Chances of Complications from Smoking a Month Before Tummy Tuck and Lipo?

I congratulate you for quiting smoking. Keep it up. It is probably the single best thing you can do for your health. Most studies have shown that stopping smoking for a minimum of one month is the best method to reduce your risks. This places you in the risk categroy of an "ex-smoker" but not necessarily a "non-smoker". Ex-smokers have approximately a 50 times higher risk of complications when compared to non-smokers. It takes about 10-15 years to go from an ex-smoker to a non-smoker.

Thank you for your question regarding smoking and your upcoming tummy tuck with liposuction. While it's great that you’ve stopped smoking two weeks ago, smoking — even in small amounts — can still increase the risk of complications during and after surgery. Smoking affects your body's ability to heal, particularly by reducing blood flow to the skin and tissues. This can cause poor wound healing, increased risk of infection, and even skin necrosis, which is when skin tissue dies due to lack of blood supply.

Even if you've stopped smoking now, the effects of nicotine can last for weeks in your system. Most plastic surgeons recommend stopping smoking at least 6 to 8 weeks before and after surgery to minimize risks. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, which can impair the healing of your incision sites and increase the chances of scarring and complications related to the liposuction as well.

Because you're about a month out from your surgery, it’s crucial that you remain nicotine-free and discuss your smoking history with your plastic surgeon. They may need to adjust your post-op care or even delay the procedure depending on their assessment of your risk.

I recommend maintaining a nicotine-free lifestyle as long as possible, not just until the surgery but also during the recovery process. This will ensure the best possible outcome for your tummy tuck and liposuction.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Congratulations on quitting.  Smoking brings a significant risk of cancer, stroke, heat attack, etc. From a Plastic Surgery standpoint it is a vasoconstrictor. Wound healing is all about getting oxygen and needed entities to the wound. It is well known that patient who smoke have a tremendous increase in their rate of serious complications, (infections, wounds falling apart, etc.). Nicotine is the main vasoconstrictor, so getting a patch or lozenge of nicotine won't help the vasoconstriction. Best to be off the tobacco/nicotine entirely before surgery. Please be honest with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Together you can make a plan to quit and proceed with surgery. The amount of time between quitting and surgery will depend on the Plastic Surgeon and the procedure.

Hello! Thank you for your question! The issue with nicotine is that it also acts as a vasoconstrictor, clamping down of blood vessels. Blood supply is always of great concern during any surgical procedure, but especially in such a procedure as a tummy tuck where the viability of the belly button and skin flaps are obviously important. Since the vascularity to the area is already tenuous with the dissection of the abdominal tissue as well as cutting around the belly button, maximizing blood flow to the tissue is critical. Typically, we recommend at least 6 weeks of smoking cessation prior to and at least 6 weeks after any surgical procedure. The longer, the better. Nicotine always increases the risk for infection, skin flap necrosis, and wound complications, as well as other health consequences. There is an increase pulmonary risk with the anesthesia and postop lung infections. The most devastating consequence of infection, especially since the tissue is tightened, is increased. This along with wound healing and scarring. I would discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

 

Completely stopping smoking AND all nicotine products before hand makes a big difference. Six weeks is good but studies show that 8 weeks is even better. Here is why:

In addition to its adverse effects on general health, smoking tobacco increases the chance’s of a plastic surgery patient having complications and can negatively affect her results.

Dr. Nichter at the Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery would like to advise prospective patients of the dangers of smoking as they relate to plastic surgery.

A good plastic surgery result relies on good blood flow. The nicotine, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide in the blood of smokers inhibits their blood’s ability to deliver sufficient oxygen to their healing tissues. Thus, patients who smoke are at greater risk of complications and poor wound healing.

A long history of medical studies have shown revealed the risks patients take when they smoke. A  recent study in 2003 reviewed 132 abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) patients. The study “showed wound healing problems in 47.9% of smokers versus 14.8% of non-smokers.”
Whether a plastic surgery candidate smokes or not is a big factor in whether a surgeon will perform surgery on that person or not. At the Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery, patients will be asked about their smoking habits, if any, which will be factored into the doctor’s decisions in her/his case.

Smoking before plastic surgery is not a good combination. You are having an elective procedure and you want everything to be in your favor for a good outcome. Smoking interferes with blood supply to the skin and wound healing. If you have quit about a month before surgery then you will probably be okay - however the effects from smoking are long term and nothing is for certain. However, you have to be honest with your self and with your surgeon. There is no doubt that smokers have more complications after plastic surgery.

Dear Puddin01
There is no specified time for quitting smoking prior to surgery. The effects from smoking on the tissues are long term and you remain at a higher risk even with cessation prior to surgery. The care with surgical technique can not be underestimated and good post op monitoring is important.
With Warm Regards,
Trevor M Born MD

Although a month off nicotine (in any form) is probably sufficient, remaining off nicotine while you heal after surgery is also important for the first few weeks too.
There is no agreed upon time frame on exactly how long to quit smoking before plastic surgery, but at least one study done i Sweden shows the complication rates dropping when patients stopped 4 weeks prior to general and orthopedic surgery.

Here are the major points of smoking Tobacco or Marijuana before or after surgery:1. There is nicotine in tobacco, but not in marijuana. However, most joints are rolled with marijuana and tobacco combination. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor that decreases blood flow to the tissues. This is the major problems that can cause a very bad outcome in some surgeries. In a breast augmentation, there is not a lot of risk as there are not a lot of incisions which decrease blood flow to the tissues. In a breast lift or tummy tuck, on the other hand, there is much longer and more involved incisions. The decrease in blood flow to the tissues in combination with the decrease in blood flow from the nicotine can cause tissue to die. This can cause part of the breast or nipple, or in the case of a tummy tuck, part of the belly tissue to die, resulting in a very bad outcome. This is especially bad in breast reductions or face lifts. Marijuana without tobacco does not cause this problem, or marijuana in an edible fashion. Vaporizers do not decrease the amount of nicotine in tobacco, only decrease the smoke.2. There is carbon monoxide in both tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke. Carbon monoxide decreases the oxygen carrying capacity of hemoglobin in the blood. This is different from the vasoconstrictor effect, but has the same result of having the risk of tissue death in conjunction with surgeries that decrease the blood flow to tissues such as breast lifts and tummy tucks, as opposed to an augmentation alone that does not decrease blood flow to as great of an extent. Again, edible forms of marijuana do not have smoke, and thus carbon monoxide poisoning.3. Coughing. Both tobacco and marijuana smoke disrupt the lining of the lungs and bronchi and can lead to coughing episodes. Coughing episodes can lead to internal bleeding after surgery that can lead to hematomas and complications, and again a bad outcome. Again, edible forms of marijuana does not have this effect.4. Anesthesia effects. Marijuana can have drug interactions with certain anesthetic drugs. Thus it is important to tell your anesthesiologist about your marijuana use.In conclusion, Smoking, whether it be tobacco or marijuana, is detrimental to your surgery outcome. Edible marijuana is much less so, but be honest about your use with your surgeon and anesthesiologist so that you can have the best outcome. In general, you should quite smoking many weeks, ideally 6 weeks before surgery, and not smoke for at least 2 weeks after surgery.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

At least 6 weeks before and then 6 weeks after.A tummy tuck can be done as a solitary procedure. Many times the results are enhanced by adding
liposuction to the hip and love handle area.
A tummy tuck is also done in combination with a breast augmentation in a
mommy makeover.



Please find an experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
and member of the Aesthetic Society using the Smart Beauty Guide. These Plastic Surgeons can guide you on all
aspects of facial surgery, breast augmentation and body procedures including
tummy tucks or mommy makeovers!