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by Karen Asp
Americans are flocking to cosmetic surgery. In 2007 alone, a whopping 12 million procedures were performed, up from the previous year. That begs one question, though: How dangerous are these surgeries? "Although many of these procedures are safe, complications are always possible, especially if you don't choose your doctor wisely and have a procedure in an unsafe setting," says Brent Moelleken, M.D., F.A.C.S., board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA.
Here, Moelleken reveals the dangers behind 10 of the most popular surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures as determined by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plus, we've included a few celebrity cautionary tales.
Americans are flocking to cosmetic surgery. In 2007 alone, a whopping 12 million procedures were performed, up from the previous year. That begs one question, though: How dangerous are these surgeries? "Although many of these procedures are safe, complications are always possible, especially if you don't choose your doctor wisely and have a procedure in an unsafe setting," says Brent Moelleken, M.D., F.A.C.S., board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA.
Here, Moelleken reveals the dangers behind 10 of the most popular surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures as determined by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plus, we've included a few celebrity cautionary tales.
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Plastic Surgery Disasters
by Karen Asp
Americans are flocking to cosmetic surgery. In 2007 alone, a whopping 12 million procedures were performed, up from the previous year. That begs one question, though: How dangerous are these surgeries? "Although many of these procedures are safe, complications are always possible, especially if you don't choose your doctor wisely and have a procedure in an unsafe setting," says Brent Moelleken, M.D., F.A.C.S., board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA. Take, for instance, the case of Priscilla Presley whose face looked distorted when she appeared on Dancing with the Stars. Later, it was reported that her doctor injected silicone into Presley's face as well as others at "injection parties," backing Moelleken's point that you should always seek a qualified doctor and never have procedures done at a spa or someone's house. Here, Moelleken reveals the dangers behind 10 of the most popular surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures as determined by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plus, we've included a few celebrity cautionary tales.
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Botox
Although major problems are rare, potentially fatal allergic reactions could occur, which is why you need to have this done in a facility equipped to handle emergencies. Smaller complications include differences from in appearance from one side to another, lazy eye muscle, bruising as well as, headache and flu-like symptoms. Of course, if you remember the case of Irena Medavoy, wife of producer Mike Medavoy, she received a Botox injection to cure her migraine headaches and wound up battling muscle weakness, respiratory problems and a host of other side effects, according to CNN.com.
Breast Augmentation
Make sure your doctor understands what you want. When actress Tara Reid decided to get big Bs, her doctor gave her two Cs, she told 'Us Weekly'. After surgery, she had bumps that worsened, forcing her to undergo surgery to repair the damage. Unrealistic expectations are also a major problem with breast implants, as implants that are too large can stretch the skin, cause breasts to droop and make you look heavier. No matter what size you get, though, over time, scar tissue can form around the implants, which could lead to more surgery. You might also experience diminished sensation around the nipple region. And of course, if you expect implants to last, think again: You'll need the surgery redone every 10 to 15 years.
Tummy Tuck
Because of the risk for major complications, including anaesthetic problems (i.e. vomiting, stroke or allergic reaction) or even death in rare cases, like rapper Kanye West's mother, Donda West, who died after having a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction, you must have this procedure in a surgical center or hospital where there's access to immediate emergency care. Irregularities, bad scarring or bleeding after the surgery can also happen. Life-threatening blood clots could even form anywhere from three to 11 days after surgery.
Nose Reshaping
The biggest problem with nasal surgery is the way it's done. There's a risk that doctors, especially if you're not going to one who's board certified in plastic surgery, may alter the shape of the nose too much, causing parts of the nose to collapse and breathing to become difficult. The most obvious example of this is Michael Jackson, whose nose looks to be so delicate that it could collapse at any time. Farah Fawcett is another celeb whose nose now looks deformed. Awfulplasticsurgery.com shows the star from 1998 to 2004, and the difference is startling.
Liposuction
Complication rates are surprisingly low with liposuction, but there is always the chance of blood clots forming, which is why you need to go to a setting designed to handle medical emergencies. Other problems may include differences in appearance from one side to another, irregularities like bumps or depressions and changes in skin color. Some people also have trouble recovering from liposuction with http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/chronic-pain
target="_blank">chronic pain being a problem for a few individuals.
Eyelid Surgery
The more aggressive the surgery, the more chance there will be problems, like the eyes not closing properly and becoming chronically dry and irritated or having a burning sensation. And although everybody usually has differences between eyes, you could also see a more pronounced difference between eyes if the surgery is done poorly.
Hyaluronic Acid
You may know this filler by the name Restalyne. It's commonly used to fill in small lines and wrinkles and is relatively safe compared to other fillers, like silicone. Yet you could still experience bruising, swelling and significant asymmetries.
Chemical Peel
Problems are typically minor and include things like leaving the skin with too much pigment, a loss of pigment or prolonged redness. If deeper chemical peels are performed, however, serious scarring can result.
Laser Hair Removal
This sounds like a relatively harmless procedure, but lasers can burn the skin and could cause scarring. There may also be a loss of pigment, especially in individuals with darker skin. Also, in some cases, when individuals have numbing cream put on larger areas of the body, the cream may be absorbed into the bloodstream and affect the heart, which is why you need to have this done in a medical setting.
