Is It the Nicotine Itself That Constricts Blood Vessels?

2 surgeons referred to nicotine in restricting blood vessels. This confused me, as the popularity for imitation cigarettes is becoming more popular in helping smokers to stop inhaling all the other more dangerous chemicals. Would a surgeon still refuse to perform a facelift on a woman who uses these inhalers but has stopped smoking cigarettes?

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13 Doctor Answers | Asked by faceliftsmoker

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Nicotine constricts blood vessels

It is important to be off of all nicotine products prior to undergoing elective facelift surgery. Skin necrosis can occur due to poor healing from nicotine (any form of nicotine use) and the carbon monoxide from smoking. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which restricts blood flow to the tissues. Smoking cigarettes produces excess carbon monoxide, which decreases the oxygen available for healing.

Nicotine from any source is risky for facelift surgery

You are correct in that nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which closes down capillaries that deliver oxygenated blood to the surgical site. The risk is that some of the tissue can die from lack of oxygen. I am not familiar with what the imitation cigarettes contain but if it is nicotine then you should absolutely avoid them.

Nicotine Products and Facelift

Any products that contain nicotine should not be used within a week before a facelift and for at least 6 weeks after facelift. Find the plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of facelifts each year. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Nicotine can constrict your blood vessels

And the result could be that you could lose some of your skin and lead to more scarring. You should stay away from nicotine and especially smoking 2-4 weeks before and after your procedure.

Philip Young, MD

6 reviews

Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

Nicotine and surgery

Nicotine in all its forms retards healing after surgery. The vasoconstriction of the blood vessels is only one of the deleterious effects .It also retards the production of fibroblasts the healing cells themselves.. Why smoke. Isn't there enough evidence it harms you..duh

All Nicotine Products are Dangerous prior to surgery

Great Question to ask - The Answer is it is the Nicotine that causes the harm by constricting blood vessels... Many patients think it is the act of smoking rather than the nicotine that causes the problems.My experience is that the less nicotine the better and the longer you have stopped prior to surgery the better. A recent scientific article in the Archives of Internal Medicine indicated that, among all forms of surgery, quitting smoking/nicotine eight weeks prior was never associated with... more

Does nicotine itself constrict blood vessels?

Nicotine itself is a vasoconstrictor. When vasoconstriction takes place, the following things will happen: 1) Surface area inside the blood vessels decreases 2) Less blood will be able to flow to a given area. 3) Blood pressure will increase 4) Deprivation of valuable nutrients will take place due to the lack of blood flow Blood has vital nutrients that are important to promote the healing process, and if not enough blood is flowing to a specific area, healing is... more

Nicotine Affects Facelift Surgery

Nicotine constricts blood vessel walls to raise blood pressure and also decreases the amount of blood that can pass through the vessels. Less circulation means less oxygenated blood can reach every part of the body, which can lead to complications for a facelift especially during surgery and healing. If my patient has a healthy lifestyle, follows a good diet, exercises regularly and refrains from cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol, the results of a facelift can last for more than 10 years. more

Will nicotine compromise my facelift?

There are many products that are available to smokers to assist them in quitting. As I'm sure you are aware, smoking is one of the most difficult addictions to break. Unfortunately, many of the nicotine substitutes may assist you in quitting but they still pose a very real danger to the healing process following a facelift. Nicotine, regardless of how it is consumed will have a vasoconstrictive (narrowing of the blood vessels) effect which will diminish the oxygen and nutrients that can... more

Todd C. Miller, MD

10 reviews

Orange County Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.toddmillermd.com

Nicotine

Yes - Nicotine replacement puts yo uat equal risk as tobacco usage. Traditionally patients are encouraged to stop smoking and/or using nicotine for 3 weeks before and after surger. Newer research doe sshow that the DEEP PLANE facelift can be done safely on active smokers with no greater risk than the general population. That being said it is always in your best interest to be off nicotine and tobacco

Nicotine affects healing

Yes, nicotine is a potent vasoconstrictor that will have significant impact on your bodies ability to heal. Additionally, nicotine patches will have the same effect on wound healing. The carbon monoxide that result from smoking will also inhibit the bloods ability to delivery oxygen to the tissue. All forms of nicotine should be halted at least 3 months prior to a facelift and for several months afterwards...if one can go six months without smoking you might as well quit... more

Should stop all nicotine products....

The inhalers are useful for stopping the dependence on cigarettes, but the nicotine will still adversely affect wound healing, scarring and viability of the facelift skin that is lifted. I recommend complete abstinence from all nicotine products prior to facelift surgery. Good luck!

Nicotene is the enemy of healing!

Simply stated, Nicotene constricts blood flow which is necessary for both healing of wounds and incisions as well as fighting infection. Blood vessels are the highway by which these essential elements travel to areas of need. If the three lane highway becomes constricted to a single lane then needed nutrients do not arrive in a timely manner in locations of greatest need.