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Breast Implants for a Smoker?

I am 54 years young, in good health, but I do smoke. Can I have breast augmentation?

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age 45-54 smoking

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14 Doctor Answers | Asked by st911716 in Gardnerville,NV

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Smoking and surgery

I can’t stress it enough: A cigarette habit greatly compromises healing. Smoking damages skin, keeps incisions from repairing and worsens scarring. Moreover, nicotine, which gets into the bloodstream, can cause blood clots. Smoking triggers the release of skin-damaging free radicals, increases swelling, worsens scarring, and impedes healing by limiting blood flow to the skin. If you smoke, you should refrain for at least two weeks before your procedure and two weeks after. I’d... more

Breast Implants for a smoker

There are smokers and THERE ARE SMOKERS! Yes, smokers can have breast implants, BUT there is an increased risk of healing delays, infections, bleeding. So see 3 boarded plastic surgeons in person to get their take. Regards.

Smoking and Breast Augmentation

It really depends if you need a lift. If you do, you will have to stop atleast 2 weeks before and until you are healed after. If it is just an augmentation only, you can get it done but I have found that capsular contracture rate for patients who smoke tends to be higher.

Breast augmentation and smoking

Yes, you can have breast augmentation surgery, but you should keep in mind that the risks of anesthesia complications, poor wound healing, scarring, and capsular contracture all go up in smokers. If you can quit even three weeks prior to surgery, your risks begin to go down. Good luck, /nsn.

You will have higher risk of complications

You can have breast augmentation but you have higher risk of complications from anesthesia and surgery. You can stop smoking for two weeks before and after surgery . This will decrease your risk.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

It's not ideal, but a smoker can have a breast augmentation

It's relatively common to perform breast augmentation in patients who smoke, though they are at an increased risk for wound healing complications. Given your age, however, it is entirely possible that you require a concomitant breast lift. It is not safe to perform this operation in a patient using tobacco products, as your risks of significant wound healing complications, including loss of skin and loss of the nipple and areola is signficantly higher. Your best is to quit using all... more

Smoking increases complications for breast augmentation

Although smoking before/ after breast augmentation is not an absolute contraindication to having the surgery, it does increase the risk of developing complications. These include: 1) your incisions not healing properly and opening, thereby exposing your breast implant to an infection and requiring a possible removal; 2) your incisions not healing properly leading to increased scarring. I ask ALL of my patients to stop smoking for at least 4 weeks before/ after their surgery to decrease the... more

Breast Implants in Smokers

I agree that smoking can certainly contribute to problems with wound healing. In fact I will not perform a full tummy tuck, standard reduction, or standard facelift on smokers. I do not, however, refuse to perform augmentations on smokers or insist that they stop smoking. I have not to date seen any significant wound healing problems in smokers undergoing augmentation.

Smoking and breast implants

Smoking increases the risk of surgical complications. I would stop for a few weeks before surgery and continue to abstain from cigarettes for a few weeks after.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Smoking and breast augmentation

A breast augmentation can easily be performed in a smoker. However, this sets you up for a theoretical higher fate of complications including poor wound healing, unfavorable scars, adverse reaction to anesthesia, etc. However, if you were to consider a combined breast lift that would be an entirely different situation.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation No, breast lift Yes

The wound healing process is inhibited in smokers. I think doing breast augmentation for active smokers is a reasonable practice, but of you need a breast lift to address breast sagginess, most plastic surgeons would not offer a breast lift to an active smoker. At your age, there is a fair chance that you may need a breast lift in addition to an augmentation. If you're going to the trouble of having surgery to enhance your appearance, why not do something that will help you live longer, look... more

Smoking increases surgical and postoperative risks

Hi there- There can be no doubt that your history of smoking, and the fact that you are smoking currently, increases your risks of problems during and after ANY surgical procedure. The DEGREE of risk will vary with the length of time you have been smoking, the amount you smoke now, the most you have ever smoked, and the type of surgery involved. Generally speaking, you will be at lower risk of problems with a breast augmentation than you would be with a tummy tuck or breast lift, but as... more

Smoking and Breast Augmentation

Smoking would not preclude you from having a breast augmentation as you could ALWAYS find a surgeon who would be willing to "risk it" with you. However, there is NO doubt that smokers have a MUCH higher rate of healing complications including implant infection requiring removal.