How Does Smoking Affect Breast Reduction Surgery? What if I Smoke One Cigarette a Day?

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11 Doctor Answers | Asked by May in Michigan

Doctor Answers (11)
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Smoking: Don't Do It!

Thank you for the question. The use of nicotine (as in any form) can lead to devastating complications after surgical procedures. Nicotine is a potent constrictor of blood vessels, preventing the delivery of oxygen etc. to surgical sites that require good blood flow to heal. The resulting decreased blood flow leads to potential problems with healing, tissue necrosis, open wounds, infections… Don't even think about the use of nicotine around the time of... more

Smokin and surgery

The short answer to your question is that smoking before and after surgery is bad for wound healing -- even one cigarette a day is bad. The reason is that the nicotine in cigarettes impairs blood flow to the tissues. Surgery will also stress the blood flow to the skin along the incisions. The combination of both surgery and smoking will jeopardize the blood flow enough that you could have skin breakdown, skin loss, or even lose your nipple after a breast reduction surgery.... more

Smoking Not Recomended for any type of surgical procedure

Dear May, Smoking one cigarette a day can be disastrous! Please do yourself a favor and abstain completely until you are a few weeks post op. Not only does nicotine deprive the tissues from blood, it also carries (along with other nutrients involved in healing) antibiotics to help fight infection. So not worth the risk! Kind regards, Dr. H

Smoking is an unnecessary risk during breast reduction

Smoking will rob the healing tissue of the oxygen needed to heal and is a risk to any surgical procedure. You should quit altogether three to six weeks before your reduction.

No smoking after breast reduction surgery!

Tissues need oxygen from blood flow in order to survive. With a breast lift (mastopexy) or breast reduction, the tissues are rearranged in a way that reduces blood flow for a while. Nicotine from any source constricts blood vessels, further reducing blood flow. The combination of the surgery and nicotine can lead to tissue death (necrosis) even after one cigarette. It's an unnecessary risk.

Smoking Can Increase Complications After Breast Reduction

Dear May in Michigan. It is laudable that you have reduced your cigarette use to one a day, but you still are increasing your risk of complications. The nicotine in cigarettes impairs the blood flow in small blood vessels in the skin which can result in skin necrosis (death) and wound separation. Additionally, the nipple has an increased risk of necrosis because it may be on a long piece of breast tissue (breast pedicle) and is at the end of the blood vessels. Any decrease... more

Smoking and breast surgery

There are several ways to look at this question. Most plastic surgeons are going to have a policy about smoking, especially with breast surgery. There is no question that smoking even one cigarette will put you at a higher risk for complications with this procedure. And since it is a controllable variable, most plastic surgeons would advise you to stop completely before and for a period after breast reduction surgery. My policy is to stop 6 weeks before and for at least 2 weeks after surgery... more

Smoking and breast reduction

I am glad that you are down to one cigarette a day. Smoking interferes with vascular circulation and inhibits wound healing. All smoking is therefore ill advised in plastic surgery patients but particularly in operations like the breast reduction in which circulation to the nipple is so important. Please try to quit at least 6-8 weeks prior to surgery.

Smoking Definitely Affects Healing After Reduction

Smoking after a breast reduction can have very bad effects. The problem is that a portion of the normal blood supply to the nipple-areolar area is interrupted. A single cigarette post-op could cause the residual blood vessels to spasm resulting in a good deal of loss of tissue.

Smoking and Breast Reduction

Dear May in Michigan, Yes, even one cigarette is one too many. There are many effects due to smoking that can impact your surgery and results. Ignoring the pulmonary issues-which makes anesthesia more risky, the nicotine in the tobacco smoke significantly decreases the blood supply to the healing tissues and healing tissues need lots of blood supply to heal correctly.This is why a nicotine patch or gum is not a solution for surgery. The carbon monoxide in tobacco... more

Smoking and breast reduction

Thank you for the question. Smoking does affect any surgery. Skin healing may be affected, there is a higher risk of wound complications and also it can increase the anesthetic complications. Passive smoking is also a risk to health and surgery. Therefore, smoking one cigaret is too many. Ii usually advise my patient to stop smoking about 6 weeks before surgery and to refrain from smoking is.x weeks after. Best wishes.