Posts Tagged ‘plastic surgery’
In an increasing trend, many are turning to seeking cosmetic surgery treatment abroad in a bid to save money, but, in doing so are they putting their health on the line?
Medical tourism seems to have become a worldwide phenomenon with people from many countries flying to locations where the treatment will be much cheaper. Surgeons in some countries are even teaming up with luxury hotels to offer full cosmetic surgery holiday packages. Tours can even be included to make your stay perfect, and if you’re thinking all this sounds too good to be true, you’re probably right.
Firstly you need to consider that regulations may not be as stringent in some of these countries and the surgeons will not be an accredited member of any governing body that is recognised in the UK. This of course means that there are no guarantees as to the quality of treatment and aftercare you can expect.
There have been horror stories of breast implants bursting during the flight home as they have not been placed correctly. There are many instances of patients having to pay for expensive and painful repair/reconstructive surgery once back in the UK to fix the work that has been undertaken so carelessly on their person.
In the UK there are 2 main governing bodies in the field of cosmetic surgery and you should be worried if any cosmetic surgeon you approach is not an accredited member. Being a member of these organisations should ensure that any treatment you receive is of a high standard.
The 2 in question are; BAPRAS (British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons) BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons). Both of these Associations ensure that their members carry out work to the highest standard and this also covers the aftercare that is given.
It appears the old adage is right with regards to cosmetic surgery - you quite simply get what you pay for.
By: James Wilkinson
There are many procedures that are classified as cosmetic surgery. Services that can be performed are breast enhancements, face lifts, skin peels, hair replacements, lip augmentations, ear surgery, tummy tucks, liposuctions, and calf enhancements.
All of these procedures are performed to improve the look of the body, by giving a more pleasing curvature to the particular part or area of the body. Like most types of surgeries, cosmetic procedures can be invasive and evolved. They are considered major procedures and there are certain risks involved.
First, it is important to know whether or not you are a good candidate for a procedure. There are certain diseases, disorders, and conditions that can cause problems for a patient who is considering cosmetic surgery. Such conditions include high blood pressure, diabetes, certain heart conditions, high lipid levels, depression, and even morbidly obesity.
Also, it is important to know that smoking can and will have an adverse impact on any type of surgery. These conditions will either increase the strain on your body causing more complications or they prevent your body from healing quickly and correctly. Also, even though heavy alcohol use will not preclude someone from having surgical procedures, excessive ingestion of it can lead to poor response to general anesthesia during the procedure and pain medications afterwards.
However, before ruling out whether you should or should not have the surgery because you have a condition listed above, you may still want to consult your plastic surgeon because she will be able to see if you condition falls within the parameters.
Next, it is important to understand how your body responds to trauma including medical procedures like surgery. Understanding the signs and symptoms of complications and the risks involved will make you a better patient, because you will be able to communicate these things to your physician before they become a serious problem. For instance, swelling and tenderness after a surgery is normal. You can expect the swelling and redness to begin to go away after the first few days.
However, if your pain increases, the area of redness gets larger, you see streaks of red move away for the surgical wounds, or if there is pus coming out of them, then it is important to contact your physician. This could be a sign of infection. Typically, however, you will be prescribed an antibiotic as a prophylactic. You should still keep an eye out for complications.
Other complications include things like nerve damage, blood clots, temporary paralysis, and loose sutures. These types of things rarely happen, but you need to be informed about them just in case something begins to happen. Being able to notify your physician of the first sign of the complication will allow him to fix it before it becomes progressively worse.
Because the surgeon is cutting through tissue, nerve endings can be damaged. You may feel numb or tingling in that area. Often this subsides, but not always. Because it deals with nerve endings, it can also lead to temporary paralysis, but this too will subside.
Also, whenever you lay in bed for a long period of time, your blood has a chance to pool, which can lead to blood clots. Nurses like to put sequential compression devices on your feet or calves. These massaging devices help circulate the blood from your legs back up to your heart while laying in bed. They help prevent clots. Then, it is important to monitor your surgical site.
As mentioned above, you will want to be aware of any type of infection, but you also want to make sure that the sutures stay tight. If they come undone too soon, they can lead the surgical wound not healing properly.
Although there are numerous things that can go wrong during cosmetic surgery, it rarely does. Although the preceding conditions can seem daunting, this article is more intended to educate the reader on types signs to be aware of. Being armed with this information will allow a patient to receive the care they want and deserve. For further information, you can always discuss these complications with your health provider.
By: A Aaronson