All the experts say to quit smoking because of the many problems it may cause after surgery and recovery. What about e-cigs?

Using tobacco products 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 patients 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.

So e-cigs are just as bad as cigarettes, nicotine patches, gum, or sprays, and even second-hand smoke, which still delivers nicotine to your system, causing microcirulatory collapse and dead skin.If you can't quit all forms of nicotine, please don't have surgery.Zyban (wellbutrin) and Chantix are OK to use before and after surgery.Please stop. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

E-cigs are fine before and after surgery...as long as you don't use liquids that contain nicotine. There are lots of flavored liquids that are nicotine-free now. But if you use e-cids with nicotine liquids, then it is just as bad for your upcoming plastic surgery as smoking.

If e-cigarettes contain nicotine then they need to be stopped prior to surgery.  Nicotine causes a release of epinephrine thus causing blood vessels to shrink down in size.  Increasing your risk of wound healing problems.  

The reason smoking increases risks with surgery is not because of the cancer causing agents, but rather the nicotine in the smoke. Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict, decreasing blood flow, and increasing risks of surgery. Therefore, any product with nicotine is harmful to recovering from surgery. Thus, I tell my patients no cigarettes, no patches, no e-cigs. These are all nicotine delivery systems.