The Risks That Involved In Cosmetic Surgery

It is all too easy to get carried away by excitement of the prospect of getting a brand new look. However, don't lose sight of the realities of going through a surgical procedure on your face or body. Just because it is called cosmetic doesn't mean that it isn't surgery with all of the risks attached. Remember that any time a surgeon picks up a scalpel, it is real surgery and all surgery includes an element of uncertainty and should be taken seriously. You should be aware of any consequences should it not go as planned.

With any medical procedure there is always a possibility of unexpected – or unwanted – events. No surgeon in the world can give absolute guarantees as to the final results. The ultimate decision to proceed rests with you, the patient. You make an informed choice after the doctor has made a conscientious effort to explain every aspect for the procedure.

Remember that your surgeon has no ethical responsibility to explain all potential complications in detail. So it really is up to you to ask about anything that you don't feel sure about regarding the cosmetic surgery procedure. When you come up with some questions it is important to factor in the variables of your individual health status, age, skin quality, gender and your medical history. This will help your surgeon to be able to give realistic and honest answers to your questions.

The most common reactions to cosmetic procedures are swelling and bruising. These are inevitable after having cosmetic surgery and sometimes even with non-surgical procedures too. Nausea and vomiting are relatively common reactions to anaesthesia. It is usual to be prescribed an antibiotic before and /or after surgery to guard against any infection.

After the procedure, you will be instructed to be on the lookout for signs of infection near the incisions. These might include increased swelling, redness, high fever, warmth, bleeding or other discharge. If you experience unusual symptoms, such as heavy bleeding, throbbing, sudden pain followed by significant swelling, report them immediately. You will also be asked to check that your bowels are functioning normally, since constipation is common after an anaesthetic.

Here are some of the risks of reactions to cosmetic Surgery : Swelling (common), Bruising (common), Nausea and vomiting (reaction to anaesthetics and medications), Allergic reaction to anaesthesia, Bleeding, Infection, Haematoma (blood clot), Seroma (collection of fluid), Skin sloughing (skin loss), Nerve damage (temporary injury to nerve), Delayed healing, Poor scarring (raised or thickened scars), Prolonged numbness.

Here Are Some More Serious Complications of Surgery : Pulmonary embolus (blood clot), Fat embolus (fat clot), Permanent nerve damage, Malignant hypothermia (dangerous rise in body temperature), Arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat), Sepsis (blood poisoning).

Don't worry unduly. It is highly unlikely that you will develop anything more severe than bruising, swelling or constipation but I hope that I have helped you to see that you must take cosmetic surgery very seriously and know about all of the risks before you go ahead.

Risks And Recovery Times Of Having A Nose Job

As common as nose jobs are, like all operations, there is still an element of risk involved. This article will help you to be able to make an informed decision about whether to decide to go ahead with having your nose reshaped or not.

The Risks
Nosebleeds are very common after Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping procedure). Although unlikely, it is possible to get an infection but a good surgeon and hospital will help to prevent this from happening. Every nose is different and there is no such thing as an absolutely perfect nose. You should expect some irregularities with the cartilage and bone. They are quite normal and are present in all noses.

Don’t be surprised if you have to have a second operation. Corrective surgery might be needed if the nose settles into its new shape incorrectly. If this is the case you will need to wait at least six or twelve months as the tissues will need time to heal properly and for the swelling to have completely disappeared.

The surgeon might also recommend Dermal fillers to be used after the surgery to fill out any subtle defects in the nose.

Recovery Time After The Operation
The surgeon will usually apply a splint to the nose for up to a week after the operation while the bones are setting. The nose may be packed very lightly with medicated gauze but this will removed by the second day.

You may experience nosebleeds and the surgeon will show you how to change the gauze bandages as they get soiled by the blood. It is important to keep the splints and dressings completely dry.

Your internal stitches will slowly dissolve themselves, so you don’t have to be concerned with getting them removed. If you have stitches on the external part of your nose, these will be removed by the end of your first week, most likely at the same time that your splint is removed.

It is very likely that you will experience some swelling, pressure and stuffiness for several weeks after the operation but in most cases you will be able to resume normal activities after only a few days.

You will be advised to keep your head elevated above the level of your heart for the first few days. This is important, as it will reduce the swelling.

If your nasal bones have been fractured, you may bruising around the eyelid area and have bloodshot eyes. Apart from looking as if you have just done 12 rounds with Mike Tyson, this is nothing to worry about. The bruising will usually peak after 72 hours and then will subside within 2 weeks.

You must avoid any contact sports or activity that may cause injury for four to six weeks. During this time the nose will be very tender and it will take at least three weeks before the nose is healed enough to allow full physical activity.

Even simple things like blowing your nose will be affected so try not to blow your nose too forcefully to avoid excessive bleeding. If you wear glasses, these may be taped to your forehead, as the bridge on your nose will not be properly set yet.

Overall, your nose will remain tender for up to twelve months, sometimes longer. It all depends on the thickness of your skin. The thicker your skin, the longer it will be before you eventually see the final shape.

