Cosmetic surgery: what are the risks?

Many people go under the knife daily throughout the country as surgeons perform routine and life-saving surgeries. While there are many types of surgeries performed on a daily basis, one of the more controversial types is cosmetic surgery. In most cases cosmetic surgery is an elective surgery meaning the person who is having it done has scheduled it in advance and it doesn’t involve a medical emergency situation.

Cosmetic surgery, like most surgeries, carries a handful of risks. Those include complications such as blood clots, pneumonia, anesthesia-related complications, and even death. Surgery can also lead to infections, which may at some point lead to even more surgery. Besides that, there may be bleeding, scarring, skin breakdown and fluid buildup under the skin. Some people end up experiencing numbness and tingling that is caused by nerve damage. These symptoms may or may not be permanent.

It’s also important to remember that these risks may increase for those who have preexisting health conditions such as lung disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity or diabetes.

There are a variety of different types of cosmetic surgery that can be performed on the face and body. These can range anywhere from Botox and eyelid surgery to extensive surgeries like a lower body lift and an inner thigh lift.

In our next post we will continue our discussion on cosmetic surgery and the importance of being prepared as well as knowing what to expect. While anyone who goes under the knife to get cosmetic surgery expects a full and successful recovery, unfortunately that is not always the case.