Liposuction is a surgery performed to remove excess fat deposits in areas of the body that aren’t responding to a diet plan and physical exercise. It is a widely known undeniable fact that there are advantages and drawbacks to surgery, and liposuction is no exception. However, if liposuction surgery is performed by an experienced and qualified cosmetic surgeon in a well-equipped facility, it can reduce the risk of complications. Treating more than one area of the body or treating large areas of the body can increase the number of risks and complications that occur during and after surgery so liposuction is normally broken right down to only one body part at a time.
Common risks that can be seen in patients after liposuction are:
- Temporary bruising, pain, swelling, and numbness in and around the treated area.
- Rippled or loose skin in some patients. After a few months the skin will generally tighten and retract but in some people it may remain loose.
- Small scars and irritation may occur around the incision where the cannula (suction tube) was inserted.
Some of the rare complications that occur in patients after liposuction include:
- Uneven skin surface in the treated area.
- Skin and nerves can be damaged.
- Permanent discoloration of the skin.
Weight gain after undergoing liposuction surgery can be a problem for some people. Your body may be storing new fat in a different place than where the fat cells are removed. New fat can accumulate around organs such as the heart and liver. This type of fat stored around the heart and liver is dangerous and sometimes life threatening compared to fat stored under the skin such as in the hips, thighs and stomach, so watch out about your weight after liposuction. Because of this, liposuction is usually not appropriate for weight loss for very overweight people who need to lose weight to the recommended levels before undergoing liposuction surgery.
Highly risky possible complications include;
- Fat clots or blood clots can travel to the lungs and become life-threatening which is known as a pulmonary embolism.
- Infection can occur and can be fought with antibiotics before and after liposuction surgery.
- Excessive fluid and blood loss can cause the patient to go into shock.
- Accumulation of fluid in the lungs known as pulmonary edema can occur as a result of the massive volume of fluid injected.
- If a large area or many areas of the body are treated once, a toxic reaction to the injected solution will occur.
Having proper preparation before, during and after liposuction can reduce the risk of the above complications.
