Risks & Dangers of Liposuction

Liposuction is a very popular plastic surgery procedure in which fat deposits from underneath the skin are vacuumed. In essence, liposuction is the removal of excess fat from different areas of the body including the thighs, stomach, hips and upper arms. Liposuction has been practiced since 1974; though it is generally considered to be a very safe practice, as with any surgery, there are various risks and dangers associated with liposuction.

Common Liposuction Problems

• Liposuction problems are rare but possible. Some risks and dangers associated with liposuction are anesthetic reactions, blood clotting, infection and fluid loss. Less serious liposuction complications include scarring and bruising, skin numbing and minor skin discoloration and pigmentation changes.

Other Liposuction Problems

• Other liposuction problems that are not quite as common are friction burns, fluid accumulation (in which the fluid must then be drained out), allergic reaction to either anesthesia or medication, nerve or skin damage, damage to vital organs and extended healing time.

Excessive Liposuction

• There are also dangers associated with excessive liposuction. If too much fat is removed from a specific area at one time, or if excessive liposuction is performed within a single day, there are potential problems that can arise such as sagging skin, lumps and dents developing.

Minor Issues

• There are also several liposuction complications that can be bothersome but are not life-threatening. These complications usually affect an individual's aesthetic appearance and are lumpiness of the skin, scars, bruises, discolored skin, sagging of the skin, numbness and focal skin necrosis.

Severe Complications

• There are also some extremely serious and dangerous liposuction complications that everybody should think about before deciding whether to undergo the procedure. These possibilities include negative anesthesia reactions, internal blood clots, excessive bleeding, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, allergic reactions to medication, permanent nerve damage, convulsions, seizures, negative drug interactions and brain damage as a result of anesthesia.