The terms cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery are often used interchangeably. But there is a difference between two terms. Plastic surgery refers to surgery which is done to remodel, restore or repair naturally occurring facial or body defects and burns.
Cosmetic surgery focuses mainly on enhancing appearances of the body and or face. Cosmetic surgery is sometimes also to as referred to as aesthetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery is usually based on the discretion of the person undergoing the procedure. A senior citizen may decide to undergo cosmetic surgery to remove the wrinkles on their face.
As with all medical procedures, whether it is cosmetic surgery or plastic surgery, there will be both long term and short term consequences. Let’s look at some of the side-effects of cosmetic surgery.
We have tried our best to use terms which can be easily understood by the ordinary citizen who is not necessarily well versed in medical essay writing terms. All of these complications may or may not occur after a plastic or cosmetic surgery depending on the type and location of the surgery.
1.) Seroma:
Seroma is a condition which occurs after a surgery. Serum which is a component of blood collects under the surface of the skin. Seromas often occur about one week or 10 days after undergoing a surgery. It looks like a swollen blister. The fluids seeping from the seroma, which are yellowish to white in color, can become infected. This is the reason why they need to be drained with the use of a needle. Even after draining a seroma there is no guarantee that it will not occur again.
2.) Nerve or Organ Damage:
There are millions of nerves in the body. The main goals of a cosmetic surgery are to enhance appearances. To achieve the objective of enhancing appearances artificial substances are added to the body.
Women getting breast implants or augmentation will initially be very satisfied with the appearance of the new breasts. They may feel a tingling or numbness in their breasts after the surgery. This initial tingling can turn in to permanent loss of sensation in their nipples. Liver damage can also occur after breast plastic surgery. Necrosis or dead skin is another complication which can occur after plastic surgery on the breasts.
3.) Infection:
An infection occurs when microorganisms, bacteria or fungi begin to contaminate the wounded area after a surgery. Infections will most often appear after a week or 10 days after surgery. But it is not uncommon for infections to be detected a long time after a surgery has taken place.
Initially infections will be treated with IV antibiotics. If a certain infection does not accede to IV antibiotics the person may have to undergo another surgery to remove the infection. If the infection is not removed by surgery there are chances that it will begin to spread. Cellulitis or a skin infection is a common risk of breast surgery.
4.) Hematoma:
The difference between a hematoma and a seroma is that the hematoma will appear as bruising. Seromas contain fluid while hematomas contain blood which has been clotted. Hematomas can be located close to body organs.
It is a sign of internal bleeding which has started to clot. The reason for a hematoma to occur is damage to a blood vessel. The damage causes the blood to spill in to other places of the body where it should not be.
If the bleeding is close to the wall of an organ, the organ will begin to repair the wall causing the clotting and the discoloration of the skin. A hematoma is a definite sign that the individual may require another corrective surgery depending on the size of the hematoma.
5.) Anaesthesia Complications:
Anaesthesia is the drug which is used before undergoing a surgery to help the patient become unconscious. Alternatively a local anaesthetic may be used to numb a certain part of the body which will undergo the surgery.
Possible side effects of local anaesthesia are nausea, vomiting, muscle twitching and numbness. General anaesthesia which is used to render the patient unconscious can cause hallucinations or a feeling of confusion when the patient starts to regain consciousness. Administration of anaesthesia changes regular breathing functions and can cause excessive coughing when the anaesthesia is wearing off.
Speak to your doctor about the repercussions of administering anaesthesia before the surgery. This is especially important if you have any health conditions which are not easily identifiable by medical practitioners.
