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About Dr. Wilder

Fred Wilder, M.D. is a board certified plastic surgeon in Austin, TX. As of October 2022, he is retired. Please visit https://www.austinpsi.com/ to inquire with one of our other high skilled, Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Scott Haydon and Dr. Justin Booth. After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University, Dr. Wilder moved to Houston to attend Baylor College of Medicine. He subsequently completed a five-year general surgery residency and became board certified. He was then fortunate enough to get accepted as one of only two residents per year at the prestigious Cronin, Brauer, and Biggs Clinic, which boasts pioneers in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including the inventor of the modern-day breast implant. Dr. Wilder was a founding member of Austin Smiles in 1986, and has traveled frequently to third-world countries performing cleft lip and palate surgery.

“I have had the distinct pleasure of practicing plastic surgery in Austin since 1986. It has been an honor and a privilege to have taken care of so many wonderful patients over the past 35 years. Our primary source of referral for many years has been our group of prior patients. While initially starting to feel “old” when I began seeing the children of many of my patients, I have really embraced the scope of my career as I have even begun seeing some of your grandchildren. Needless to say, it has been a wonderful journey, and I consider so many of you more like family than patients. It is with mixed emotions that I have made the difficult decision to retire effective October 31, 2022. We established the Austin Plastic Surgery Institute in 2003, gathering a core group of excellent plastic surgeons to offer a broad scope of care, including a state-of-the-art medical skin care clinic with plastic surgeons constantly on site and available. While our member physicians have changed over the past 18 years, I feel confident that I am leaving my patients in very good hands for future needs.”

EXPERT IN COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY After practicing the full range of plastic and reconstructive surgery for many years, especially breast reconstruction and cleft lip and palate surgery, Dr. Wilder now specializes in elective, aesthetic surgery. He has been recognized as a Texas “Super Doctor” annually since 2004. He has also been recognized as one of the “Best Doctors in America” and as Austin Monthly’s “Best Plastic Surgeons” While Dr. Wilder is accomplished in all aspects of plastic surgery, he prides himself on the honesty and respect with which he evaluates each individual that seeks his consultation, treating them as if they were a member of his own family. FAMILY AND COMMUNITY Dr. Wilder started his practice in Austin, TX in 1986 and has been active in both the medical and civic community ever since, serving on community boards and active in his church as an elder. He has been married since 1977, and he and his wife Debbie have raised a daughter and a son who are both in the medical field. When Dr. Wilder is not working, there is nothing he enjoys more than spending time with his family, pursuing outdoor activities such as cycling, skiing, hiking, and fishing.

Education

Undergraduate:

Harvard College Cambridge, Massachusetts A.B., magna cum laude in biology, 1974

Medical School:

Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas M.D. Degree, 1977

Internship:

St. Joseph Hospital Houston, Texas General Surgery, 1979-1980

Residency:

St. Joseph Hospital Houston, Texas General surgery 1980-1984 (Chief resident in general surgery 1983-1984)

Residency:

Cronin, Brauer, & Biggs Clinic St. Joseph Hospital, Houston, Texas Plastic surgery, 1984-1986

Board Certification:

Diplomate, American Board of Surgery, 1985 Diplomate, American Board of Plastic Surgery, 1988

Professional Memberships

American Society of Plastic Surgeons
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Texas Society of Plastic Surgery
Austin Society of Plastic Surgeons, Past President
International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Lipoplasty Society
American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association
Austin Smiles, Founding Member
Central Texas Cleft Lip and Palate Team
Travis County Medical Society

Practice Experience

Private practice, Austin, Texas 1986- Present

Volunteerism

Dr. Wilder began his career focusing on all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a special emphasis on cleft lip and palate surgery. A founding member of Austin Smiles in 1986, Dr. Wilder continues to travel frequently to underdeveloped countries to perform these operations. His experience in reconstructive surgery, especially breast reconstruction, has given him an added advantage when performing elective aesthetic procedures.

Dr. Wilder’s philosophy

Dr. Wilder is known for the natural look and being a conservative surgeon, whether that be in his breast augmentations or in facial surgery. As far as breast augmentations, he says if he could have his preference, no one would even know his patients have had surgery. They would just look like they have a great figure, but look “in proportion”. He laughs and says, “You have to almost hold a gun to my head to make me make someone look out of proportion, but it is their body and I will do that if that is what they want.” Conservative patients as well as athletic patients feel relieved after talking to Dr. Wilder in consultations. Their greatest fear is to go “too big”. Dr. Wilder also believes “less is more”. What I mean by that is that if he can do less surgery for a patient and the patient be happy, it is a win! He educates them on their options. For example, if a patient could do a mastopexy (breast lift) alone and lift their own tissue without adding volume (augmentation) he gives them that option. Even though that is less surgery now and in the future for him, he is thinking what is best for the patient. Another example of this is on tummy tucks. If the patient could benefit from doing a “skin only” tummy tuck instead of a standard (muscle involved) tummy tuck, he gives that option. This allows for less recovery time and less cost to the patient. As far as his facial surgery patients, he is very conservative as well. Our patients do not have that “surgery” look that is often the case in this industry. Facelift patients often have a real fear that they will not look like themselves after surgery. Our patients look like themselves, just refreshed, like they have been on a good vacation. For this reason, he now has a huge following not just in Austin, but all over Texas as well as out of state. He doesn’t believe in what I call “upselling”. He will always ask the patient, “What bothers YOU?” He doesn’t want to bring attention to something that doesn’t even bother them and create insecurities they do not have. He has such integrity and because of this, he will tell a patient if he believes it is too soon to do surgery, or if they actually do not even need surgery at all. This is so refreshing to patients. Because of this, he earns their trust and loyalty.