Is 12 days off smoking long enough for breast lift and implants?

 In my opinion, you should be at least one month free of ALL nicotine including patches, gum and second hand smoke.  The risks of skin death are at least minimized by that period of waiting as has been shown by research studies.  The procedure is elective and not an emergency and you should do... more

I would say no.  It is recommended by the plastic surgeon society and the literature that 2 weeks is what is needed.  But I would recommend a minimum of 2 weeks, really want 4 weeks of smoke free, not even 1 cigarette. It is a risk, you may be fine you may not be.  It is difficult to predict who... more

It is impossible to say for sure whether 12 days off cigarettes before surgery is long enough or not. In fact, I cannot even say whether you absolutely need to stop before surgery. All I can do is give you the statistics on wound healing, skin loss and poor scaring in smokers when compared to non-smokers.... more

Smoking could adversly affect wound healing, post operative recovery in general. An important factor is the degree of dissection needed for the breast lift. For procedures that require minimal dissection (e.g eyelid surgery, breast augmentation, etc.), I ask for 2 weeks at least. For more involving procedures... more

It is well known that smoking is detrimental to ones health and can cause problems healing after surgery. We advise that those that do smoke to stop at least two weeks before breast augmentation or breast lift, though longer if possible. I do know that many of our augmentation or breast lift patients will... more

Ms. Colbert, As you have read in the other responses the risk is that of a decreased blood supply to healing tissues and with a breast lift the nipple and areola is moved. A potential decrease in the blood supply to ANY tissue can lead to poor wound healing, worsened scars and possible loss of tissue.... more

In general, it is recommended to quit smoking completely for 2-12 weeks prior to breast surgery, or any plastic surgery procedure. This is an elective procedure, and the longer you can wait prior to surgery, the fewer wound healing complications you will have.  Twelve days is very close to 2 weeks, so... more

The big issue is the lift part, as this procedure impairs blood supply, while on the other hand, the implants will cause the skin to be tighter, both together increase wound healing complications and the risk of tissue loss.  Although there are no definitive studies on this, I prefer that my patients be... more

Dear Ms. Elberfeld, When you ask "Is 12 days off smoking long enough ?"  I am ASSUMING you are asking, to paraphrase, Is 12 days off smoking long enough for breast lift and implants SAFELY? After all if you were in a car accident and needed emergency surgery, your smoking status will be of... more

Dear Mrs. Colbert Good luck on your decision to have surgery. I advise all my patients to stop smoking as far in advance of surgery as possible. I understand that smoking is addictive and very difficult to quit, but once you have started by not smoking before surgery keep it up after surgery. Unfortunately,... more