Risks of Cosmetic Surgery

Dr. Howard Bellin puts the wellness of his patients above anything else during cosmetic surgery operations, and will always comply with safety regulations. However, it is important to remember that these are surgical procedures and there will always be risks involved. The danger these surgeries carry is exceedingly small, but Dr. Howard Bellin believes you should be fully informed before deciding to undergo any cosmetic surgical procedure.

Risks with Cosmetic Surgery

Asymmetry – A symmetrical look is most often the result of successful operation, but there is a chance that a patient may have some asymmetry. In moderate to severe cases, this may require another surgery.

Anesthesia and Sedation Complications – Patients may have a reaction to the anesthesia, which can cause heart arrhythmia, heart attack, malignant hyperthermia, nerve damage, stroke, or even death.

Aspiration – Vomiting during surgery where the vomit is forced into the lungs.

Blood Clots – Long operating time or anesthesia increase this risk. People who are extremely overweight, have lung, heart, or central nervous system disorders, and those who have a history of cancer are more likely to have blood clots. Women who are taking or recently stopped taking oral contraceptives also have an increased risk.

Blood Loss – All surgical operations will have some blood loss. However, excessive bleeding may occur.

Drop in Blood Pressure – Some drop in blood pressure is regular, but a sudden drop can cause a heart attack.

Numbness – Most often this is a temporary condition, but can be permanent due to injury to the nerves.

Necrosis (skin death) – Most likely to happen to tobacco users, but follows infection or hematoma. The affected skin must be surgically removed, which can show as a cosmetic irregularity.

Dimples, Divots, Puckers, and Other Irregularities – The result of irregular healing process or problem during the procedure.

Seroma – After certain procedures, such as breast augmentation, liposuction, or abdominoplasty, fluid can gather beneath the skin.

Slow Healing – Failure to follow Dr. Bellin´s orders in the post-op healing phase, patient´s age, or skin type may affect the healing process and take much longer than it should.

Infection – due to the use of antibiotics, this is exceedingly unlikely. People who smoke or have other health preconditions, or have a longer surgery with more blood loss have an enhanced chance of infection.