I'm 26 and healthy, can I smoke ultra light cigarettes before my Breast Reduction and be ok? (photo)

Most experts unanimously agree that smoking increases the rate of breast augmentation surgical complications significantly. Just about all plastic surgeons strongly recommend women to stop smoking and all nicotine products well in advance of breast augmentation with breast implants. Many plastic surgeons recommend stopping all tobacco products several months prior to surgery.Here is the reason why: the nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products (including Nicorette gum, patches, etc) is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it makes the Smoking is a significant multiplier of many potential complications following surgery and breast augmentation with implants are no exception. Nicotine from smoking causes blood vessels to vasoconstrict ( tighten up). Over time, these constricted arteries and capillaries deliver less blood to the breast tissue which is needed for normal healing. Smokers therefore have an increased incidence of higher likelihood of complications such as infection, and in particular capsular contracture (hardening and distortion of the implants). General complications of surgery such as blood clots, anesthetic problems such as pneumonia are also increased. A scientific article in the Archives of Internal Medicine indicated that, among all forms of surgery, quitting smoking eight weeks prior was never associated with an increased risk of complications.In young patients you will probably statistically avoid these complications, why tempt fate by increasing your odds that something bad will happen.On a long term basis, smoking also causes accelerated aging of the skin and loss of elasticity. Hopefully these reasons will help give you the will power and courage to stop smoking.

Thank you for your question. Smoking before or after your surgery can increase your risk of developing complications including infection and wound healing problems. I tell my patients that it is ideal to stop a couple months ahead of surgery and then for a couple months after surgery. Please discuss with your surgeon what their guidelines are for your particular surgery.

Hello! Thank you for your question! The issue with nicotine is that it
also acts as a vasoconstrictor, clamping down of blood vessels. Blood
supply is always of great concern during any surgical procedure, but
especially in such a procedure as a breast reduction where the viability of the
nipple-areolar complex is obviously important. Since the vascularity to
the area is already tenuous since it will be raised by cutting around
the area, maximizing blood flow to the tissue is critical. Typically,

we recommend at least 6 weeks of smoking cessation prior to and at
least 6 weeks after any surgical procedure. The longer, the better.
Nicotine always increases the risk for infection, nipple necrosis, poor
scarring, and
wound complications, as well as other health consequences including blood clots. The
anesthesia risk is greater with general anesthesia as well as pulmonary
issues/lung infections postoperatively. I would
discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Hope that this
helps! Best wishes!

I ask all patients undergoing breast reductions to quit smoking for six weeks prior to their operation.  The nicotine from cigarettes can actually cause nipples to die.  Additionally, normal wound healing can be affected by the nicotine as well.  It sounds like you have continued to smoke around the time of your operation, and you've perhaps been lucky and haven't had any wound healing issues yet.  

Nicotine causes capillaries to constrict which can cut off blood flow to the skin after certain types of surgery especially breast reduction. You are taking an unnecessary risk with potentially serious consequences! It isn't a value judgment about vices or bad habits, just a direct fact specific to nicotine from any source.

It sounds as if you have already had your surgery, so I hope you understand that failing to stop smoking a minimum of 2 weeks before and 3-4 weeks after surgery has a 15-20% chance of causing dead skin or nipples.I hope that since your surgery has already been done, you know that the skin is alive or not by simply examining the areas. This does not mean that you are OK to continue smoking or even being around second-hand smoke. Nicotine is a very potent vasoconstrictor, and breast flaps have marginal circulation after surgery anyway, so exposure to even one cigarette (doesn't matter how "light" or "ultra light" they are--they all have nicotine) or second-hand smoke from any other family member is like choking someone underwater. Right up until the skin dies it is possible to sometimes avoid wound breakdown or dead skin or nipples, but once you've killed the tissue, no amount of "If I'd only known how serious this was I would have stopped" will make the dead tissues come back to life. Too late.Can you drive a race care without a seat belt (or full racing harness and HANS neck support)? Sure, but it's foolish and maybe deadly.It may be "just a little" but it's still potentially a major big deal. Stop now and stay away from anyone who smokes until your breasts have fully healed. Honest. Good luck! Dr. Tholen

An addiction to smoking is extremely difficult to break, and even more so when those around you are smoking. Unfortunately, nicotine has an extremely negative impact on your wound healing. Because nicotine constricts blood vessels, it reduces the oxygen needed for wound healing, possibly resulting in dead tissue. If you can’t stop smoking completely for four weeks before and four weeks after (a total of two full months) then do not have the surgery.Karen Singer, M.D., P.A.Harvard GraduateBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

You need to be a nonsmoker prior to your surgery and I would recommend 2 weeks at least to get the toxins out of your blood.  It doesn't matter what you are smoking.  Of course here in Colorado we have other things our patients are smoking so we have to be sure patients aren't smoking anything.  See your primary care doc for help.  

Thank you for the question. The use of nicotine  (in any form) can lead to devastating complications after surgical procedures. Nicotine is a potent constrictor of blood vessels, preventing the delivery of oxygen etc. to surgical sites  that require good  blood flow to heal. The resulting decreased blood flow leads to potential problems with healing, tissue necrosis, open wounds,  infections…Don't even think about the use of nicotine around the time of your surgery.Best wishes 

Thank you for your question. Any nicotine exposure around the time of surgery impacts blood supply to the skin.  because blood supply is the key factor in getting the best possible result with a breast reduction is critically important that you follow your surgeons advice.   This means absolutely no smoking prior to surgery for at least two weeks or more.   Most surgeons have seen patients cheat on smoking with the result being dead skin dead nipples dead breast tissue and worse.  Make your best effort and quit.   Good luck on your journey.