Cosmetic Surgery and Procedures

Fighting the effects of aging-on the outside. Your guide to the risks of cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures

Trying to fight the effects of aging? Below is a basic guide to the risks involved in both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. For more information on each procedure, click on the highlighted links of the procedure.
Cosmetic Procedures: Surgical

Breast Augmentation - Breasts are enlarged by placing an implant behind each breast.

Risks:
implants can rupture, leak, and deflate infection 
hardening of scar tissue around implant, causing breast firmness, pain, distorted shape, or implant movement
bleeding
pain
nipples may get more or less sensitive
numbness near incision blood collection around implant/incision
calcium deposits around implant
harder to find breast lumps

Breast Lift - Extra skin is removed from the breast to raise and reshape breast.

Risks:
scarring
skin loss
infection loss of feeling in nipples or breast
nipples put in the wrong place
breasts not symmetrical

Breast Reduction - Fat, tissue, and skin is removed from breast.

Risks:
if nipples and areola are detached, may lose sensation and decreased ability to breastfeed bleeding 
infection
scarring
harder to find breast lumps
poor shape, size, or position of nipples or breasts

Eyelid Surgery: Extra fat, skin, and muscle in the upper and/or lower eyelid is removed to correct "droopy" eyelids.

Risks:
blurred or double vision
infection
bleeding under the skin
swelling
dry eyes
whiteheads
can't close eye completely
pulling of lower lids
blindness

Facelift - Extra fat is removed, muscles are tightened, and skin is rewrapped around the face and neck to improve sagging facial skin, jowls, and loose neck skin.

Risks:
infection
bleeding under skin
scarring
irregular earlobes
nerve damage causing numbness or inability to move your face
hair loss
skin damage

Facial Implant - infection feeling of tightness or scarring around implant shifting of implant

Risks:
infection
feeling of tightness or scarring around implant
shifting of implant

Forehead Lift: Extra skin and muscles that cause wrinkles are removed, eyebrows are lifted, and forehead skin is tightened.

Risks:
infection
scarring
bleeding under skin
eye dryness or irritation
impaired eyelid function
loss of feeling in eyelid skin
injury to facial nerve causing loss of motion or muscle weakness

Lip Augmentation: Material is injected or implanted into the lips to create fuller lips and reduce wrinkles around the mouth.

Risks:
infection
bleeding
lip asymmetry
lumping
scarring

Liposuction: Excess fat from a targeted area is removed with a vacuum to shape the body.

Risks:
baggy skin
skin may change color and fall off
fluid retention
shock
infection
burning
fat clots in the lungs
pain
damage to organs if punctured
numbness at the surgery site
heart problems
kidney problems
disability
death

Nose Surgery: Nose is reshaped by resculpting the bone and cartilage in the nose.

Risks:
infection
bursting blood vessels
red spots
bleeding under the skin
scarring

Tummy Tuck: Extra fat and skin in the abdomen is removed, and muscles are tightened to flatten tummy.

Risks:
blood clots
infection
bleeding
scarring
fluid accumulation under the skin
Cosmetic Procedures: Non-Surgical

Botox Injection: Botox is injected into a facial muscle to paralyze it, so lines don't form when a person frowns or squints.

Risks:
face pain
muscle weakness
flu-like symptoms
headaches
loss of facial expression
droopy eyelids
asymmetric smile
drooling

Collagen/fat Injection
: Collagen from a cow or fat from your thigh or abdomen is injected into facial wrinkles, pits, or scars 

Risks:
trigger an autoimmune disease
contour problems
hives
rash
swelling
flu-like symptoms

Dermabrasion : A small, spinning wheel or brush with a roughened surface removes the upper layers of facial skin. A new layer of skin appears during healing, giving the face a smoother appearance. Used to treat facial scars, heavy wrinkles, and problems like rosacea.

Risks:
abnormal color changes
whiteheads
infection
allergic reaction
fever blisters
cold sores
thickened skin

Hyaluronic acid injection : This gel is injected into your face to smooth lines, wrinkles, and scars on the skin.

Risks:
swelling
infection
redness
tenderness
acne
lumps
tissue hardening
risks unknown if used in combination with collagen

Laser hair removal : Laser light is passed over the skin to remove hair.

Risks:
hair regrowth
scarring
change in skin color

Laser skin resurfacing: Laser light is used to remove wrinkles, lines, age spots, scars, moles, tattoos, and warts from the surface of the skin.

Risks:
burns
scarring
change in skin color
infection
herpes flare-up (fever, facial pain, and flu-like symptoms)

Sclerotherapy : A solution is injected into spider and varicose leg veins (small purple and red blood vessels) to remove the veins.

Risks:
blood clots
color changes in the skin
vein removal may not be permanent
scarring

Chemical Peel: A solution is put onto the face (or parts of the face) that causes the skin to blister and peel off. It is replaced with new skin.

