A woman marked for liposuction
Liposuction gone wrong
According to Your Health, a Singaporean mother of two recently died as a result of liposuction. This was a case of liposuction gone horribly wrong. The mother was not put on general anesthesia, she was only put on sedatives. However, there was a reason for this liposuction gone wrong; the doctor who carried out the procedure was a general surgeon, and not a cosmetic surgeon.
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Her family was left without a mother due to a failed cosmetic procedure. Scarily, this is not the first time there has been a case of liposuction gone wrong in Singapore. Four years ago, Franklin Heng died of suffocation due to being given too much anesthesia during his liposuction procedure. Losing someone to a procedure like liposuction is devastating, especially when they have children.
Liposuction is commonly performed around the thighs, hips, stomach and buttocks.
The impacts of cosmetic surgery on your child
Liposuction and cosmetic surgery are not minor clinical procedures. They are actual surgeries and carry the same risks. The question is then whether or not cosmetic surgery is a risk worth taking when you are a parent. Surgery may have a very positive outcome. It could give you confidence which could change your life in many ways. It may even make you a happier parent.
On the other hand, if you were the next unfortunate “liposuction gone wrong” case, then it could impact your child as well as your life.
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There is an additional psychological element that is often overlooked. If your child knows that you are unhappy with how you look, and are willing to take the risk to surgically change parts of your body, they could start questioning their own looks. Your child could have lowered self-esteem and start disliking the way they look from a very young age. Passing on our body image insecurities to our children could lead to self image issue in the long run.
Kate Winslet famous quote about body image and her intention to teach her daughter Mia to be proud of her body.
How to choose your plastic surgeon
If you decide to take the plunge then it is important to know how to choose your doctor. Plastic surgery is a specialised branch of medicine. Make sure your procedure is being performed by a qualified plastic or cosmetic surgeon who has undergone specialised training. Just as you wouldn’t go to a general surgeon for brain surgery, you shouldn’t entrust your plastic surgery to anyone other than a plastic surgeon.
Get a referral or recommendation if you can. Don’t be rushed into the procedure. Ask to see before and after pictures of other successful operations your surgeon has performed. Be clear about the recovery time. You might need drains, a catheter, be bandaged or have severe swelling after surgery. You might need to make arrangements to be away from work and possibly your children while you recover. So do your homework before starting any cosmetic surgery so you can prepare yourself and your family.
Related: More Singapore women going under the knife in Korea
Uncovering Franklin Heng’s liposuction-related death
