Due to the seriousness of any cosmetic surgery procedure, liposuction treatment should not be taken lightly. Health experts have made it clear that liposuction is not a solution for weight loss and even as technological advancements have made liposuction a very safe procedure, surgery must be preceded carefully. The patient must be aware of the risks involved, precautionary practices, and the possible complications that come with liposuction.
Some of the most common undesired side effects of liposuction surgery include skin irregularities, hematomas and seromas, and hyper-pigmentations. These are are very possible consequences that patients need to be aware of.
Liposuction is the removal of fat cells under the skin. When too many fat cells are removed in one area, it creates skin irregularities in the form of dimples and grooves in the skin. Our bodies were meant to have fat stores and if too many fat cells are removed the shape becomes disfigured. It is common practice for surgeons to remove too few fat cells then do follow up sessions since fat cells cannot be replaced once they are taken out.
Hematomas and seromas is the visible discoloration of the skin caused by pooling of red blood cells near the surface. When blood vessels get damaged by the surgery and the area is inadequately drained, the blood will pool or the patient may experience hyper-pigmentation around the area of incision. For severe cases it can last for several years, but milder cases will last less than four to six months.
More serious but temporary complications also include swelling of the legs and ankles when major areas are treated as well as bruising of genitals after major liposuction procedures to the abdomen. Blood tinged drainage is a common occurrence and should not be of concern to the patient although it is scary to some. Proper ‘clean up’ procedures such as adequate drainage will help to speed recovery.
The use of epinephrine in local anesthetic solutions sometimes causes the heart rate to elevate during or after surgery and patients are encouraged to avoid caffeine or pinephrine-like drugs such as cold medications before liposuction procedure.
Major complications are rare but very real possibilities. They come in two forms, drug related or surgical. Drug related complications include allergic reactions, cardiac arrhythmias, and brain damage from lack of oxygen during anesthesia. Blood clots and excessive blood loss are surgical risks as well as possibly injury to internal organs during the procedure.
It’s important for anyone considering liposuction, or any surgeries for that matter, to learn the risks involved and find a surgeon through recommendations. Your health and safety should be the surgeon’s top priority, never put your life in the hands of a discount surgeon.
