Every year, millions of people undergo cosmetic surgery. According to statistics provided by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in the United States alone people spend more than $13 billion a year on a variety of aesthetic surgical treatments for the face, breast and body. When performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, successful cosmetic surgery can greatly enhance a person's appearance and perhaps even her quality of life. However, cosmetic surgery goes wrong sometimes and produces disappointment and complications instead of happiness and well being. The risks of cosmetic surgery are threefold: medical, aesthetic and emotional.
Anesthesia Risks
Depending on the procedure, plastic surgeons use one or several types of anesthesia to relax and numb the patient. The four major types of anesthesia are: sedation, local anesthesia, regional anesthesia and general anesthesia. Sedation anesthesia is administered through a vein and generally renders the patient relaxed and sleepy but awake. Local anesthesia also leaves the patient awake as only a small area is numbed. Regional and general anesthesia are used to numb larger areas of the body, with the latter form rendering the patient completely asleep.
While anesthesia complications are rare, about one in 250,000 patients dies due to complications related to sedation. Many patients experience less severe complications, such as nausea and vomiting. To prevent complications, patients should discuss their medical histories with their surgeons, disclosing all medications they are taking. In addition, patients who smoke should quit several weeks to months before their procedures because smoking greatly increases the risk of complications.
Bleeding and Infection
Like any other type of surgery, cosmetic surgery carries the risks of bleeding and infection. Some patients are at especially high risk of these complications. For example, individuals with chronic heart and lung conditions, as well as those suffering from diabetes should evaluate the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery very carefully. If they decide to pursue plastic surgery, they should thoroughly discuss all additional precautions their surgeons will take to decrease the risks of bleeding and infection. Sometimes surgeons can use minimally invasive surgical techniques to decrease the risks. In addition, qualified cosmetic surgeons always carefully monitor patients' vital signs, such as heart rate and blood flow, during surgery.
Implant Rupture
Cosmetic surgery procedures that involve implants carry a risk of implant rupture. Both breast implants and buttock implants sometimes burst, causing fluid leakage and aesthetic disfigurement. This happens due to natural aging of implants, trauma to the augmented body areas and implant manufacturer mistakes. While in most cases implants and the spilled substances can be removed and replaced with new implants, patients can be left with permanent dimples, indentations and even disfigurements.
Dissatisfaction with Results
Before undergoing any cosmetic surgery procedure, patients should have a clear understanding of the results they are likely to obtain. However, plastic surgeons occasionally fail to provide patients with a realistic picture of what they will look like after their procedures. As a result, some cosmetic surgery patients wake up after their treatments only to find out that their breast implants are too small or too large, their new noses look unnatural or their face lifts did nothing to improve the wrinkles and lines on their foreheads. Such reality checks can be emotionally devastating, which is why it is crucial that a patient select his plastic surgeon very carefully. Patients should enquire about surgeons' medical education, surgical training and board certification. They should also ask for before and after photos of actual patients who have undergone the desired procedures.
Emotional Problems
Even if cosmetic surgery goes well, patients sometimes experience negative emotions following their procedures. Adjustment to the new body contours takes time, and emotional support from family and friends is very important during this time. If close friends or family members disagree with the patient's decision to pursue cosmetic surgery or even openly ridicule the post-operative changes, the psychological consequences can be devastating. People who are at especially high risk of post-operative depression are individuals with a history of depression, anxiety disorder and other psychological issues. They should discuss their emotional health histories with their plastic surgeons, as these specialists can provide advice on ease the post-operative adjustment.
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