Depends.Typically a minimum of 4 weeks is the timeline you should be off tobacco products, including nicotine patches. Ideally it should be longer than 4 weeks. However, some surgeons will perform mini-lifts with a shorter period of time of tobacco but much depends on your overall health, years of tobacco use, age, quality of skin, etc. Additionally they may also limit the amount of "dissection" to prevent issues with skin and tissue healing.The following link provides more information on smoking and the issues it causes with facial aging.I hope this helps.
The longer the better.Check with your surgeon.Good Luck. Please consult in person with an experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Prior to making treatment decisions.