Male plastic surgery patients undergoing body contouring after bariatric surgery may be more likely to develop certain types of complications than women, a new study shows.

Of 481 such patients (10 percent of whom were male), the risk of hematomas was nearly four times higher in men, while seroma risk was nearly three times higher in men than women. The findings appear in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

The most common body contouring procedures in men were surgery to remove excess tissue in the chest, back and arms (upper body lift) and in the genital area. Women were more likely to undergo surgery on the thighs and buttocks (lower body lift) and upper arms.

The overall complication rate was 42 percent. Hematomas occurred in 14.6 percent of men versus 3.5 percent of women. Seromas occurred in 25 percent of men versus 13 percent of women. As a result of these risks, men had a higher overall complication rate. That said, men were not at higher risk for infections and other more serious wound-healing complications after body contouring surgery.

The reasons for the sex-related differences are unclear. "Men who are considering body contouring surgery should be advised that they are at an increased risk of postoperative hematoma and seroma formation," conclude researchers who were led by Tae Chon, MD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.