Des Moines is the biggest city in Iowa and as such is home to several quality medical facilities.  The cosmetic plastic surgeons in Des Moines seem to make a point of informing potential patients that they are board certified, and for the most part board certified by the one organization that matters: the American Board of Plastic Surgeons.  In order to achieve ABPS certification, an individual must have:

• Completed a combination of at least five years of general surgery and plastic surgery training
• Passed comprehensive written and oral examinations given by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
• Perform plastic surgery in surgical facilities that are accredited, licensed or Medicare certified
• Maintain 150 hours of continuing medical education every three years
• Adhere to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Code of Ethics

That is the level of certification you should seek out in any cosmetic surgeon that you interview for a procedure that you are considering.  In Iowa as in all states, cosmetic plastic surgery has become a thriving business and much of it is conducted in small outpatient clinics rather than standard hospital settings or regular health clinics.  Any physician can claim experience in plastic surgery and that is why certification is so critical.

In Iowa City, the University of Iowa operates the Carver College of Medicine and the Iowa Health Network.  The Department of Surgery has a Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery which offers these comments about their services:

“Cosmetic procedures make up a large part of the activities of the plastic surgery division. Ranging from Botox® injections, liposuction, facelifts, tummy tucks, and breast augmentation, the staff surgeons in the division have expertise in all aspects of the cosmetic surgery field.”

Common plastic surgery procedures include:

• Breast augmentation
• Breast lift
• Breast reconstruction
• Breast reduction
• Abdominoplasty/Tummy Tuck
• Liposuction
• Gynecomastia
• Face lift
• Brow lift
• Eyelid lift/Blepharoplasty
• Nose/Rhinoplasty
• Ear/Otoplasty
• Neck lift
• Scar revision
• Reconstruction after skin cancer surgery
• Skin resurfacing
• Non-surgical facial rejuvenation
• Botox®
• Restylane®
• Anti-aging skin care
• OBAGI® skin products

If you live in the Iowa City area, the school may be an opportunity to seek out the aesthetic surgical procedure you would like to pursue.  Iowa is a state of smaller communities and a few cities – still very much an agricultural state.  However cosmetic plastic surgery is just as viable as in the more cosmopolitan areas of the country; you can find a quality board certified plastic surgeon to meet your needs with a little research and perhaps a little driving.