Preconditions and Cosmetic Surgery Risks

Plastic and cosmetic surgery is real surgery with all potential risks and complications. There are no absolutes in the outcome of your cosmetic procedure and no serious plastic surgeon will give you a guarantee. Be realistic about your expectation and consult with your surgeon. The ideal patient is one with realistic expectations. On the flip side, if a patient has minimal, almost ‘invisible’ problems but has an intense need for surgery, a good surgeon will always advise against surgery.

Though surgical techniques and surgeons’ expertise have improved dramatically in the last decade, our surgeons endeavor to carefully examine patients prior to surgery, to avoid unnecessary complications and advise against patients who shouldn’t be undergoing surgery especially if they have compromised health.  As a golden rule, patients are advised against smoking 4 weeks prior to and after surgery as these increase the risks of wound healing.

In general, if patients are adequately ‘prepared’, complications are rare. At the same, surgeons also continue to focus on improved techniques and guidelines to avoid cosmetic surgery complications. They report that Cosmetic surgery, and elective surgery in general, is safe when performed in an accredited facility by properly trained board-certified plastic surgeons. The mortality rate for outpatient surgery is 0.25–0.50 per 100,000 procedures.

Medical conditions

All medical conditions and medical history must be fully disclosed to the surgeon – please note these on the medical form and discuss them during your consultations with your surgeon. Make sure the surgeon is aware of all the medications you are currently or previously taken and if you have had:

• An allergy or bad reaction to antibiotics, anesthetic drugs, or other medicine
• Prolonged bleeding, bad scarring, or excessive bruising
• Any recent or long-term illnesses
• Connective-tissue disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Previous surgery
• Psychological or psychiatric illness

Do not take any type of aspirin or medicines containing aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines 10 days before surgery because they increase the risk of excessive bleeding

Please note our Non-smoking policy:

Smoking can cause delayed recovery, wound breakdown, and increased risk of infection. We strongly recommend that you stop smoking 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after surgery. You may be denied surgery if you smoke and the GG Guarantee is void for smokers.

Risks of Surgery

Specific Risks of Facelift/Brow Lift

• Asymmetry
• Hairline shift
• Wound healing problems (especially in smokers)
• Nerve damage (especially facial nerve)
• Bleeding
• Swelling
• Bruising

Excessive scarring (wider scars) and keloid scars.  Please note that sutures may take up to 12 months to fully dissolve.

Specific Risks of Rhinoplasty

• Asymmetry
• Obstruction of nasal airways
• Under-correction or over-correction
• Bruising
• Swelling
• Bleeding

Specific Risks of Breast Implants

• Capsular formation – a fibrous layer that the body forms naturally around a foreign body such as a breast implant – may harden and contract, distorting the shape and feel of the breast. In rare cases, the capsule will need to be removed and the implant replaced. Newer implants have reduced this problem.
• Nipple sensation can be affected following breast enlargement, with some women reporting an increase or reduction in the nipple. These changes are often temporary, but in rare cases can be long-term.
• Using modern implants, the chance of implants breaking is very rare. However, if this does occur, the look of the breasts may change in shape or feel, which may require the removal of the implant.
• A double bubble where the implant is sitting partially above and partially below the inframammary fold.
• Skin ripples and wrinkles may form and appear on the skin near the implant.
• The shape and size of the breasts before surgery will influence the outcome, and the surgeon cannot guarantee that the shape and size will be the same after.
• There is no evidence to suggest that women with implants are at a greater risk of breast cancer or that detection of cancer is delayed.
• Breast implants may affect your ability to breastfeed though there is no evidence to suggest any health risks to the child.
• Excessive scarring (wider scars) and keloid scars.

Specific Risks of Blepharoplasty (Eye Lid Surgery)

• Swelling
• Bruising
• Blurred vision
• Excessive tearing
• Dry eye
• Redness
• Asymmetry
• Ectropion (drooping of the lower eyelid caused by overcorrection or scarring)
• Blindness (extremely rare and may be caused by bleeding behind the eye)
• Excessive scarring (wider scars) and keloid scars

Specific Risks of Abdominoplasty

• Infection – Infection is unusual after this type of surgery. There is a greater risk of infection when body contouring procedures are performed in conjunction with abdominal surgical procedures.
• Change in skin sensation- Diminished (or loss of) skin sensation in the lower abdominal area may not totally resolve after abdominoplasty.
• Skin contour irregularities- Contour irregularities and depressions may occur after abdominoplasty. Visible and palpable wrinkling of skin can occur.
• Skin scarring – Excessive scarring or keloid scars may be possible. Scars may be unattractive and of a different color than the surrounding skin. Additional treatments including surgery may be necessary to treat abnormal scarring. It is important to understand that in a full abdominoplasty, the scar may reach from one hip to the other. The surgeon will plan to make the incisions below the bikini line, however, this cannot be guaranteed, as the incisions will be different from person to person, according to how they will get the best results.
• Asymmetry- Symmetrical body appearance may not result from abdominoplasty. Factors such as skin tone, fatty deposits, bony prominence, and muscle tone may contribute to normal asymmetry in body features. Furthermore, the larger the patient is, and the larger the scar line, the increased chance of having an asymmetrical scar line. The solution to this is to tidy up the scar with additional surgery, and sometimes liposuction may also be needed to improve the appearance of the scar line.
• Seroma (collection of wound fluid)
• “Dog ears” (remaining, bulging tissue at the end of the incisions at the hip)
• Slightly increased risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis)

Specific Risks of Arm Lift, Lower Body Lift, Thigh Lift

• Seroma (collection of wound fluid)
• Infection
• Delayed wound healing (especially in the moist groin area)
• Excessive scarring (wider scars) and keloid scars

If you do not agree with any of the risks outlined, please do not proceed with surgery