Possible Risks and Complications from Liposuction

Many thousands of liposuction procedures are performed successfully each year. When done by a qualified plastic surgeon who is trained in body contouring, the results are generally quite positive. Nevertheless, there are always risks associated with surgery and specific complications associated with this procedure.

Post-operative complications such as infection and blood clots are extremely rare, but can occur. We work to make these events even less common by doing all of our procedures in our fully certified surgery center. Using a specialist staff including registered nurses and physician anesthesiologists and doing the procedure in the controlled and sterile environment of a real operating room not only keeps you comfortable, it also increases your safety. Infection can be treated with antibiotics. You can minimize the risk of blood clots by moving around as soon after the surgery as possible. We tell patients that there is NO BEDREST following liposuction. You should walk at least a few steps every few hours, including on the day that you had surgery.

The skin must shrink following liposculpture. Everyone heals differently and sometimes the skin might not become completely smooth following this shrinking process. The risk of this sort of uneven or wavy skin is minimized with our technique of microliposuction using small cannulas or sucking tubes, but it can still occur. Smoking increases the risk of complications and poor wound healing. We advise all smokers who are considering tummy tuck that they should stop at least two weeks, and preferably a month, prior to the procedure.

The procedure is usually done with an anesthesiologist to monitor your safety and keep you comfortable during and after your liposuction. Having this additional professional take care of you is something you should insist upon for all but the very smallest procedures so you will have the augmented safety and comfort you deserve. The procedure may be done with general anesthesia. As currently performed with modern medicines and monitoring equipment, anesthesia is extraordinarily safe but it does have some very small risks associated with it.

You can reduce your risk of complications by closely following your surgeon's instructions before and after the surgery, especially with regard to when and how you should resume physical activity. We will give you detailed pre-op and post-op instructions to help with your planning.

For more information about liposuction, please contact this California plastic surgeon at 310-550-6300 or email us.

Content courtesy of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons