Plastic Surgery
(Cosmetic Surgery and Procedures)
Fighting the effects of aging-on the outside. Your guide to the risks of
cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures
Trying to fight the effects of aging? Below is a basic guide to the risks
involved in both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. For more
information on each procedure, click on the highlighted links of the procedure.
Cosmetic Procedures: Surgical
Breast Augmentation - Breasts are enlarged by placing an implant
behind each breast.
Risks:
- implants can rupture, leak, and deflate
- infection
- hardening of scar tissue around implant, causing
breast firmness, pain, distorted shape, or implant movement
- bleeding
- pain
- nipples may get more or less sensitive
- numbness near incision blood collection around
implant/incision
- calcium deposits around implant
- harder to find breast lumps
Breast Lift - Extra skin is removed from the breast to raise and
reshape breast.
Risks:
- scarring
- skin loss
- infection loss of feeling in nipples or breast
- nipples put in the wrong place
- breasts not symmetrical
Breast Reduction - Fat, tissue, and skin is removed from breast.
Risks:
- if nipples and areola are detached, may lose
sensation and decreased ability to breastfeed
- bleeding
- infection
- scarring
- harder to find breast lumps
- poor shape, size, or position of nipples or breasts
Eyelid Surgery: Extra fat, skin, and muscle in the upper and/or lower
eyelid is removed to correct "droopy" eyelids.
Risks:
- blurred or double vision
- infection
- bleeding under the skin
- swelling
- dry eyes
- whiteheads
- can't close eye completely
- pulling of lower lids
- blindness
Facelift - Extra fat is removed, muscles are tightened, and skin is
rewrapped around the face and neck to improve sagging facial skin, jowls, and
loose neck skin.
Risks:
- infection
- bleeding under skin
- scarring
- irregular earlobes
- nerve damage causing numbness or inability to move
your face
- hair loss
- skin damage
Facial Implant - infection feeling of tightness or scarring around
implant shifting of implant
Risks:
- infection
- feeling of tightness or scarring around implant
- shifting of implant
Forehead Lift: Extra skin and muscles that cause wrinkles are removed,
eyebrows are lifted, and forehead skin is tightened.
Risks:
- infection
- scarring
- bleeding under skin
- eye dryness or irritation
- impaired eyelid function
- loss of feeling in eyelid skin
- injury to facial nerve causing loss of motion or muscle weakness
Lip Augmentation: Material is injected or implanted into the lips to
create fuller lips and reduce wrinkles around the mouth.
Risks:
- infection
- bleeding
- lip asymmetry
- lumping
- scarring
Liposuction: Excess fat from a targeted area is removed with a vacuum
to shape the body.
Risks:
- baggy skin
- skin may change color and fall off
- fluid retention
- shock
- infection
- burning
- fat clots in the lungs
- pain
- damage to organs if punctured
- numbness at the surgery site
- heart problems
- kidney problems
- disability
- death
Nose Surgery: Nose is reshaped by resculpting the bone and cartilage
in the nose.
Risks:
- infection
- bursting blood vessels
- red spots
- bleeding under the skin
- scarring
Tummy Tuck: Extra fat and skin in the abdomen is removed, and muscles
are tightened to flatten tummy.
Risks:
- blood clots
- infection
- bleeding
- scarring
- fluid accumulation under the skin
Cosmetic Procedures: Non-Surgical
Botox Injection: Botox is injected into a facial muscle to paralyze
it, so lines don't form when a person frowns or squints.
Risks:
- face pain
- muscle weakness
- flu-like symptoms
- headaches
- loss of facial expression
- droopy eyelids
- asymmetric smile
- drooling
Collagen/fat Injection: Collagen from a cow or fat from your thigh or
abdomen is injected into facial wrinkles, pits, or scars.
Risks:
- trigger an autoimmune disease
- contour problems
- hives
- rash
- swelling
- flu-like symptoms
Dermabrasion: A small, spinning wheel or brush with a roughened
surface removes the upper layers of facial skin. A new layer of skin appears
during healing, giving the face a smoother appearance. Used to treat facial
scars, heavy wrinkles, and problems like rosacea.
Risks:
- abnormal color changes
- whiteheads
- infection
- allergic reaction
- fever blisters
- cold sores
- thickened skin
Hyaluronic acid injection: This gel is injected into your
face to smooth lines, wrinkles, and scars on the skin.
Risks:
- swelling
- infection
- redness
- tenderness
- acne
- lumps
- tissue hardening
- risks unknown if used in combination with collagen
Laser hair removal: Laser light is passed over the skin to
remove hair.
Risks:
- hair regrowth
- scarring
- change in skin color
Laser skin resurfacing: Laser light is used to remove
wrinkles, lines, age spots, scars, moles, tattoos, and warts from the surface of
the skin.
Risks:
- burns
- scarring
- change in skin color
- infection
- herpes flare-up (fever, facial pain, and flu-like symptoms)
Sclerotherapy: A solution is injected into spider and
varicose leg veins (small purple and red blood vessels) to remove the veins.
Risks:
- blood clots
- color changes in the skin
- vein removal may not be permanent
- scarring
Chemical Peel: A solution is put onto the face (or parts of
the face) that causes the skin to blister and peel off. It is replaced with new
skin.
Risks:
- whiteheads
- Infection
- raised scarring
- allergic reaction
- cold sores
- color changes or blotchiness
- heart problems
Tooth Whiteners (peroxide
agents): Depending on the product,
either you or the dentist applies peroxide using strips; a mouth guard with gel;
or a tray inside your mouth around your teeth
Risks:
- If not customized for you by a dentist or dental hygienist, there may be
unknown ingredients and unknown results
Source: The National Women's Health Information Center (www4woman.gov)
Last Editorial Review: 5/19/2005
 |
 |
From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com  |
|
|
- Stretch Marks - Read about the causes (pregnancy, weight gain/loss), prevention and treatment of stretch marks. Discover types of plastic surgery (laser) that may remove or reduce stretch marks. Source:WebMD Medical Reference from The Cleveland Clinic
- Scars - Read about scar causes, types of scars (keloids, hypertrophic, acne, burn), prevention of scarring and healing and treatment of scar tissue (dermabrasion, surgery). Source:WebMD Medical Reference from The Cleveland Clinic
- Birthmarks and Other Skin Pigmentation Problems - Birthmarks and other skin pigmentation problems are caused by the body's inability to produce enough melanin. Learn how to recognize the symptoms and treatment for skin pigmentation problems on MedicineNet.com. Source:WebMD Medical Reference from The Cleveland Clinic
- Read 57 more Plastic Surgery (Cosmetic Surgery) related articles ...
|
| |
|
Specialty RSS
