If you recently decided to take the plastic surgery plunge for the first time, or if you are no stranger to cosmetic procedures – you have plenty of company. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “Since 2000, overall procedures have risen 115 percent, but the types of procedures patients are choosing are changing.”
While the term “plastic surgery” used to be synonymous with facelifts and breast augmentations, these days it refers to a variety of procedures, such as liposuction, Mommy Makeovers, liquid lifts, fat transfer, eyebrow lifts, breast lifts, and other popular procedures.
Between 2010 and 2015, the ASPS observed considerable growth in the following types of procedures:
- In 2015, breast lifts were up 89% since 2010.
- In 2015, buttock lifts were up 252% from 2010.
- In 2015, lower body lifts were up 3,973% from 2010.
- In 2015, upper arm lifts were up a whopping 4,959% from 2010.
In 2015, a total of 1.7 million cosmetic surgical procedures were performed, according to the ASPS, with the top five procedures being: 1) breast augmentation, 2) liposuction, 3) nose reshaping, 4) eyelid surgery, and 5) tummy tuck.
Darker Side of Plastic Surgery
Despite its growing popularity among men and women in all age groups, plastic surgery has its darker side as does any elective or non-elective surgery. As in any field of medicine or surgery, plastic surgery has room for error.
Like traditional surgery, things can go wrong on the plastic surgeon’s operating table and when this happens – it’s called plastic surgery malpractice. When a patient suffers undue injuries during or just following a procedure or if they die during a procedure, it may give rise to a medical malpractice or a wrongful death claim.
What can go wrong at the plastic surgeon’s office?
While this list is not fully inclusive, here are some examples of what can go wrong while under the care of a plastic surgeon:
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Paralysis (from Botox treatments)
- Breathing problems (from Botox)
- Anesthesia errors (too much or too little)
- Accidentally cutting of the wrong organ
- Post-operative infection
- Disfigurement leading to corrective surgeries
Plastic surgery may be “elective” by nature, but that does not mean that patients deserve a lower standard of care. If you were the subject of a botched surgical or non-surgical procedure in Columbia, South Carolina, we urge you to contact our firm to discuss filing a claim for compensation.
We know plastic surgery – contact us to explore your rights to compensation under Columbia’s medical malpractice laws!