Whats are the Risks From a Mini Facelift for a Smoker?

          The risks of flap loss in a smoker are significantly greater than in a nonsmoker.  The rate is so much higher that most plastic surgeons will not operate on smokers who want a facelift.  There are technical aspects of dissection that can limit the risk of flap loss but this will always be a possibility.  If you are still smoking, you need to make sure that your surgeon knows this.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Smoking causes immediate constriction of blood vessels. These are the same blood vessels that nourish the skin that is lifted and tightened with a facelift. Therefore, facelift surgery in a smoker can potentially result in full thickness skin loss and resultant scarring. Most plastic surgeons, myself included, will not perform facelift surgery on people who are currently smoking for this reason. This is a totally elective surgery and you would be well served to delay the procedure until you can curtail smoking.Stephen Weber MD, FACS

Facelift in a smoker can cause skin to die, and major scarring. There are techniques that will inimize this risk but you will always have that risk regardless of hoe carefull and what technique is used. If you can not stop smoking do not do the surgery