Smoking Socially Post Op Breast Lift?

I only smoke socially and generally only 1 day a week and not even every week. I had a anchor incision breast lift 10 days ago. Doctor said i was healing relatively fast. ( i am 17 years old) And i was wondering if it is okay to be around people that smoke and if i could have maybe 1 or 2 cigarettes? I am just very worried about the complications. Please help! Thanks. ( and for extra information, i am pretty sure i already have some sensation in my nipples.)

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by hellopleasehelp

Doctor Answers (7)
Community Comments (0)

Avoid Second Hand Smoke after Breast Lift

It is best to avoid smoke of any sort for at least 6 weeks after breast lift surgery. Although it may have little effect, why chance this?

Smoking and post-op healing

Smoking in general or even second hand smoke can impact wound healing and should be avoided. Good luck.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Smoking and surgery do not mix

Nicotine can negatively affect your body's ability for proper wound healing. It can increase your chance for infection, and can lead to skin/tissue loss. It is important to be nicotine free for at least 6 weeks prior to surgery and throughout your healing process. It is not worth the risk to have even one or two cigarettes.

Mennen T. Gallas, MD

8 reviews

Houston Plastic Surgeon

Let's use a choking underwater example!

You want to know if 1 or 2 cigarettes are OK? When you've been told it carries the risk of DEAD SKIN? So, to use my example--we both know that choking you underwater for say, the amount of time it takes to smoke a cigarette and the nicotine to get out of your system, will cause you to drown, right? And you want to know if it's OK to do that "only" once or twice. Once is quite enough, thank you very much! If you smoke even one cigarette, you COULD end up with dead skin. Maybe... more

Smoking Socially Post Op Breast Lift?

Your worry about complications is justified. The operation itself removes a lot of blood supply to the breast skin, by mechanically dividing many of the vessels that nourish the breast skin. Nicotine further aggravates the situation by narrowing the small remaining blood vessels. The consequence can be as bad as loss of some skin requiring additional surgery. One or two cigarettes can do this. Don't try it!! Best wishes.

Smoking after Breast Lift?

Congratulations on having undergone the breast lifting operation. You should stay away from nicotine of any kind for several additional weeks ( and hopefully forever). As you mentioned, the complications associated with smoking are significant... Best wishes.

Nicotine and breast lifts - stay completely away!

If you were my patient, I would be alarmed by this question. Nicotine in any form including second hand smoke constricts the blood vessels nourishing the skin and helping it heal. Hurting the blood flow can cause skin death, and big black open wounds with resultant horrible scars. I would expect you to refrain from any exposure at all for a minimum of a month after your surgery.