Introduction

As with any type of surgery, plastic surgery requires patients to be fully sedated or “put under”. This state requires a lot of medications and presents the possibility for many things to potentially go wrong. Having high blood pressure, especially that which is not properly controlled, can greatly increase the risks of many complications that can arise while under sedation. The following types of procedures all carry the same increased risks from having high blood pressure: (Liposuction (fat removal), Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), Gynecomastia (breast reduction), Breast Surgery (breast implants), Rhinoplasty (nose alteration).

Common complications of high blood pressure and surgery:

High blood pressure in general can greatly increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and embolisms. The stress of undergoing surgery can aggravate pressure levels, even in those who have no previous history for such. When the surgery is to correct a condition that is causing the blood pressure issue, surgeons will move forward without waiting for it to get under control. For plastic surgery procedures, unless they are following injury requiring it, there is the option for patients to wait. Many plastic surgeons will require patients to wait until their pressure is fully under controlled.

Can patients still have plastic surgery if they had blood pressure problems?

The short answer is yes. Though many patients can successfully undergo surgery without problems, most plastic surgeons do not feel comfortable performing the operations under such conditions. Given the elective nature of the procedures, surgeons have no problem forgoing until the condition is better managed. It is not only best to have it well managed before the operation, it can help reduce complications post operation as well. Often times pressure medications can also have undesirable interactions with the medications used for sedation and post operative care. These potential interactions are a large part of why it is important to have pressure well under control before undergoing elective procedures

Overall, when it comes to elective surgery, it is wise to have your blood pressure controlled.

It will not technically be a completely disqualifying condition for having cosmetic procedures, but it can be a reason to delay them. For some people, it can be a good reason to finally make changes to improve their health. When cosmetic surgeons require patients to have their blood pressure fully under control prior to a procedure, it encourages better health care and lifestyle management which is beneficial to the patient also.