Risks:
whiteheads
Infection
raised scarring
allergic reaction
cold sores
color changes or blotchiness
heart problems

Tooth Whiteners  (peroxide agents): Depending on the product, either you or the dentist applies peroxide using strips; a mouth guard with gel; or a tray inside your mouth around your teeth

Risks:
If not customized for you by a dentist or dental hygienist, there may be unknown ingredients and unknown results

Cosmetic surgeons Some Questions to Ask

- Are you credentialed and certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery?

- Which hospitals do you have privileges at?

- Are the surgical facilities where you work accredited? You can check on this with:

   * The AAAASF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities), www.aaaasf.org/Facilities, or

  * The AAHC (Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc.), www.aaahc.org/accreditation/search.shtml

- How long have you been doing plastic surgery?

- Can I speak with some of your previous patients about what it was like?

- Am I a good candidate for cosmetic surgery? 

- How long have you been doing this procedure? (i.e., the one you’re interested in having)

- If something goes wrong, what will you do?

You can also check with the state medical board for complaints or malpractice suits against the doctor.

While you’re talking with the cosmetic surgeon, glance around his offices and notice whether they seem to be well organized, clean, and pleasant to be in.

Does the surgeon answer your questions readily? Does he give you enough time to get clear on everything? You want to choose a plastic surgeon you feel comfortable with, one you feel you can trust. Together you can arrive at a clear understanding of what procedure(s) would be best for you, and why, which is the first step towards achieving a happy outcome

Cosmetic Surgery Popular Myths

Myth: A surgeon is a surgeon, so shop around for the cheapest one you can find.

This would be risky. There’s no mandated training for a general surgeon to hang out his shingle as a cosmetic surgeon. It would be wise to do some homework. Interview several and choose one who has credentials and certification by The American Board of Plastic Surgery.

When considering expense, remember:
A surgeon asking a low fee may well be offering less care or service
Your good health and appearance are precious, so why would you toss them into the hands of an unqualified person?
Acquiring and maintaining a high quality surgical facility is expensive, as is using the best anesthetics and instruments. These costs have to be figured into the surgical fees charged. You surely want the best for yourself.

Myth: All surgeries leave nasty scars.

Not true any more. Because of recent developments and inventions, incisions can be very small and placed in hard-to-see locations. The resulting scars are often virtually invisible.

Keep these points in mind too:
Scars take up to a year to fully heal
Different individuals have different scarring responses, partly dependent on genetics
A scar which heals up in a faulty way can often be corrected by follow-up surgery

Myth: Cosmetic surgery is for rich people, vain people, movie people.

Not true any more. With the recent proliferation of techniques and reduction of costs, many people can afford cosmetic surgery. Many plastic surgeons offer financing plans and that’s a question to ask potential cosmetic surgeons when you’re shopping around for one.

Myth: The latest cosmetic surgery technique must be the best one.

Not necessarily true. Innovations are constantly being tried, but to determine which technique is best, studies must be done over a period of time, on enough patients, then peer-reviewed and published in reputable journals. Publication leads to more surgeons trying it out, which leads to more results that can be further studied and in this way we arrive at more certain knowledge of which techniques work the best, and for which purposes.

Myth: Liposuction is an easy way to lose weight.

Not true. Any reputable surgeon will ask you to lose as much weight as you can first, so as to improve your overall health. That’s because all surgery brings some risk, and the better your health is to start with, the better the results will be.

10 Things To Consider Before Having Cosmetic Surgery

Let’s have a look at what they are.

- Wht is the track record of the surgery centre itself? In other words, is there a lot of malpractice suits filed against it?

- Do you know anyone that has used the surgery centre? If so, what is their opinion of the place? Would they go back again? Why or why not?

- When you check out the surgery centre that you decide to use, what do the government agencies have to say about it?

- Once you have settled on the specific Dublin cosmetic surgery practice, then you must settle on a specific surgeon or doctor. Again, you must do some investigating. 

- Sit down with each of the doctors that do the procedure that you would like to have done, and interview them. Ask them lots of questions, being specific about what you want, and don’t be afraid—they are not God. If they act like they are, then they are not for you

- Once you have interviewed these cosmetic surgeons in Dublin, sit down, make a list, and weigh out your options. Take your time, and don’t rush. Your body is worth the extra time, and you should not rush into cosmetic surgery lightly.

- Consider the financial cost of the procedure you want done. Is the surgery centre one of those fly by night places that offers fifty or even seventy percent off their procedures on a regular basis? If so, then that is a definite red flag

- Is your information going to be kept confidential, or will it be sold to the highest bidder? Even though you sign papers requiring privacy, some places still do this. Has this surgery centre been caught doing so?

- Is the location of the surgery centre discreet? Will you be able to come and go without anyone really being able to notice you? Is there parking nearby that you can easily put your car in, and retrieve it at a later time? 

Sure, doing the research may take some time, and be a pain, but you are worth it, aren’t you? It is quite a bit of money to spend, but you’re definitely worth it…