Chances of Complications from Smoking a Month Before Tummy Tuck and Lipo?

I congratulate you for quiting smoking. Keep it up. It is probably the single best thing you can do for your health. Most studies have shown that stopping smoking for a minimum of one month is the best method to reduce your risks. This places you in the risk categroy of an "ex-smoker" but not necessarily a "non-smoker". Ex-smokers have approximately a 50 times higher risk of complications when compared to non-smokers. It takes about 10-15 years to go from an ex-smoker to a non-smoker.

Thank you for your question regarding smoking and your upcoming tummy tuck with liposuction. While it's great that you’ve stopped smoking two weeks ago, smoking — even in small amounts — can still increase the risk of complications during and after surgery. Smoking affects your body's ability to heal, particularly by reducing blood flow to the skin and tissues. This can cause poor wound healing, increased risk of infection, and even skin necrosis, which is when skin tissue dies due to lack of blood supply.

Even if you've stopped smoking now, the effects of nicotine can last for weeks in your system. Most plastic surgeons recommend stopping smoking at least 6 to 8 weeks before and after surgery to minimize risks. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, which can impair the healing of your incision sites and increase the chances of scarring and complications related to the liposuction as well.

Because you're about a month out from your surgery, it’s crucial that you remain nicotine-free and discuss your smoking history with your plastic surgeon. They may need to adjust your post-op care or even delay the procedure depending on their assessment of your risk.

I recommend maintaining a nicotine-free lifestyle as long as possible, not just until the surgery but also during the recovery process. This will ensure the best possible outcome for your tummy tuck and liposuction.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Congratulations on quitting.  Smoking brings a significant risk of cancer, stroke, heat attack, etc. From a Plastic Surgery standpoint it is a vasoconstrictor. Wound healing is all about getting oxygen and needed entities to the wound. It is well known that patient who smoke have a tremendous increase in their rate of serious complications, (infections, wounds falling apart, etc.). Nicotine is the main vasoconstrictor, so getting a patch or lozenge of nicotine won't help the vasoconstriction. Best to be off the tobacco/nicotine entirely before surgery. Please be honest with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Together you can make a plan to quit and proceed with surgery. The amount of time between quitting and surgery will depend on the Plastic Surgeon and the procedure.

Hello! Thank you for your question! The issue with nicotine is that it also acts as a vasoconstrictor, clamping down of blood vessels. Blood supply is always of great concern during any surgical procedure, but especially in such a procedure as a tummy tuck where the viability of the belly button and skin flaps are obviously important. Since the vascularity to the area is already tenuous with the dissection of the abdominal tissue as well as cutting around the belly button, maximizing blood flow to the tissue is critical. Typically, we recommend at least 6 weeks of smoking cessation prior to and at least 6 weeks after any surgical procedure. The longer, the better. Nicotine always increases the risk for infection, skin flap necrosis, and wound complications, as well as other health consequences. There is an increase pulmonary risk with the anesthesia and postop lung infections. The most devastating consequence of infection, especially since the tissue is tightened, is increased. This along with wound healing and scarring. I would discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

 

Completely stopping smoking AND all nicotine products before hand makes a big difference. Six weeks is good but studies show that 8 weeks is even better. Here is why:

In addition to its adverse effects on general health, smoking tobacco increases the chance’s of a plastic surgery patient having complications and can negatively affect her results.

Dr. Nichter at the Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery would like to advise prospective patients of the dangers of smoking as they relate to plastic surgery.

A good plastic surgery result relies on good blood flow. The nicotine, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide in the blood of smokers inhibits their blood’s ability to deliver sufficient oxygen to their healing tissues. Thus, patients who smoke are at greater risk of complications and poor wound healing.

A long history of medical studies have shown revealed the risks patients take when they smoke. A  recent study in 2003 reviewed 132 abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) patients. The study “showed wound healing problems in 47.9% of smokers versus 14.8% of non-smokers.”
Whether a plastic surgery candidate smokes or not is a big factor in whether a surgeon will perform surgery on that person or not. At the Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery, patients will be asked about their smoking habits, if any, which will be factored into the doctor’s decisions in her/his case.