graft or major microvascular surgery may be needed to restore contour and function or to save the extremity from amputation may be needed. A full description of the surgical options, possible complications, expected outcomes and recovery times would be discussed following an examination.