Risks And Recovery Time For Eyelid Lift Surgery

Eyelid surgery is relatively simple but as with all operations it is not 100% risk-free. Here are few things that you need to consider before opting for eyelid surgery and if you have any concerns about them then your surgeon will be more than happy to discuss the procedures with you:

Potential Risks With Eyelid Surgery
Initially you may experience some minor complications such as temporary double or blurred vision. Some patients complain of a stinging, gritty sensation in the eye as well as excessive watering and even a slight asymmetry in the size and shape.

These are usually temporary and nothing to worry about but more serious, but again normally temporary, some complications can include very dry eyes, problems with closing eyes completely, prominent scars or the drooping of the lower lid.

In nearly all cases these problems rectify themselves after a few days but if the problems persist it may be necessary to have further surgery to correct the problem.

A more severe, but thankfully rare condition is bleeding behind the eye. This is quite serious as it temporarily increases the pressure around the eye and may need a procedure to release the pressure.

There are some medical conditions that can cause complications after eyelid surgery and you will need to discuss them with your surgeon before agreeing to the surgery. The conditions include, dry eyes or lack of sufficient tears, thyroid problems, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. If you suffer from any of these problems, please tell you surgeon about them as they can increase the risk of the problems mentioned earlier.

After The Operation And Recovery Time
How can you expect to feel after the operation? Well, as the anaesthetic begins to wear off your eyelids will feel tight and sore with a possible burning sensation. You will have some swelling for several weeks after the procedure and bruising for at least 10 days.

To speed up the recovery process keep your head elevated with extra pillows above the level of your heart when you are laying down. You might find that using cold compresses and ice packs during the first 48 hours will also reduce the swelling. Your surgeon will also advise your to avoid alcohol. This is good advice as alcohol dries out your eyes, causes fluid retention and significantly extends the time you need to recover.

The fine stitches used for closing up the incision will be removed three to five days after the procedure. You will need to clean the eye area for a week to ten days after the stitches have been removed, as the eyes will become sticky and itchy. In some cases your surgeon might recommend that you use eye drops or an eye lubricant, especially for use at night.

Do not try to wear contact lenses for one to two weeks after the operation. You might feel more comfortable to wear large sunglasses to cover the bruising and as protection against the light and dust because the eye area will be very sensitive to the sun, wind and other irritants for several weeks after the operation.

Your surgeon will explain all of these points to you before you decide to have the operation and will help to allay any fears or concerns that you might have.

Implants The Risks You Must Know

What Are The Risks, Effects And Recovery Times Of Breast Enlargements

As the popularity of breast implants grows (no pun intended), it is becoming safer than ever to have a breast enlargement operation. However, no operation is ever without it's risks and you need to be aware of any potential problems. The risks are slim but here is a list of the more common ones:

• Rippling or indentations of the skin
• Implant rupture or leakage and subsequent deflation of the breast implant
• Implant shifting
• Painful hardening and/or distortion of the breast due to scar tissue (capsular contraction)
• Temporary or permanent loss of sensation in the nipple or breast tissue
• Formation of calcium deposits in surrounding tissue.

Screening Risks

Another thing to consider is that there is some concern over the issue of mammograms, as they have a hard time 'seeing past' cosmetic breast implants. This means that the results may be less reliable. However, these reports have not been confirmed yet and the research is still ongoing but it is another thing that you must discuss with your surgeon prior to going ahead with the surgery.

If you are concerned about this and you have a family history that increases the risks, you may be advised to have a baseline mammogram before surgery. However, this will all depend on your age at the time of surgery and as I mentioned earlier, your family history. Unless, told otherwise, you will continue with your screenings as normal after the surgery.

How Long Will Your Implants Last
It's impossible to predict just how long your implants will last as it could be anything from 6 months to 20 years. However, reports from recent research seem to suggest an average of 16 years.

Implant Removals
Depending on your age when you have your implants placed, you will probably have your implants removed at least once during your life. The reason might be to reduce the size again or to have more implants put in. However, if you are not happy with your implants, it is possible to have them removed at any time you want.

If you have had your implants in place for a number of years, removing them might result in a droopier breast shape but this depends on the size of the implant and the quality of the breast tissue. If they sag too much then it is possible to reshape the breast with a breast lift. The surgeon might recommend some removal of the saggy skin.

Post operation effects and recovery time
You will need somebody to escort you home from the hospital and to provide some general help over the following few days.

Your breasts will be wrapped with a gauze bandage and a surgical bra or elastic band. It is important to keep the dressings dry at all times. You might also have some drainage tubes placed in the incision for a few days to eliminate excess fluid.

After five to seven days, the gauze dressing will be removed and then you may need to wear a non-under-wire support or sports bra. You will need to wear this continually for several weeks. Your breasts will be taped in place. At first they will look firm and swollen, however as the swelling goes down, they will drop into a much more comfortable position and shape.

To speed up the healing process try to avoid stretching and lifting. Minimize your arm movements and raise your elbows no higher than your armpits. Avoid aerobic activity for three to four weeks and your surgeon may even advise you not to have any kind of sexual activity for a week or longer.

The stitches will finally come out within a week to ten days and then the swelling and bruising will subside over several weeks.

Don't worry about the scars. They will remain pink for several months but the won't be too obvious after that period.