The Risks of Plastic Surgery

All patients that undergo any sort of surgical procedure run the risk of physical damage, ranging anywhere from scarring to infection and, in extreme cases, death. Here with Louis William Apostolakis, MD, we take special care to ensure that your safety is our top priority. We want all our patients to be well aware of all the potential risks associated with our procedures before we begin any sort of plastic surgery, and we also want you to know that your wellbeing is our first consideration when performing any operation.

That being said, we want to outline some of the more common side-effects that may occur post-surgery.

• Scarring: Scarring is probably the most common risk one runs when having any sort of operation. We take our best care to minimize visible scarring on individuals.
• Short-Term Numbness and Necrosis: Temporary numbness is a common consequence of face lifts. Necrosis, otherwise known as tissue death, is more common among the smoking population, and is not as common in facial procedures.
• Nerve Damage: Loss of feeling in the surgical area of the face has the potential to occur. One in one thousand face-lifts results in permanent nerve damage.
• Infection: Infections, though quite rare, can be extremely dangerous to the body. We ensure that all procedures are performed in sterile environments, thus minimizing the risk of infection.
• Bleeding: All surgical patients run the risk of unwanted bleeding after the operation.
• Anesthesia: High levels of anesthesia can prove to be toxic in some individuals. We only employ fully trusted and capable anesthesiologists who will monitor you carefully for the entirety of the operation.

Contact Us

If you want any more information on the risks associated with facial plastic surgery, or if you would like to learn more about the steps we take to protect you from unwanted side-effects, please contact Austin plastic surgeon Louis William Apostolakis, MD at 512-329-8989.