While plastic surgery is getting more popular in recent years, many people still often misunderstand it. Plastic surgery includes numerous procedures such as breast augmentation, breast reduction, and liposuction that involve the realignment and restructuring of your body and your physical appearance.
Sometimes these procedures can be risky, so it is important that you understand what could go wrong before you decide to undergo the surgical procedure. This article goes over many things you need to know about the risks of plastic surgery.
Infection
This is one of the most common risks associated with any type of surgery, including plastic surgery. Infections can occur due to bacteria entering an open wound during the procedure or recovery.
Bacteria can cause redness, swelling, and discharge from the site of infection and may require antibiotics to clear up completely. In severe cases, an infection may result in sepsis – a potentially life-threatening condition where blood clots form throughout your body, causing organ failure if left untreated.
Poor Cosmetic Outcome
The most common complication of plastic surgery is a poor cosmetic outcome. Sometimes, the results are less than what people expected or hoped for. This could be especially disappointing if you paid for a procedure not covered by your health insurance plan.
While some of these poor results are due to individual skin tone and texture differences, others result from choosing rogue surgeons. A surgeon who lacks experience or training in plastic surgery may not perform a procedure correctly or may not use the appropriate surgical tools or techniques.
Poor cosmetic outcomes can sometimes lead to depression or even suicide attempts. However, this can be avoided by careful preoperative evaluation and careful postoperative care.
Nerve Damage or Numbness
As with any surgical procedure, nerve damage is a risk. In some cases, this means numbness in the area operated on; in others, it can mean a loss of sensation. The nerves that are most likely to be injured during a procedure are those that supply sensation to the lips, nose, and eyes. These nerves can be damaged by cuts that exceed the normal incision line, when instruments inadvertently penetrate these areas, or when a nerve is accidentally compressed between tissue layers during surgery.
If you experience numbness after a cosmetic procedure, talk with your doctor or surgeon immediately so they can help determine what caused it and how best to treat it. In some cases, doctors may be able to repair nerve damage with surgery. But in other cases, they may recommend physical therapy or medication.
Scarring
Plastic surgery is often performed to improve the way a person looks, but scars can leave unwanted marks on your skin. If your surgeon uses stitches or staples to close incisions, those stitches or staples will likely leave behind a scar. For instance, scars after breast augmentation are particularly noticeable because they’re located on such a visible part of the body.
Scarring also happens when there are infection risks during or after surgery. This is especially if those infections aren’t treated quickly enough by your surgeon or aren’t treated at all and become infected while they’re healing on their own.
Scars typically fade over time but may never disappear completely depending on how deep they are and how much trauma was involved. The amount of time it takes for a scar to fade depends on the type of procedure you had and how well you take care of yourself after the surgery.
Blood Clots
Plastic surgery can lead to blood clots, which can be life-threatening. Blood clots usually result from a procedure involving general anesthesia and medications such as heparin or coumadin. Blood clots may develop in your legs or lungs, but they can also travel to your brain and cause a stroke or heart attack.
Blood clots can form when a person lies still for a long time, such as during surgery or when lying flat in bed after surgery. Blood clots may also occur if you experience trauma, such as injury from an accident or fall.
A blood clot can block an artery and cause severe damage to the brain or other parts of the body. In some cases, this can be fatal. Additionally, taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy may increase your risk of developing a blood clot.
Bleeding
All surgeries carry some risk of bleeding, and plastic surgery is no exception. The risk of bleeding varies depending on the procedure you’re having and your health before surgery. Bleeding can be internal or external and can occur in several different forms.
Internal bleeding occurs when a tear in the blood vessels or tissue within the body. This can cause serious injuries like heart attack and stroke. External bleeding usually occurs due to cuts or scrapes on the skin, but it can also occur due to other types of trauma during surgery, such as burns or bone breaks. The most common cause of external bleeding during plastic surgery is trauma from incisions made during the procedure.
The risk of bleeding increases with age and with certain medical conditions that affect blood clotting ability, such as diabetes.
Death
Though rare, some types of plastic surgery can result in death. The risks of death associated with any surgery vary according to the procedure being performed and your health condition. Check with your doctor about specific risks associated with each procedure you’re considering and how they compare with those of other procedures.
Bottom Line
The rate of individuals opting for plastic surgery is more than ever before. While many people go under the knife for aesthetic reasons, many others do so for reconstructive purposes – that is, to fix an earlier surgical error or injury.
Although there are genuine benefits to pursuing plastic surgery, such as excessive fat removal, there are some cosmetic imperfections that can make a person feel insecure. Plastic surgery can be a wonderful experience for those who properly understand the risks involved and take the time to research their options accordingly. It’s important to make informed decisions because once the knife is out, you can’t always put it back!