Very healthy, age 56, 5’6, 165lbs, do I need to cancel my surgery because of smoking?

Smoking affects healing and increases complications. It is particularly important to quit smoking for larger procedures such as tummy tucks or breast lifts. In evaluating the safety of procedures, smoking is a major factor, but there are others as well. Discuss this with your surgeon, who can take all of these other factors into consideration when making a determination of the risks of this surgery.

Thanks for your question! We do ask patients to quit smoking prior to surgery; however, every doctor is different. You should direct this question to the office at which you are having your surgery. Good luck!

You’ll need to let your surgeon know about your smoking, since they’re more familiar with your situation and may have different pre-op instructions. Please let them know as soon as you can.

Smoking prior to surgery increases the risk of wound healing complications. The current standard is 4 weeks prior and 4 weeks after to abstain from any nicotine products. You will have a foreign body placed. You will be paying cash for an elective surgery. No one can predict the future for you, however you have to ask yourself if this is something you can put off for only a few weeks! If you were my patient I would want you to have the best possible outcome.

You should absolutely discuss this with your surgeon. Typically it is recommended you delay your surgery until you have been nicotine free for several weeks. Nicotine in any form can cause problems with wound healing and increase the chance of infection. Your surgeon will advise you what is recommended for you based on her/his protocol.