Liposuction Risks

Before deciding to have liposuction, you should consider the risks involved.  Liposuction is generally safe, but the potential for risks does exist.  You owe it to yourself to know the risks before liposuction is performed.  Although many people come through the surgery with no problems, there are others who have faced both minor and serious complications.  Let’s discuss the risks of liposuction.

Some occasional risks of liposuction include heavy bleeding, bad reaction to anesthetic, and noticeable irregularities in body contour.   There may also be prolonged swelling and brown spots on the skin known as hyper pigmentation.  Some people with these problems have to be admitted to the emergency room.

Some more serious but rare complications of liposuction include infection and nerve damage.  An unskilled surgeon may perforate the bowel during the abdominal procedures.  Blood clots are also a serious complication that occurs in some women who take birth control pills.  More serious complications include skin burns, fluid in the lungs and shock.  The most serious of all complications is death.  It is very rare, but does happen.

As you have read, you really need to consider the risks before undergoing liposuction.  There are certain factors that increase the risks for liposuction.  First, if your doctor tries to remove too much fat or inadequately monitors you after removing a large volume of fat, you are more likely to have problems.  Also, injection of overly large amounts of fluid or anesthetics put you at risk.  Additionally, if your doctor performs multiple surgical procedures during the same surgical session you are more likely to have complications.  The final risk factor is your health.  People who have poor health to begin with, such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, or poor circulation, are more likely to suffer from complications of liposuction.

There are steps you can take to ensure you have the safest liposuction possible.  First, choose a plastic surgeon that has plenty of experience.  Do your research!  Second, make sure you are in good health to have liposuction performed.  You need to tell your doctor about any medical problems you have had in the past as well as the present.  Also, your doctor will need to know about any medicines or supplements that you take.  Next, make sure you carefully follow your doctor’s advice both before and after surgery.  And finally, make sure you take it easy after the surgery and avoid strenuous tasks. 

In conclusion, know the risks involved in liposuction!  It is is generally safe, but there are quite a few potential complications.  Know the factors that increase your risk for complications, and take the proper steps to minimize your chance of being a statistic.