Cosmetic Surgery Risks

Cosmetic surgery refers to the therapeutic intervention of reshaping normal structures by surgical means, with an aim to enhance the appearance and self-esteem of an individual. It may be of various types, based on personal requirements or preferences. If performed by a certified cosmetic surgeon, the outcomes of a cosmetic surgery are really impressive, with negligible complications. Nevertheless, cosmetic surgery is still a surgery and there are certain cosmetic surgery risks which you should know about.

Cosmetic Surgery Risks and Complications

Cosmetic surgery is, no doubt, a very expensive procedure. But for all candidates, cost is a less concern, when compared to the effectiveness of the procedure and the after results. The objective of cosmetic surgery itself is to correct problems and enhance the looks. However, any type of operation is associated with certain complications. So, it is important to understand cosmetic surgery risks and dangers that may cause worsening of the problems, rather than correcting them. Following are some of the reported risks of cosmetic surgery:

Sedation Risks
Mild to severe complications may be resulted due to anesthesia treatment, which is given prior to the actual cosmetic surgical procedure. Reported anesthesia risks are respiratory disorders (airway obstruction), allergic reactions, brain damage, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, coma and at times, death. As per medical data, people are overweight or obese and those who have an underlying heart or lung disease are at a higher risk of developing anesthesia complications than others.

Excess Bleeding
It is usual to experience bleeding during any type of therapeutic surgery, including cosmetic and plastic surgery. However, the major issue is excessive bleeding, which in turn causes low blood pressure and other health complications. In case of post surgical bleeding, blood may ooze out and deposit under the skin. Such a condition requires immediate medical attention.

Blood Clots
Health risks of cosmetic surgery include clotting of blood, mostly in the veins. Blood clots during the surgery may be caused due to anesthesia treatment, longer operation time and other medical problems. After the cosmetic surgery is over, blood clots can still happen, especially after staying for long hours in a particular position (immobilization).

Aspiration
Very rarely, cosmetic surgery is accompanied with aspiration. Under this, the candidate vomits during the procedure, which at times, makes its way to the lungs. The noticeable symptoms of aspiration are unexplained discomfort, cough, obstruction of the respiratory tract, infections and at times, pneumonia.

Necrosis
Localized tissue death or necrosis is resulted due to restricted blood flow in the operated sites. Although, it is a rare complication of cosmetic surgery conducted in healthy individuals, heavy smokers are more susceptible to necrosis. Additional treatment after the procedure is necessary to remove the death tissues from the localized areas.

Nerve Damage
Less or very severe nerve damage is another risk of cosmetic surgery that one should be aware of before going through the procedure. If a nerve related to muscle functioning is injured, it may lead to weakness and immobilization of the particular muscle. The probable signs of nerve damage are tingling sensation, numbness and localized paralysis in severe cases.

Infection and Scarring
Mention any surgical procedure and there is always a complication of infection at the operation sites. The same is applicable to cosmetic surgery. People who have a weakened immune system are more susceptible to operation related infections than others. Besides this, internal and external scarring are manifested in candidates of cosmetic surgery.

Negative Results
Unimpressive results are also a risk of cosmetic surgery. Rather than enhancing the appearance, anything that goes wrong with the procedure can give dissatisfying results. This may happen due to outdated surgical methods or equipment and negligence of the surgeon. Whatever is the reason behind it, the candidate may require to undergo another correction treatment.

Apart from these common cosmetic surgery risks, there are certain dangers that are specific to the particular type. On the concluding note, it is imperative to compare cosmetic surgery risks and the benefits, before actually proceeding for the surgery. The best way is to seek advice from a certified cosmetic surgeon and clear your doubts regarding the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery. By doing so, you can decide whether it is the right treatment option for you or not.