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

I have smoked on and off since I was 15. Never smoked a pack a day, maybe just one or two cigarettes. About a couple of years ago I started to smoke black and milds (cigar) about once a day or every other day. I am supposed to have a tummy tuck with liposuction in my flanks in about a month. I stopped two weeks ago. What are my chances of complications?

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14 Doctor Answers | Asked by puddin01 in Chicago,IL

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Smoking and Tummy Tuck Surgery: Bad Combination

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... more

Smoking and tummy tuck.

Hi! It sounds like you will have not smoked for about 6 weeks by the time of your tummy tuck. I think this is safe.

Smoking and tummy tuck

As the data accumulates you should be tobacco free for at least 4 weeks before and very importantly, 4 weeks after. I have my patients stop for 3 months. I have found that if you can be tobacco less for 3 months you are much less likely to start up again when you are starting to feel better after the surgery. I can very often tell by the way a wound is healing, when the patient starts smoking again.

Smoking and Risks of Complications in Cosmetic Surgery

You were correct to stop smoking a few weeks ago if your surgery is in a month. Studies have shown that the complication rates are significantly higher for patients who smoke 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after surgery. The nicotine is the problem. Nicotine causes constriction of blood vessels so the amount of blood getting to the skin edges of the wound after surgery can be severely effected by smoking and nicotine. The bad news is that nicotine patches and gums are not a good alternative... more

Chances of complication from smoking before Liposuction and Tummy Tuck

Much, much lower, but never zero. We THINK that some of the poorer blood supply complications are caused by blood vessels spasms/constriction. No scientific paper has yet proven definitively when you are TOTALLY safe. So - what to do? How long can you last without Nicotine? The longer the better. Good Luck.

Smoking and surgery

The complication rate is significantly higher in smokers. Most surgeons would have patients top smoking for 3-4 weeks prior to surgery and continue non-smmoking 3-4 weeks after surgery as well. Nicotine patches are not a good substitute either.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Smoking and plastic surgery risks.

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... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Smoking and Plastic Surgery

Smoking before plastic surgery is not a good combination. You are having an elective procedure and you want everything to be in your favor for a good outcome. Smoking interferes with blood supply to the skin and wound healing. If you have quit about a month before surgery then you will probably be okay - however the effects from smoking are long term and nothing is for certain. However, you have to be honest with your self and with your surgeon. There is no doubt that smokers have... more

Impossible to say

I advise all patients to stop smoking a month before and after tummy tuck. The problem is that the procedure itself will compromise blood supply, and the smoking may add the one-two punch to cause tissue loss, or slow wound healing. Additionally, other procedures like liposuction may also increase risk of problems, so you may want to do this at another sitting. sek

Complications from smoking

You should be okay. There are long-term effects suchas peripheral vascular disease and emphysema. and then there are acute effects like vasoconstriction from the nicotine. RIsks are associated with lung problems or the blood flow issues from nicotine. Youdo not seem to have smoked enough for it to be a long-term concern and stopping the nicotine two weeks prior to surgery is probably adequate. However check with your surgeon. Also, remember that complications can occur in non-smokers as... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Smoking, nicotine and plastic surgery complications

Being entirely away from all nicotine including second hand smoke for a full month before and another month after surgery will take your risk down - but not to zero. But at least you are doing all you can do.

Tummy Tuck, Abdominoplasty, Liposuction

Dear Puddin01 There is no specified time for quitting smoking prior to surgery. The effects from smoking on the tissues are long term and you remain at a higher risk even with cessation prior to surgery. The care with surgical technique can not be underestimated and good post op monitoring is important. With Warm Regards, Trevor M Born MD

Smoking and Nicotine Use Increases Your Chance of Healing Problems

Although a month off nicotine (in any form) is probably sufficient, remaining off nicotine while you heal after surgery is also important for the first few weeks too. There is no agreed upon time frame on exactly how long to quit smoking before plastic surgery, but at least one study done i Sweden shows the complication rates dropping when patients stopped 4 weeks prior to general and orthopedic surgery.