Although surgery is a wonderful development in human history, nobody but the worst masochist enjoys contemplating the process itself. For diabetics, the dread of surgery tends to be even greater than it is for the average patient. But how much of this dread is well-founded? In this post, we’ll look at the main things you need to know about how diabetes may affect your cosmetic surgery.
Diabetes Is A
Spectrum
It’s difficult to speak generally of diabetes and its role in surgery, because the condition can be very mild or very severe in different patients. Important things to consider are the severity of your insulin resistance, the extent of secondary complications like peripheral neuropathy, and how well-controlled your diabetes is at the time of surgery.
Before you opt for cosmetic surgery, you should schedule an appointment with your family doctor or endocrinologist for a pre-operative evaluation. He or she will assess the severity of your diabetes and determine whether you can safely undergo surgery. In general, a relatively healthy person with well-controlled diabetes is a reasonably good candidate for surgery.
What Are The Risks?
The main concern with diabetic surgical patients is that their risk of post-operative infection is greater than average. It’s worth noting, though, that this added risk is much more significant when you undergo long, intensive, invasive procedures that involve multiple surgical sites. Smaller procedures such as rhinoplasty, face lifts, or chin surgery are much less likely to result in infection. However, you should be on the lookout for any signs of infection, such as fever, or incision sites that become unusually hot, painful or swollen.
People with diabetes can also expect a longer recovery time. Exactly how much longer it’ll take for you to fully heal depends on the magnitude of your surgery as well as how well-controlled your diabetes is. If you’re dutiful in your use of exercise and medication to control your diabetes, then your healing prospects are much better.
What Happens To My Blood Sugar After Surgery?
The stress of surgery can upset your hormone balance, and the inflammatory process involved in recovery can cause your blood sugar to spike. For these reasons, it might be necessary to have blood tests more frequently than usual in the aftermath of your procedure.
It’s very important to consult thoroughly with your endocrinologist and your cosmetic surgeon prior to the procedure, to ensure that you get the best possible treatment. You may be taking certain medications (such as metformin) that should be halted, with your doctor’s approval, in the lead-up to surgery. You may also need to modify the amount of insulin you take in the 24 hours prior to the procedure. Some healthcare providers will arrange for you to meet with a dietician who can give you a specially tailored meal plan.
Dr Siegel is a facial plastic surgeon. To find out more about how diabetes will affect your cosmetic procedure, arrange a consultation with him today!