Undergoing any type of surgery can cause people to have concerns about their safety. While cosmetic surgery has been shown to be extremely safe, no medical procedure is risk-free. This is true both during surgery and during the recovery period that follows. Prior to scheduling elective surgery in CosMedicWest, you should review the physician’s credentials.
The Pre-Operative Examination and Consultation
To ensure patient safety and the best possible post-surgical outcome, patients must provide their cosmetic surgeon with their complete medical history prior to surgery. This includes all prescription and over-the-counter medications they are currently taking, as well as previous surgeries, current and previous health conditions. Additionally, the surgeon will conduct a thorough physical examination to rule out any undiagnosed health problems that could jeopardise a successful outcome.
Certain conditions increase the risk of a blood clot forming following cosmetic surgery. These include the following:
- Being clinically obese or significantly overweight.
- Having recently sustained a traumatic injury.
- Affects the central nervous system, the heart, or the lungs.
- A personal account of a cancer diagnosis.
- Blood clotting is facilitated by genetic abnormalities or recurrent severe infections.
- Currently or in the recent past, using oral contraceptives.
- At the moment, I am receiving hormone replacement therapy.
- Using any type of tobacco product.
Individuals with any of these health problems are not necessarily disqualified from cosmetic surgery, but they will need to weigh the risks and benefits more carefully with the assistance of their doctor.
Complications During and After Surgery
Certain individuals have a severe reaction to sedation or anaesthesia, even in the absence of any prior history or risk factors. The level of anaesthesia or sedation used by the cosmetic surgeon is determined by the invasiveness of the procedure. Complications are more likely to occur with general anaesthesia than with local or sedation anaesthesia. General anaesthesia is frequently used in cosmetic surgery because it depresses the entire body. Nonetheless, patients should be aware of the following anesthesia-related complications:
- Clots of blood
- Damage to the brain
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Heart rhythm irregularity
- Hyperthermia malignant
- Damage to the nerves
- Airways that are obstructed
- Stroke
- Temporary incapacitation
Cosmetic surgery carries additional risks that are not related to anaesthesia. One of these is necrosis, or death of the skin, which occurs as a result of a hematoma or infection. Because this is significantly more common in smokers, patients undergoing cosmetic surgery must be willing to give up smoking. When necrosis occurs, the dead skin must be removed, which defeats the purpose of cosmetic surgery. Additional potential complications include the following:
Asymmetry: This term refers to the surgical site having equal proportions on both sides. While mild asymmetry is normal, moderate or severe irregularities may necessitate surgical correction.
Numbness: While this is usually temporary, it can result in a permanent loss of sensation in rare cases.
Seroma: This is a term that refers to fluid that accumulates beneath the skin following breast or abdominal surgery.
Patients may also experience slowed healing if they do not follow their doctor’s instructions completely. Other factors that contribute to slow healing include the patient’s age, skin type, and unanticipated health complications.