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Body Contouring Risks and Safety

Body Contouring Risks and Safety

Model, not actual patient.

Body contouring cosmetic surgery procedures can redefine the shape and contours of the lower or upper body or both, depending on the patient’s needs.

Like any other surgery, body contouring will have certain potential risks and complications associated with it. The surgeon will create an appropriate surgical plan to minimize the risk while focusing on achieving the patient’s cosmetic goals.

During the pre-op consultation, the surgeon will apprise the patient of the risks and safety aspects of body contouring surgery. Their first concern will be help the patient make a well-considered decision. Astute and stellar board certified female plastic surgeon Dr. Farah Naz Khan provides body contouring and various other procedures to patients in Dallas, Texas, and surrounding communities and suburbs across the horizon.

 

Common Risks

Body contouring typically involves removal of loose skin as well as reduction of stubborn fat pockets in targeted areas of the body. Some of the common post-operative risks in body contouring cosmetic surgery may include:

 

Bruising and Inflammation

Bruising and swelling in the treated areas is likely to occur as a response to the trauma of skin and fat reduction. The bruising may last from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the extent of surgery performed, the number of treated sites, and the surgical approach adopted by the surgeon. Swelling will usually last for months, but will reduce progressively. Compression garments can help to mitigate the effects of inflammation and swelling.

 

Numbness or Altered Skin Sensation

Sensitivity in the skin around the incision sites may reduce temporarily due to tissue modification. In a few cases, complete numbness in the local area may occur. A few patients may have to go through a long recovery period for the restoration of normal sensation. In rare instance, the sensation loss may be permanent.

 

Allergic Reactions

Allergic reactions may occur in a few patients due to the exposure to anesthesia, gauze, tape or other materials involved during the body contouring procedure. Common reactions may include rashes, redness, itchiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, coughing or congestion. If the patient has a known history of allergies, they should talk to the surgeon during the initial consultation.

 

Wound Separation

A large incision may sometimes pull apart after the body contouring surgery. The surgeon must carefully suture the wounds and correct aftercare must be followed in order to minimize this risk. While wound separation is not a serious health hazard, it can extend the healing time and require additional bandaging to close the wound.

 

Seroma

Buildup of fluid in the tissue pockets along the incision areas may occur in a few cases. Fluid accumulation risks are countered by placing surgical drain tubes and using compression garments. However, in a rare case, if a patient still experiences seroma following body contouring procedure, they may need surgical removal of the fluid.

Extremely rare risks include skin necrosis, deep vein thrombosis and excessive bleeding, while infection is a common risk. Fantastic and diligent board certified female plastic surgeon Dr. Khan receives patients from Dallas, Texas, and nearby areas in The Lone Star State for body contouring surgery and other surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures.

To schedule a consultation with Board Certified Dallas Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Farah Khan please call 469-437-5426 or click here to contact us.

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Body Contouring Risks and Safety

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