How Safe Is Liposuction? Article

	1888 Articles Home \| Health Articles \| Personal Issues Articles	Health RSS
How Safe Is Liposuction?

Liposuction, like all surgical procedures, has risks. If you are considering liposuction to improve the appearance of your figure, it is important that you take these risks into account when making your decision.

Author: Sara Goldstein

Article Tools:

What Are the Risks?

There are many risks associated with liposuction, some of them quite serious. They include:

• Unfavorable cosmetic result including uneven contours, rippling, irregular pigmentation, and unfavorable scarring, which may require revision surgery
• Hematoma
• Excessive fluid loss or accumulation
• Infection
• Skin or nerve damage that can lead to changes in skin sensation or persistent pain
• Damage to organs including lungs and abdominal organs
• Poor wound healing
• Deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism
• Death

More serious complications are uncommon.

How Likely Are the Risks?

There are no really reliable, recent figures on just how common the risks are. One of the most recent studies found the overall complication rate for the procedure was 8.6 %. More serious complications are less frequent. One of the more frequently cited figures for the mortality rate of liposuction is 2.2 per 100,000. The risk may also be 14 times higher for liposuction combined with a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).

How does this compare to other elective surgical procedures?

• Gallbladder surgery up to 2% (2,000 per 100,000)
• Intracranial aneurysms as low as 1% (1,000 per 100,000)
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm up to 4% (4,000 per 100,000)
• Colon resection up to 3.5% (3500 per 100,000)

In other words, liposuction is about a 1,000 times safer than gallbladder surgery.

How You Can Reduce Your Risks

Even though the risks associated with liposuction are small, they are still present, and it is important that you do your part to reduce your risk of suffering serious or fatal complications.

Make sure you're a candidate: If you're a good candidate for liposuction, your risks are much lower. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) describes an ideal candidate as nonsmoking adults within 30% of their ideal weight who do not have certain medical conditions and are not taking certain medications.

Work with a board-certified plastic surgeon: Board-certified plastic surgeons are the ideally trained personnel for performing liposuction. Many liposuctions that result in complications are performed by unqualified personnel in substandard facilities.

Follow your surgeon's instructions: Your surgeon will give you instructions about how to manage your recovery. If you follow these instructions, you are much less likely to experience serious complications.

Know the warning signs: The majority of deaths following liposuction are associated with pulmonary embolism, when a blood clot becomes lodged in the blood vessels of the lungs. The symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Cough, especially with bloody sputum
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat

If you notice these signs, contact a doctor immediately.

With an awareness of the possible dangers, you are much better equipped for making your decision about liposuction.

To learn more about the risks and benefits of liposuction, please visit the website of Luxe Plastic Surgery in Houston, Texas.

About Author

Luxe Plastic Surgery in Houston has the best training, experience and qualifications to answer all your questions about today’s cosmetic options. Whether you’re considering a simple, in-office procedure such as wrinkle fillers or laser treatments, or plastic surgery we have the solutions to meet your needs.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-sara-goldstein-4751.html