Weighing the Risks of Cosmetic Surgery by Dr. Calvert

When patients think about cosmetic surgery, most weigh the possibility of side effects heavily before making a decision. In the end, most patients go through with the procedure once they have found a way to finance their surgery. Every good surgeon requires their patients to undergo an evaluation process to determine whether or not they are a good candidate for surgery. If you are considering plastic surgery, you may be asking yourself some tough questions. Depending on the nature of the question, your physician may answer your questions or refer you to previous patients.

As with any surgery, there are risks involved in anesthesia. Though complications are extremely rare, there is a risk of allergic reactions, aspirating on vomit or heart failure. The chances of that happening are extremely low, but nevertheless, they are present. To prevent something like this from happening, disclose all medical information to your physician before surgery. If pain killers or opiate medications make you nauseous, give you rashes, dizziness, etc. it is imperative to tell your physician. Other medications can be used in these cases.

Your doctor will probably tell you to stop taking all medications for about a month before your operation. Herbal medications and over the counter medications can drastically increase the risk of bleeding. Most patients never consider the affects of herbal medications to be dangerous because they are natural, but everything we put in our bodies creates a reaction. Be sure to follow your doctor's orders and stop drinking alcohol and taking medicine for at least a month before surgery.

You will probably be prescribed an antibiotic before surgery in order to reduce the risk of infection. Some patients take antibiotics for as long as a week to two weeks before and after their operations. Every body responds to antibiotics differently. Be sure to follow doctor's orders and take your antibiotics faithfully. Once set in, an infection after cosmetic surgery can be deadly.

Another risk not usually taken seriously is the risk of hiring an inexperienced surgeon. A botched surgery caused by an inexperienced surgeon leads to more complications than can be listed here. Needless to say, undergoing repeated surgeries, like revision rhinoplasty, attempting to repair the damage done by a bad surgeon is the least of your problems. Bad surgery can kill a patient.

As a rule of thumb, it is a good idea to look for an Orange County plastic surgeon or Plastic surgery Beverly Hills because that area is so rich in skilled physicians. Dr. Jay Calvert, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic surgery. He also repairs the damage done by nasal fractures, botched surgeries, birth defects and more. He accepts new patients on Wednesdays and Fridays at one of his two offices in Newport Beach or Beverly Hills. To contact him, go to http://www.drcalvert.com/.