Liposuction in San Antonio, TX

No matter what kind of shape you’re in, we all have pockets of fat that are located in areas that are virtually impossible to target with changes in diet and exercise alone. The abdomen, flanks, upper arms, and even our jowls — fat accumulates in these areas and just won’t leave!

But liposuction with Dr. Jessica Belz in San Antonio, TX will get rid of these pockets of unwanted fat, giving you a slimmer contour. Liposuction today is minimally invasive, leaves little, if any, scarring and doesn’t involve a difficult recovery. What’s not to love?

What is liposuction?

Liposuction first came to the United States from France in the 1980s. The original procedure was pretty violent, as it involved larger cannulas that had to be moved aggressively back and forth to break loose and suction out the unwanted fat. Of course, this led to extensive tissue trauma, which created extensive, lingering bruising. This bruising often wouldn’t fully clear for months.

Modern liposuction has come a long way. Today, Dr. Belz uses the tumescent method, where a saline solution containing lidocaine is first injected into the treatment area to minimize the pain and firm the fat, making it easier to remove. The solution also contains epinephrine to constrict the blood vessels, limiting blood loss and bruising. A cannula is then inserted to suction out the fat and liquid. The cannulas used in modern liposuction are much smaller, so the corresponding incisions needed to access the fat pockets are very small.

How is liposuction performed?

Woman in bikini at the beach

Dr. Belz performs liposuction as an outpatient procedure, with the patient under IV sedation or general anesthesia. The first step is to inject the tumescent solution, a mixture of saline, lidocaine, and epinephrine. As mentioned above, this solution has multiple benefits compared to traditional liposuction. First, the lidocaine anesthetizes the treatment area. Second, the epinephrine constricts the blood vessels so there is dramatically less blood loss and subsequent bruising. And the saline solution and epinephrine help to constrict the fat cells, making them easier to break loose and suction out with the cannula.

To insert the cannula, Dr. Belz makes a tiny incision.

She then moves the cannula throughout the treatment area, suctioning out the fat and most of the tumescent solution. She doesn’t remove all of the fat so that the patient has a much slimmer, but still natural looking, final result.

Once the cannula is withdrawn, Dr. Belz closes the tiny incision(s) and covers it with a bandage, prior to placing a supportive, compression garment.

Who is a good candidate for liposuction?

Patients sometimes believe liposuction can be used as a weight-loss procedure, but this is not the case. In fact, removing too much fat can be dangerous. Liposuction is meant to remove isolated pockets of fat that don’t respond to changes in diet and exercise. Virtually everyone has such pockets somewhere on their body.

Here are the characteristics Dr. Belz seeks with her liposuction patients. The patient has firm skin with good elasticity (this is important for the skin to adhere to the new slimmer contour following the fat removal). The patient is within 15% of their ideal body weight and that weight has been consistent for a length of time.

What areas of my body can be treated?

A better question would be — where can’t I have liposuction? Techniques have become so refined, liposuction can be performed just about anywhere on the body. Dr. Belz performs liposuction for her patients on these areas:

  • Abdomen
  • Hips
  • Flanks
  • Buttocks
  • Thighs
  • Inner knees
  • Bra strap line
  • Chest
  • Jowls
  • Calves
  • Ankles
Beautiful Woman

What is my recovery like after liposuction?

Following your procedure, the treated areas will be wrapped to reduce swelling, bruising, and pain. Compression garments are an important part of liposuction recovery. They will need to be worn on treated areas for approximately six weeks following your liposuction. This not only reduces swelling, but also helps the skin and tissue adapt to their new slimmer contours. There will be some bruising and swelling that will take up to 10 days to resolve. Most patients can return to work in two or three days, unless they have had multiple areas treated. In those cases, you may need a week off work. In most cases, scars are so small as to be virtually invisible. Recovery from liposuction with Dr. Belz is not difficult, but does require time off from strenuous exercise and heavy lifting.

How is liposuction different from a tummy tuck?

These procedures are often confused, but they are really dramatically different. All they have in common is that they can both be done on the abdomen.

A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure where the primary goal is to remove loose, sagging skin that is left over from pregnancy and childbirth, or from the gain and subsequent loss of a large amount of weight. In either situation, the stomach skin and underlying support tissues have been stretched to a degree that they cannot tighten back down to their former contour. The patient has a stomach pooch that cannot be tightened with diet and exercise. The procedure trims away this excess skin and can also pull separated stomach muscles back together to the midline. The tummy tuck incision is a long horizontal incision, wrapping from hipbone to hipbone on the lower incision, with a second smaller incision around the navel. Due to the tissue excision and extensive repositioning, tummy tucks involve a more involved recovery period.

