Excellence in Body Contouring - Liposuction and Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) in San Antonio
Dr. Peter Fisher offers artful body contouring procedures, including a variety of tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and liposuction techniques, at San Antonio Plastic Surgery Center. Even with a conscientious regimen of diet and exercise, many people can benefit from cosmetic surgery to give them a more youthful profile. In private practice for nearly 15 years, Dr. Peter Fisher has the training and experience to provide quality body contouring to the San Antonio area. Click here or on the links listed below to view pictures of:
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
Many people who are otherwise healthy need a little extra help achieving a desirable midsection profile. Those who have lost significant weight or women who have had multiple pregnancies may do dozens of crunches and abdominal exercises a day, and still find it impossible to lose all the excess fat and skin around their midsections. For those who wish to achieve a sleeker, more defined look to the waist and tummy, we offer the surgical option of abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, at San Antonio Plastic Surgery Center.
Dr. Fisher evaluates each patient for muscle and skin conditions during an abdominoplasty consultation and helps the patient choose from among four different tummy tuck techniques offered at our San Antonio center.
During the consultation, Dr. Fisher will assess the patient’s height, weight, age, the amount of excess skin and fat, and the condition of the underlying muscles. It is with this information that Dr. Fisher can best recommend which tummy tuck procedure is appropriate for each patient.
Standard Tummy Tuck
During standard abdominoplasty, an incision is made in an open "U" shape from one hipbone to the other. The skin is then lifted away from the underlying muscles, so they can be tightened. An incision is made around the belly button, through which excess fat is then removed. Small drainage tubes are also placed near the incision to help collect fluid and prevent any leaking. These tubes are removed during a follow-up office visit one to two weeks after surgery.
Click on a case below to view the larger version of the transformation.
Mini-Tummy Tuck
If loose skin and muscles are confined to the lower part of the abdomen, a mini-tummy tuck can have more significant results than liposuction alone, with less scarring than full abdominoplasty. For many of our San Antonio patients, this may be sufficient to restore a youthful profile. This procedure limits tissue removal and muscle repair to the area below the belly button, generally leaving a shorter scar. Patients who undergo a mini-tummy tuck achieve a firmer, flatter abdomen and are often delighted with their new body shape.
Circumferential Abdominoplasty or “Belt Lipectomy”
Those who achieve substantial weight loss enjoy the benefits of improved health, a fitter body, more self-confidence, and a better outlook on life. Unfortunately, extreme weight loss – such as that achieved by bariatric surgery – can leave the skin stretched, sagging, and loose, not just on the abdomen, but also all around the midsection. The solution is a circumferential abdominoplasty, similar to a tummy tuck but extending around the circumference of the midsection to the middle of the back. By making such an extensive incision, Dr. Fisher is able to remove very large amounts of excess skin and any remaining fat. Also known as a full-body lift, this procedure may also be used to tighten sagging thighs and lift the buttocks, or may be combined with another procedure, such as breast lift. Body lift results can be life changing.
Click on a case below to view the larger version of the transformation.
Endoscopic Tummy Tuck
Endoscopic abdominoplasty is a procedure recommended for patients who have a bulging abdomen and little excess skin. As part of this procedure, a short incision is made along the patient’s abdomen, allowing the doctor to loosen both the skin and the soft tissue covering the underlying muscle. A special surgical instrument, called an endoscope, a tiny probe attached to a lighted camera, is then inserted into this area. The camera is connected to a TV monitor on which the doctor can track the instrument's movement. Once the endoscope is inserted, Dr. Fisher can use the TV monitor as a guide to help him move soft tissue up to the sternum. Then, using a special needle-holder, the muscles can be tightened, and the surrounding tissues can be suctioned, completing the abdominoplasty.
The recovery time for endoscopic abdominoplasty is usually shorter than that of other abdominoplasty techniques.
Click on a case below to view the larger version of the transformation.
All of the abovementioned tummy tuck techniques are performed at our San Antonio center under general anesthesia. Depending on the extent of the surgery, a patient’s recovery time in the hospital can be from as little as an hour to as long as three nights. In addition to this time, the patient may also need to take extra time off from work – from one to three weeks. After surgery, the patient will wear a girdle and abdominal binder for six weeks before resuming regular exercise. Complications are rare in abdominoplasty; however, the most common is swelling, which can last for several months.
To learn more about your tummy tuck options, please call us today at 210-616-0798 to setup a consultation.
Liposuction
A strict diet and regular exercise program isn’t always enough to eliminate pockets of fat from the body's problem areas. Certain areas, such as the chin, neck, upper arms, stomach, buttocks, hips, or ankles can stubbornly retain fat, despite all efforts to lose it. Liposuction, offered at the San Antonio Plastic Surgery Center, can target such problem areas and leave your body trimmer and more sculpted.
The Liposuction Procedure
Liposuction has evolved and improved considerably since it was introduced in the early eighties. Today, the tubes inserted into the skin to suction out fat are thinner, allowing incisions of only three to five millimeters, causing less trauma to the body. In addition, Dr. Fisher can perform tumescent liposuction, in which a fluid is injected into the treatment area that decreases the loss of blood and increases the amount of fat that can be removed.
Bruising is the most common complication of liposuction at our San Antonio center, and will resolve in two to four weeks. Girdles are worn for six weeks after surgery.
Liposuction is normally performed as an outpatient procedure, under general anesthesia. The procedure can last from one to three hours. The maximum amount of fat removed in a single session is 5,000 cc. After the healing period, the patient will enjoy a smoother, tighter shape.
Click on a case below to view the larger version of the transformation.
Contact Us
To schedule a consultation or to learn more about liposuction or abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), please call us today at 210-616-0798.
Dr. Fisher has had extensive training in a number of body contouring and plastic surgery procedures, as well as a unique hand surgery fellowship at both the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the St. Vincent's Medical Center.