What are the risks associated with cosmetic surgery?

• Scarring
• Bleeding (hematoma)
• Infection
• Fluid accumulation
• Poor wound healing
• Skin loss
• Blood clots
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
• Anaesthesia risks
• Skin discolouration and/or prolonged swelling
• Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (fat necrosis)
• Major wound separation
• Asymmetry
• Pain, which may persist
• Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
• Possibility of revisional surgery
• Suboptimal aesthetic result

Information is also available from the New Zealand Medical Council