Plastic Surgery
(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

Source: The National Women's Health Information Center (www4woman.gov)

Last Editorial Review: 5/19/2005

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