Why is quitting smoking/vaping required before surgery?

Smoking regular or e-cigarettes leads to absorption of nicotine which compromises blood supply to the skin. This can cause loss of skin and scarring after surgery. When considering an elective cosmetic procedure, it is best to optimize your condition to achieve the best results and minimize complications. 

Consulting with a surgeon now will help you get a better understanding of the procedure, find out what procedure is best for you, and learn how to prepare for the surgery and recovery after surgery.  You will also need to make arrangements for a ride home and for some patients this requires co-ordination with someone else - family or friends. All of this sometimes needs advance planning and a consultation with the surgeon a few months ahead can help. In addition, you may need time to consult with more than one surgeon to determine which surgeon and procedure you're most comfortable with, and have confidence in.

All forms of nicotine (smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, etc.) are prohibited for patients who undergo a plastic surgery procedure. Consuming nicotine can make your blood vessels constrict, increasing the risk of blood clotting. This can negatively affect your body’s ability to recover following your procedure and also increase the risk of visible scarring. I recommend for all my patients to cut out nicotine for several weeks before surgery as well as several weeks after surgery to minimize these risks.    

Nicotine interferes with wound healing and your goal should be to be off any nicotine 4-6  weeks prior to surgery and plan to stay off of it for at least 2 weeks after surgery. Meet with a surgeon to be sure their policy is similar. Best wishes. 

Thanks for the question.  Smoking cigarettes results in both an absorption of nicotine as well as an increase in carbon monoxide levels, both of which are inhibitory to wound healing.  Vaping eliminates the increase in carbon monoxide levels but still increases nicotine levels.  This is better than smoking but still has a negative effect on wound healing.  If possible, I would recommend working on lowering the nicotine level consumed with vaping before pursuing tummy tuck surgery.  A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the best way to prepare yourself for the best tummy tuck outcome in the future. 

Thank you for your question.While cigarettes do have other chemicals that inhibit healing and are probably worse than vaping for healing and health overall, nicotine alone acts to constrict blood vessels.  Constricted blood vessels reduce blood flow to the area, and inhibits wound healing.  I don't think anybody is ever "wasting their time" with a consult, as you can start to discuss surgical options and the best timing for them, even if it's months down the road.Best,Dr. Dan KrochmalMAE Plastic SurgeryNorthbrook, IL

As a general rule, board-certified plastic surgeons urge their patients to stop smoking before any surgical procedure. The nicotine and other harmful chemicals found in both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes can cause health complications during and after your surgery.However, it's never a waste of time to schedule your initial consultation. Here, you and your surgeon can get to know each other better, and you can get a better idea of what to expect for your specific procedure.Keep up the good work and hopefully you will be smoke free (and able to get the plastic surgery you want) very soon!