What are the Dangers of Liposuction?

Although liposuction has often been advertised as a less invasive procedure than major plastic surgery procedures, it is still a surgical procedure. This means that there are dangers of liposuction that you should be aware of.

Liposuction- Not Safe?

It is incorrect to say that the government would approve of a procedure that could drastically endanger the lives of people. Under the right circumstances and in the hands of a qualified and competent doctor, the dangers of liposuction may be limited. Even with a very good doctor though, accidents or errors of judgment could still happen. You should be aware of the possible dangers of liposuction so that you will know if you are truly up to the risks involved.

Dangers of Liposuction

Some of the dangers of liposuction range from the very mild and unthreatening to potentially life threatening conditions and situations. Regardless of the gravity though, the dangers of liposuction are very real.

· There are common and normal side effects of liposuction. After the procedure you normally experience soreness, fluid drainage, swelling, bruising, numbness and pain. What you may not know is that depending on the kind of liposuction, area of liposuction and your own ability to recuperate, you may suffer from some of these sensations for weeks or months. This is not truly life threatening but it can be inconvenient and uncomfortable for you.

· One of the common dangers of liposuction is infection. You may get infected during the procedure or even after it. Bacteria may seep into open punctures and spread throughout the skin causing discoloration, tenderness and redness. You may also suffer from fever and vomiting.

· Embolism is one of the more critical dangers of liposuction. Fat cells may get into the bloodstream through damaged blood vessels. These fat cells can accumulate and travel to the lungs and even to the brain. You should be alarmed if you experience shortness of breath one to three days after liposuction.

· Another one of the alarming dangers of liposuction is organ damage through punctures. Since the cannula is doing the suctioning, your surgeon may not be aware that it is already too close to an organ. This is especially true for stomach liposuction in which the intestine may be punctured by the cannula.

· Fluid naturally accompanies fat as it is suctioned from the area. In some procedures, fluid is also injected into the body to reduce fluid loss. Sometimes though this entire step may lead to fluid imbalance which in turn may lead to fluid in the lungs and kidney problems.

· One of the unforeseen dangers of liposuction is that it may actually encourage more surgical procedures that may be more complicated and more dangerous. In older people and people with inelastic skin for example, liposuction may result in sagging or loose skin that is even more unsightly. In such cases, other surgical procedures may be additionally resorted to. These may include lifts which may produce scars and require longer recovery periods.

· Too much lidocaine may result in toxicity. A patient may suffer from convulsions, shivering and even heart problems.

Risk Awareness

Most doctors will let you know of the risks outright. It is still largely your decision though if you still choose to go through the process of liposuction. Weigh the pros and cons before making the critical decision to undergo liposuction.