Smoking and Breast Reconstruction

By Laurel on 06 Oct 2011

If any of the ladies here read this I have to day that if you smoke do not under any circumstances smoke before having any kind of reconstructive surgery. I have had serious complicationtions not just to the implanted area but the arms and torso. It is beyond devestating to watch your reconstruction deteriorate because of smoking there are likly some other reasons involved. I find myself in a very serious situation. Having lost a lot of muscle over the reconstructioned Breasts.

Comments (3)

Dorothy J 14 Dec 2011

I think it has to do with circulation. My PS said he wouldn't take me as a patient if I smoked. So after smoking for 47 years I stopped cold turkey 5 weeks before the surgery. Every day I still want to smoke (I've said when I'm 85 I'll smoke again; 20 years to go) but my dr. was adamant about it being so detrimental to the reconstruction it was the incentive to finally stop!

Megan P (Community Manager) 14 Dec 2011

Dorothy J, good for you for quitting!! I love that you plan to start up again when you are 85, haha - too funny!!

Beverly Witkin posted this great article in another forum, but since it pertains to smoking I thought I would post it here as well.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/05/smoking-can-make-your-nipples-fall-off/?hpt=hp_c2

Megan P (Community Manager) 17 Oct 2011

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear what you are going through. I didn't realize smoking had such a negative impact on breast reconstruction. Do you have any information you can share on why that would be?