Laser Resurfacing: Q&A
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Postpone Laser Resurfacing and Facelift for Smoker?
I'm due to have Laser resurfacing, upper eyes and a lower Facelift in 1 week. I have smoked 2 cigarettes a day for the last week. Should I postpone my surgery?
For the last 6 weeks, I had cut my smoking from 1 pack to 2-6 cigarettes a day and as I said this last week I've had 2 cigs a day. I hopefully plan on smoking no more prior to surgery.
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16 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
gypsygirl
in maryland
+4
Surgery and smoking
You should not smoke before your surgery, particularly before a facelift. Even seemingly little smoking can shrink down blood vessels, reduce blood supply, and can cause terrible scarring or loss of skin. The risk of infection is also higher.
You should be honest with your doctor (I hope you are not my preop patient!) and tell them so they can help you quit.
+4
Quit smoking prior to Fraxel resurfacing
If you are having Fraxel Repair it would be much better to quit smoking first. It is good if you can before Restore, but not as important. We don't have statistics, but I'm sure many people undergoing even Fraxel Repair have smoked and done well, but if there have been complications related to smoking it is not known yet. It is always best, prior to an elective procedure for cosmetic gain, to do whatever you can to ensure a good and healthy outcome.
+3
Smoking and Facelift
My answer is: yes, you should definitely postpone your surgery. Smoking exposes you to a number of harmful chemicals including nicotine and carbon monoxide. Nicotine acts to shut off blood supply to the tiny vessels that supply your skin and carbon monoxide diminishes your red blood cell's oxygen carrying capacity. The summary of these effects in a Facelift patient who is a smoker: dramatically increased chances of skin loss and hypertrophic (wide scarring) scarring. If you combine...
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+2
You should listen to your surgeon and do what is recommended
You should listen to your surgeon and do what is recommended. Smoking is a very real risk and not to be taken lightly. You may need to delay your procedure or they may have to take a more conservative approach.
+2
Smoking and Facelift
YES! You should stop smoking atleast 2 weeks before surgery. The longer you stop the better. Not even 1 cigarette during that timeline.
I would also recommend no nicotine gum or patches as they have similar affects on the blood vessels as does the smoking.
You will have wound healing problems if you continue to smoke and have your surgery.
+2
Never take risks that could be avoided when having plastic surgery
Hi there-
Let's take a big step back from the trees for a minute and look at the forrest...
You are pursuing an improvement in your appearance, on an elective basis...
In other words, it's not as though the operation is necessary to cure you of some disease or prolong your life... in which case the risk of having surgery while still smoking would be more acceptable.
Furthermore, all surgery will have risks, even under the very best of circumstances- and it is ALWAYS in your best interests to mak
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+2
Lower Facelift and Laser Resurfacing
Hi,
I would NOT recommend laser resurfacing and facelifting at the same time in a smoker. There is a real risk for skin necrosis ( death of the skin flap) at the site of the incisions.
I also insist that all of my patients that smoke stop smoking 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after a facelift.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Dr.S.
+1
Smoking Dangerous for Facelift patients
Ask your surgeon, but if you were my patient, I would request that you postpone your surgery. Most experts unanimously agree that smoking increases the risk of most surgical complications significantly. This especially applies to lifting procedures such as the temple lift you are scheduled to have done. Just about all plastic surgeons strongly recommend women to stop smoking and all nicotine products well in advance of all plastic surgery and especially lift procedures.. Many...
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+1
Smoking compromises surgical healing
Smoking is a real problem for facelift patients for a couple of reasons. Proper healing requires healthy blood supply and oxygen delivery to the healing tissues, both of which are compromised with smoking.
Nicotine is a vasoconstriction agent that can cut off blood supply to the skin causing the tissue along the incision line to die. This results in very poor healing.
The second issue regarding smoking is that there is a much higher carbon monoxide component in smokers than non-smokers. ...
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+1
Smoking a bad idea prior to surgery
Many physicians may require that you take a test that will let them know whether or not you have been smoking, and they may cancel your surgery if they find that you haven't told the truth. In my practice, I require known smokers to sign a smoking advisory consent form. Smoking, as everyone knows, wreaks absolute havoc on your body and can especially impair healing post-surgery, which is not a time when you want to be impairing your body's ability to heal itself. Also, there can be an...
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