10 Health Risks related to Plastic Surgery
Posted On Dec 26, 2019
Dr. Anantheswar Y N
Consultant - Plastic Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery
Manipal Hospitals - Old Airport Road - Bengaluru
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Cosmetic surgeries or plastic surgeries are the trending talks of the town these days. Fillers, Neurotoxins, laser, and energy device procedures are the minimally invasive procedures that are considered mostly safe. A study was conducted by analyzing 20000 cosmetic procedures by Northwestern Medicine and reported that there is no risk of serious side effects with these procedures.
Though the study says that there are no serious side effects, like any surgery, plastic surgery can also cause some unwanted effects. For instance, as in the case of liposuction, the surgeons may suction fat from thighs and lower abdomen. But, when you gain the weight back, the cells may distribute unevenly causing a less gratifying appearance.
Plastic surgery includes physical as well as psychological complications.
Hematoma, scarring, blood loss, nerve damage, infection, deep vein thrombosis, seroma are the common complications observed. In some cases, anesthesia complications can also be seen.
As you know going under the knife is very scary. If you are planning for plastic surgery, it is very important for you to know and understand the pros and cons of the surgery. Here are the most common complications of plastic surgery:
- Hematoma
It’s a large painful bruise that seems like a pocket of blood. This consequence occurs in 1 to 6 percent of breast augmentation procedures; you may also experience it as a complication after facelift surgery. Surprisingly you may also need to undergo another surgery to drain out the blood from a hematoma. Almost all surgeries have this complication.
- Infection
It is one of the most common complications of all surgeries. Approximately 2 to 4 percent of people, there may be the complication of cellulitis after breast surgery. In some instances, infections may be more severe requiring intravenous antibiotics. Visit Manipal for cosmetic surgery in Bangalore.
- Nerve damage
You may experience tingling sensation and numbness after undergoing plastic surgery. Following breast augmentation, most women lose nipple sensation.
- Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis
You may have blood clots in the legs due to deep vein thrombosis and finally, may lead to pulmonary embolism. This can also be a possible complication after plastic surgery. They may be uncommon but are fatal.
- Organ damage
Many perforations are made during liposuction which can be traumatic for the vital internal organs. Punctures can occur during the procedure when the surgical probe touches the internal organs. To get these punctures set you need to undergo additional surgery if not it may be fatal.
- Dissatisfaction
There may be chances of dissatisfaction and disappointment due to the general appearance after the surgery. But actually speaking most of the people feel satisfied with their looks after the plastic surgery.
- Scarring
It is obvious that the person who undergoes surgery has scars related to the surgery. But generally cosmetic surgery is chosen to look better in such context scars may be irritating. Certain scars are red, thickened, and have a raised appearance. This may be experienced by nearly 2 to 5 percent of people who undergo breast augmentation.
- Post-anesthetic complication
Anesthesia is used in the practice to make you unaware of the surgical procedure. Whereas general anesthesia, is used to make you unconscious, it can sometimes lead to complications such as stroke, heart attacks, lung infections, and death. The most common anesthesia complications include waking up confused, disorientation and shivering. The least common complications include anesthesia awareness or gaining conscious during the surgical procedure.
- Blood loss
Bleeding is common in all surgeries so that we can expect blood loss as a common complication. However, abnormal bleeding can create a decline in your blood pressure and can lead to deadly results. Generally, blood loss will happen while the surgery is going on, but it also can occur internally after the surgery.
- Seroma
Seroma occurs when your blood pools beneath the surface of the skin. It results in swelling and pain. It resembles a large blister and is the most common complication of a tummy tuck. Seromas can turn infectious so they must be drained out with a needle, although there are chances of recurrence.
Plastic surgery is a physically demanding procedure that requires the patient to take appropriate precautions and lots of rest. Therefore proper measures must be taken in order to ensure a speedy recovery. Diet and nutrition play a vital role in speedy recovery.
Diet and nutrition after plastic surgery
- You must follow a liquid diet for the first few days post plastic surgery. But some surgeries may need the patient to be on a liquid diet for a long period.
- You must avoid chewing gums, smoking; alcohol consumption must be strictly avoided because they slow down the process of healing and hinders the lost energy levels.
- You must avoid herbals teas for certain procedures.
- You must take large amounts of protein to enhance the wound healing process, as proteins contribute to repair.
- You must include a balanced diet in your meals to fasten the recovery process.
