I Stop Smoking Cigarettes for 3 Month Now but Still Smoke Weed Will It Effect my Tummy Tuck?

I realize it can be difficult to stop all smoking, but you may want to ask yourself, if you are having this expensive surgery and taking time off of work for your recovery, wouldn't you want to make sure you did everything recommended to optimize your results?  It's really best to stop all smoking prior to your surgery.

Hello! Thank you for your question! The issue with nicotine and other inhalants 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 augmentation where the viability of the
skin/tissue, and 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!

   Smoking of tobacco and marijuana is not recommended prior to or following tummy tuck.  Find the plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of tummy tucks each year.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

 In order for your body to have the best chance for healing, it is recommended that you cease smoking several weeks before surgery. This includes marijuana as there is a chance that the smoke will inhibit your healing potential.   The effects of cigarette smoking have been well documented in the medical literature, however marijuana use is less studied.   Thus conclusive data does not exist to my knowledge regarding marijuana use and wound healing.

Marijuana smoke does contain carbon monoxide which decreases the ability of red blood cells to release oxygen to tissues. You should stop at least two weeks before and two weeks after.  Further, there are potential negative interactions with anesthetic medications as well as narcotics.  It is safest to stop before surgery.  All the best.

Congratulations on stopping smoking cigarettes!  That is no easy task and will be very helpful in decreasing risks of wound healing complications with any tummy tuck.  I would recommend stopping marijuana use as well although there is no specific data for that as there is for nicotine.

Thank you for your question.  All forms of smoking are to be avoided when having a plastic surgery.  Various components of the smoke can alter the healing process.  Also, smoking marijuana will alter the amount of anesthetic medications you will require for a smooth anesthesia.  So best to discuss the issue with your plastic surgeon.  Even better, best to avoid all smoking.  Sorry.  Best of luck, Dr. Marc DuPere, Toronto Plastic Surgeon

Here are the major points of smoking Tobacco or Marijuana before or after surgery:1. There is nicotine in tobacco, but not in marijuana. However, most joints are rolled with marijuana and tobacco combination. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor that decreases blood flow to the tissues. This is the major problems that can cause a very bad outcome in some surgeries. In a breast augmentation, there is not a lot of risk as there are not a lot of incisions which decrease blood flow to the tissues. In a breast lift or tummy tuck, on the other hand, there is much longer and more involved incisions. The decrease in blood flow to the tissues in combination with the decrease in blood flow from the nicotine can cause tissue to die. This can cause part of the breast or nipple, or in the case of a tummy tuck, part of the belly tissue to die, resulting in a very bad outcome. This is especially bad in breast reductions or face lifts. In a rhinoplasty the tip of the nose and the columella, the area between the tip and the lip, is at risk. Your skin and tissue can turn black and fall off if this happens. Marijuana without tobacco does not cause this problem, or marijuana in an edible fashion. Vaporizers do not decrease the amount of nicotine in tobacco, only decrease the smoke. Hookah also does not decrease nicotine.2. There is carbon monoxide in both tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke. Carbon monoxide decreases the oxygen carrying capacity of hemoglobin in the blood. This is different from the vasoconstrictor effect, but has the same result of having the risk of tissue death in conjunction with surgeries that decrease the blood flow to tissues such as breast lifts and tummy tucks, as opposed to an augmentation alone that does not decrease blood flow to as great of an extent. Again, edible forms of marijuana do not have smoke, and thus carbon monoxide poisoning.3. Coughing. Both tobacco and marijuana smoke disrupt the lining of the lungs and bronchi and can lead to coughing episodes. Coughing episodes can lead to internal bleeding after surgery that can lead to hematomas and complications, and again a bad outcome. Again, edible forms of marijuana does not have this effect.4. Anesthesia effects. Marijuana can have drug interactions with certain anesthetic drugs. Thus it is important to tell your anesthesiologist about your marijuana use.In conclusion, Smoking, whether it be tobacco or marijuana, is detrimental to your surgery outcome. Edible marijuana is much less so, but be honest about your use with your surgeon and anesthesiologist so that you can have the best outcome. In general, you should quite smoking many weeks, ideally 6 weeks before surgery, and not smoke for at least 2 weeks after surgery.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Congratulations on stopping cigarette smoking , but unfortunately marijuana has a lot of the same problems as plain cigarettes.

Great job on kicking the cigarettes.  Unfortunately, marijuana also has many of the negative effects on wound healing  that tobacco does as well.  You will be best served by giving up both prior to surgery and after as well.  Good luck