What if I Smoke a Little Will It Affect a Breast Reduction?

-Cigarette smoke contains nicotine which can adversely affect the flow of oxygenated blood.  This decrease in oxygen can cause problems with wound healing after surgery. 

-Sometimes nicotine can even cause a patient to lose the skin of the nipple or areola after breast surgery in which an incision has been made around the areola.  The decrease in blood flow due to the surgical incision, coupled with the effect that nicotine has on blood flow, is just too much sometimes for the nipple and/or areola to handle..

-Because of the negative effect smoking can have on healing after breast surgery, I ask all patients to quit smoking for 6 weeks prior to surgery.

Nicotine closes the blood vessels that bring oxygenated blood to the tissues. Oxygen fights infection, helps to keep tissue alive and delivers important medications such as antibiotics. I require my patients to be smoke free for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery, but prefer a month. Good luck!