Breast Augmentation: Q&A
Ask a QuestionSmoking Only 2-3 a Day, Can It Affect Your Healing Process So Bad?
Im going for a breast lift and tummy tuck and fix of inverted nipples.... I'll be going the 13th of July. I'm a social smoker, I'm drinking diet pills and then instead of eating Ill smoke.... ok I know its not healty, but by smoking lets say 10 per week, will it make such a big difference??
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15 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
Rese
in Johannesburg
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Social Smoking is Bad for Surgery
Most experts unanimously agree that smoking increases the rate of breast augmentation surgical complications significantly. The more you smoke the more likely you will have problems starting with second hand smoke or just a few cigarettes per day. Just about all plastic surgeons strongly recommend women to stop smoking and all nicotine products well in advance of breast augmentation with breast implants. Many plastic surgeons recommend stopping all tobacco products...
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Smoking may increase surgical complications
If you were my patient, I would insist that you completely stop smoking prior to either tummy tuck or breast lift surgery. The longer you stay away from cigarettes before surgery, the better off you will be. The effect of smoking on microcirculation is substantial in cases that rely on skin flap survival such as these. Complications including infection, delayed healing, and even loss of tissue with severe scarring are more likely in smokers. I would also advise that you...
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Coral Springs Plastic Surgeon
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Preventing complications prior to surgery
I instruct my patients to refrain from smoking about 1 month prior to proceeding with surgery to prevent complications intra-operatively and post-operatively. Nicotin use may affect the healing process and may cause wound healing issues, such as necrosis (tissue death). You want to be in the best condition before your surgery to aid in healing. Diet pills and other herbal supplements may cause blood thinning and should be discontinued two weeks prior to surgery.
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Avoid smoking for at least 2 weeks before plastic surgery
Smoking can have disastrous effects on wound healing, both at your breasts and abdomen. You should refrain from all smoking (and nicotine) for at least 2 weeks, preferably longer, to minimize your wound healing complications. You should also stop your diet pills for about two weeks before surgery as well.
Discuss this in greater detail with your plastic surgeon prior to surgery.
Best wishes,
Dr.Bruno
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Stop smoking temporarily - it reduces the risk
It depends on your type of breast lift. For a vertical lift technique, smoking is not as dangerous as it is for the inverted-T technique. However, all abdominoplasties depend on a good blood supply for healing. The concern is that nicotine causes the little blood vessels to tighten up, compromising circulation. This could lead to tissue loss along the skin edge, delayed healing, and not as nice a scar. Also the anesthetist will not want you taking diet pills...
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Smoking...does it make a difference.
The short answer: yes, it makes a difference.
Studies show that even 2-3 cigarettes a day can make the risks of a major complication in wound healing (like dead skin) significantly higher.
It's not worth the risk. Quit now.
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A Single Cigarette Can Affect Wound Healing
It is possible for a single cigarette smoked after to surgery to have very deleterious effects on the healing process. This is especially true with tummy tucks, breast reductions, and face lifts. In each of these procedures, there is an significant interruption of the normal blood supply and a cigarette can cause the collateral vessels which are now nourishing the tissues to go into spasm and result in varying areas of necrosis.
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Smoking is a huge problem with healing, but be honest with your surgeon
I completely agree with the other comments about how bad smoking is. However, there are surgical techniques that can be used to reduce the harm done by smoking, although they sometimes result in a reduction in the amount of improvement from the surgery.
And smoking is the worst addiction there is, and the hardest to quit.
So, if you do smoke, be sure to tell your surgeon before surgery, and have a frank discussion about this. There may be things that can be done in...
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Smoking and the Healing Process
I can’t stress it enough: A cigarette habit greatly compromises healing. Smoking triggers the release of skin-damaging free radicals, increases swelling, worsens scarring, and impedes healing by limited blood flow to the skin. If you smoke, you should refrain for at least two weeks before your procedure and two weeks after. That’s a month without nicotine, during a time when you’re likely to be anxious about undergoing and recovering from surgery. Since cutting out...
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Breast Augmentation - Smoking, Breast Lift, Tummy Tuck...BAD Idea...
Hi Rese,
Big difference? Maybe not...but if the answer is yes, it could be a total disaster!
Actually, of course, there's no way to answer a question such as this with absolute certainty. There are no guarantees, and no assurances, despite everyone's best intentions. But what is sure is that all you can do is try to tip the scales in your favor: do everything you can that can help, and as little as possible that could hurt.
And in THAT...
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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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