Understanding the Risks of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Understanding risks

All surgery has associated risks, and understanding these risks will help you feel more comfortable about them. In general, small procedures have small risks, and major procedures have larger risks. It makes sense that if an incision is necessary for a procedure, there will be a scar. Likewise, when the skin is cut, there is a possibility of bleeding. Finally, until the incision is fully healed, there is a possibility of contracting an infection. Many steps are taken to reduce all of these risks, but even if everything is performed perfectly, a small chance remains that something may occur. Other general risks may not immediately jump to mind, but are understandable once you consider them further:

• During the rough and tumble years of childhood, many of us have experienced bumps or scrapes. If you bumped your knee, you probably noticed some swelling. If you scraped it badly, even if there was no bleeding, it could weep fluid for a period of time. Similarly, after any surgery, your body will respond by creating fluid around the operative region. The fluid can be seen as edema (soft swelling of the skin), or, if a potential cavity was created during the surgery, it can manifest as a seroma (a fluid collection under the skin). In surgeries where a seroma is expected to occur, drains may be placed to remove this fluid.
• All incisions made during surgery need to heal, and occasionally delayed healing can occur. Smoking and vascular conditions are known to slow down healing, so please be forthcoming during your preoperative interview and compliant with smoking abstinence in the peri-operative period.
• Variable amounts of bruising are possible, and occasionally there can be significant bleeding after surgery which requires additional operative intervention for treatment. With small surgical procedures, these issues will prolong the visible recovery period (due to more extensive bruising). With very extensive operations, the possibility of a blood transfusion may be entertained if excessive bleeding were to occur.
• It is normal to have some numbness near scars, as skin incisions divide small sensory nerves. Sometimes, larger regions can be affected, depending on how extensively your body tissues are moved to achieve the desired surgical changes. Typically, sensation will return over a period of months as the small nerve endings heal back into their correct locations.
• The life threatening complication of blood clots to the lungs (pulmonary emboli) is well known, and steps will be taken to reduce the chance of this occurring. The risk is higher in procedures with long operative times, and is reduced through the use of compression devices during surgery. Soon after your operation, you will be asked to resume walking, as walking reduces the chance of this occurring. 

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