Liposuction: Q&A

Ask a Question

Liposuction Risks

What are the risks of liposuction? Are certain types of liposuction more likely to cause complications than others?

Tags:

complication risk

Comment on this

15 Doctor Answers | Asked by anon

Doctor Answers (15)
Community Comments (0)

All surgeries carry some risk

Having said that, in more than 30 years of doing liposuction I have never had any serious complication. You should see an experienced liposuction surgeon and ask him what his complication record has been. The type is of no importance: the skill of the surgeon is.

Toby Mayer, MD

7 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Liposuction risks

Liposuction an liposelection surgeries are not high risk operations, if are performed by skilled board certified plastic surgeons and on carefully assessed patients. Thrombophlebitis ( blood clots in legs ) are extremely uncommon complications very rarely seen in large volume liposuction patients. Lumpiness, waviness and skin ripples are more common undesirable results.Injuries to the underlining skin should be avoided during liposuction of face and neck areas. more

Liposuction Safety

I was the first surgeon to teach liposuction to other doctors in the United States and have taught safe liposuction techniques in more than 20 countries around the world. When liposuction is performed in an accredited (AAAHC, JCAHCO) facility by a trained physician, who follows published clinical safety guidelines, it is a remarkably safe procedure. There are risks in any surgery; liposuction is surgery! There is no such thing as non surgical or minimally invasive Liposuction.... more

Liposuction is real surgery

Liposuction has been trivialized by patients, non-plastic surgeon practitioners and the media into just a "procedure" - it is not that, it is real surgery with real risks. Have you heard ads for "lunchtime lipo"? This is ridiculous! Liposuction should be done by properly trained surgeons in accreditied facilities with anesthesia providers present. But the law allows anybody wielding a cannula to try to tempt you to go them. They will sell you on having it done... more

Liposuction risks

Today, the biggest risk is probably choosing your surgeon carelessly, either by shopping just based on price or relying on multiple advertisements with tall claims. Liposuction is surgery & all surgeries have their inherent risks even in the best of hands. However, a trained, experienced, Board certified plastic surgeon, affiliated to an accredited facility with OR facility would significantly reduce the chances of complications. Complications are rare, but do occur. They include... more

Liposuction risks

Risks of traditional liposuction include over-resection or under-resection of tissue resulting in grooving or bumpiness to the skin, seromas, lidocaine toxicity, and permanent skin injury. Liposuction techniques using ultrasound or laser energy can result in thermal skin injuries and abnormal subcutaneous scarring. I would say that any type of liposuction performed by physicians or non-physicians that are not properly trained are more likely to result in complications. more

What are the Risks of Liposuction Surgery?

Liposuction risks have been greatly reduced by having undergone the procedure under local anesthesia instead of general anesthesia. The advent of tumescent technique local with the micro canulas have revolutionized the procedure and resulted in amazing results and almost no blood loss at all but there are some risks still present. Dimpling and burning holes in the skin with permanent discolorations are more common with the laser liposuctions and should be avoided since it was more... more

David Hansen, MD

19 reviews

Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

www.DrDavidHansen.com

Liposuction risks

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks. There are small risks of bleeding and infection that are quite rare. There are risks of temporary waviness or dimpling of the skin due to swelling. There are temporary risks of sensation changes in your skin. There is the risk of the skin not tightening up and remaining loose after the procedure. The more rare problems of a perforation into the abdomen where internal organs lie, is luckily very very rare. In experienced and well trained hands,... more

Liposuction Risks

Probably the biggest risk is choosing your surgeon carelessly or perhaps shopping just based on price. A trained and experienced surgeon, operating in a safe O.R. environment is your most important insurance against potential complications. No surgery is risk free however, even in the best of hands. The risks of liposuction are disatisfaction or disappointment with the result, infection, excessive bleeding, injury of vital organs, wound healing problems and anesthetic related complications.... more

Risks of liposuction

The main risk of liposuction is waviness, rippling or depressions. They are caused by a lack of skill by the surgeon in removing the fat unequally. Unfortunately, anyone with a medical license can legally perform a liposuction, so make sure your doctor had certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Be sure to ask about the doctor's redo rate.

Successful Liposuction techniques

Modern liposuction surgery one of the safest surgical procedures, if done by a well trained, experienced and thorough surgeon. To achieve this safety the surgeon needs to adhere to a number of guidelines, such as impeccable technique that causes minimal blood loss and minimal tissue trauma, proper fluid management, proper monitoring and use of proper surgical facilities. Some of the complications of liposuction (other then sub-par aesthetic result) are fat embolism, fluid... more

Risks of Liposuction

Dr. Richard Dolsky wrote a wonderful reply. In addition, some people notice focal areas of increased sensitivity while others might have areas of numbness. Indentations and raised nodules, either from localized inflammation or underresectiton, can occur. Hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation (darker and lighter skin color) and hypertrophic / raised or keloid scars can develop from the insertion sites where the cannulae are introduced.Rapid heart beat, toxic levels of local anesthetic... more

Liposuction safety

A big question, to which I can't give a blanket answer. With ANY invasive surgical procedure, there is risk. The best way to protect yourself is to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon who is professionally bound to engage only in techniques that have been deemed safe--after rigorous testing. The good news is that this procedure can be performed under local anesthesia and twilight sedation instead of general anesthesia. For the most part, recovery from liposuction is easily manageable,... more

Types of liposuction and likelihood of complications

Yes. If you want to be safe start by asking for the best liposuction surgeon and insist that your operation be done in a AAAASF / Medicare approved facility. While there is no denying that a single knife stab wound is quite invasive. Yet, it still amazes me how commercial interests have convinced THOUSANDS of American that if this proverbial knife is replaced with a sterile, shiny, fat-vacuuming steel tube (IE cannula), and instead of being stabbed once or twice, you will be stabbed... more