New liposuction techniques have made the procedure safer and more poignant over the years, and it currently ranks as the second most popular plastic surgery in the US. Post-operative downtime and discomfort is reduced with the current techniques. However, some amount of risk will always be associated with liposuction, just like any other surgery.
It is important to choose a fully trained and experienced surgeon to minimize the risk with liposuction. On the other side, the patient should be fully committed to following the surgeon’s pre- and post-operative guidelines.
Board certified plastic surgeons Dr. Burton Sundin and Dr. Reps Sundin provide liposuction to patients in Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Vienna, McLean, Loudoun, Ashburn, Tysons Corner, Reston, Arlington, Chevy Chase, Richmond, Fredricksburg, and other surrounding locations.
Potential Complications
As long as the patient chooses a surgeon with a proven track record and expertise in the area of plastic surgery, the chances of serious complications are minimal. However, it is still important for the patient to know about the potential complications in order to make a well-considered decision.
- Infection risks during and after the surgery
- Poor reaction to anesthesia
- Formation of blood clots
- Fluid accumulation below the skin
- Excessive loss of blood or fluids during the surgery
- Extended or permanently altered skin sensation in treated areas
- Slow post-op healing
- Unfavorable scarring
- Skin pigmentation changes
- Damage to healthy surrounding tissue or nerves
- Damage to the internal organs
Rare Complications
In extremely rare cases, severe or life threatening complications may occur due to liposuction surgery. These may include cardiac arrest, cardiac arrhythmia, internal blood clotting, excessive bleeding, seizures, permanent nerve damage, brain damage from anesthesia, or acute drug interactions.
An experienced cosmetic surgeon can avoid such extreme eventualities for good candidates for liposuction. Dedicated plastic surgeons Dr. Burton Sundin and Dr. Reps Sundin receive patients from Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Vienna, McLean, Loudoun, Ashburn, Tysons Corner, Reston, Arlington, Chevy Chase, Richmond, Fredricksburg, and other communities in this part of the country for liposuction.
Risks of Excessive Fat Reduction
If excessive liposuction is performed in a single day, it will increase the risks. Fat removal should ideally be limited to less than 10 pounds of fat from a specific area for body contouring. The risk of complications will increase if larger amounts of fat are removed from one or more areas.
Sagging skin, lumps or dents in the treated areas may arise because of excessive liposuction. For patients who require more extensive fat reduction, the procedure should be performed in phases, with adequate gap between two phases.
Risk Mitigation
The patient should be forthcoming about all the necessary information regarding their current health condition, old health records, currently used prescription and non-prescription drugs, history of tobacco and alcohol, and any other lifestyle habits.
This will ensure that the surgeon can correct determine the patient’s fitness level and prepare for any anticipated complications. The patient should have a stable body weight, which should be within 25 pounds of their ideal weight.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Board Certified Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. Reps Sundin and Dr. Burton Sundin please visit
Serving Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Vienna, McLean, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Ashburn, Tysons Corner, Reston, Arlington, Fredricksburg, Chevy Chase, Potomac, Maryland Richmond, VA and surrounding communities.