Liposuction doesn’t remove excess, sagging skin. Instead it removes pockets of fat beneath the skin, slimming the contour. That’s why it is important for Dr. Belz’s liposuction patients to have good elasticity in their skin, so it is able to tighten down over the new slimmer contour once the underlying fat is removed.

Patient Testimonial

"I am a 65 years old woman and went in for liposuction and a tummy tuck after wanting one for 20 years now. I took my time to research different surgeons and I had several consultations before meeting Dr. Jessica Belz. She instantly made me feel comfortable, answering all of my questions. She really took the time to understand my concerns and I felt very informed as she explained everything so thoroughly, informing me about all aspects of the procedure including things I wouldn’t even think to ask about! After a thorough wellness screening, she scheduled a CT scan just in case and I turned out to have an umbilical hernia. I felt reassured because she had even worked with the hernia specialist on several surgeries before! Every staff member I met on the day of the surgery was so kind and reassuring and made the whole time I spent there such a pleasant experience. She seriously has the best team I’ve ever met. I cannot tell you how pleased I am with the results of the whole thing. Seeing my results even just 1 week after the operation brought tears of joy to my eyes. During recovery week one, I had come down with a slight fever in the late evening and was a little worried but Dr. Belz returned my call the same night. She’s on top of everything! Dr. Belz is extremely precise, knows her stuff, is so compassionate, and so kind. I cannot recommend her enough! Seriously, this whole experience went so smoothly, I honestly wish I had done it sooner!"

- Trina Major

What are the risks involved with this procedure?

Liposuction is an invasive procedure, and it involves the typical risks involved with surgery, such as bleeding, infection, and reaction to the anesthetic, but these are rare with modern liposuction. Complications specific to liposuction are:

  • Contour irregularities — The treated area can appear bumpy or wavy. If the patient has inelastic skin, this is more prevalent.
  • Numbness — Any numbness in the area is usually temporary, but it can endure.
  • Fluid accumulation — Temporary pockets of fluid (called seromas) can form. These may need to be drained.

Overall, liposuction with Dr. Belz is a safe and very satisfying procedure for her patients, helping them slim their contours in areas that have been difficult to adequately target with dietary changes and exercise.

liposuction treatment Dr. Jessica Belz

What happens if I gain weight after having liposuction?

Liposuction permanently removes fat cells from the target areas. If you maintain your weight, your results will last for the rest of your life. A small weight gain will make existing fat cells accumulate more fat within the existing cells. However, a large weight gain can lead to the development of new fat cells. The key to great long-term results from liposuction is simply to adapt a new healthier approach to life, maintaining your weight for the long haul.

When it comes to quoting the actual cost of liposuction, there are many variables that need to be taken into consideration by Dr. Jessica Belz to ensure you get a reliable and accurate quote for your procedure. Liposuction prices can vary depending on the area being treated and the amount of fat that is being removed. If you have an excessive amount of fat that will be taken out during liposuction that may result in excess sagging skin, there may be additional costs to removing this skin to achieve a firm final appearance.

Any surgery performed on the body can have its own risks and complications. With liposuction, you have the opportunity to look into a plastic surgeon in the San Antonio, TX area who can provide quality care and reduce the chances of problems during and after liposuction. Dr. Jessica Belz has the experience and skills to ensure patients have safe and effective procedures to achieve their desired results. To reduce the risk of complications, including infection, it is vital that you follow all post-operative instructions provided by your plastic surgeon and contact her if you notice any changes or serious complications occurring while resting and recovering at home.

Dr. Jessica Belz encourages you to pay close attention to the post-operative care instructions provided to you following your procedure. You will want to lay low for several days to rest and reduce the risk of complications. This may include taking time off of work, school, and other social activities to heal. If you have any pain or discomfort, our team may recommend prescription pain medications to help you feel at ease and comfortable as your body recovers from this surgery.

While liposuction effectively removes fat cells manually from the treatment area, the results may not last as long if you do not maintain a healthy lifestyle. While more fat cells cannot develop, the remaining fat cells can grow and result in the return of fat, where liposuction was performed. To avoid this, you should continue to live an active life and eat a nutritious diet to maintain your final results as long as possible.

There are a few different options for patients to consider when it comes to slimming down and improving contours. Diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyles allow many patients to lose weight and keep it off. However, those who visit Dr. Jessica Belz regarding plastic surgery are often already within their ideal weight range but struggling with specific areas of the body not responding to these healthy changes. Patients who have extensive fat in the stomach area may also want to ask about a tummy tuck, which combines both liposuction and skin removal in the same procedure. These are just a few alternative solutions to think about when choosing the elective cosmetic surgery right for you!

Contact us Today

Dr. Jessica Belz proudly provides patients from San Antonio, Stone Oak, Universal City, Cibolo, TX and the surrounding area with liposuction. Contact us at (210) 497-7100 or fill out our Contact Form here to schedule your consultation.

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