If I can't stop smoking should I forget about having a breast augmentation?

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.

You will hear different schools of thought on this, but smoking adversely impacts your healing from any surgery. So, if you can't quit then I would recommend not having the surgery. It's not worth the risk to your health. My best,
Dr. Sheila Nazarian
@drsheilanazarian on Instagram

Hi & thank you for your question. It is always a good ides to quit smoking before having surgery, It can interfere with the healing process. Check with your surgeon on his/her instructions/restrictions  on smoking. Best of luck.

Thank you for your enquiry.

I advise my patients who are smokers to stop smoking ASAP
but no later than 6 weeks prior to surgery and try not to start after surgery.
One thing you should remember is that you will be having implants, so it is not
just the question of wound healing issues, but smoking may also increase the
risk of developing implant related complications such as capsular contracture
(hardness of the capsule your body creates around the implant). Unfortunately this
is not something that can be predicted in advance but it is important and
should be taken into consideration if you are a smoker and planning to have breast
implants.

Best wishes

Allen Rezai M.D.

Smoking is a bad health habit, period, so I certainly would encourage you to continue in your efforts to stop entirely.  However, most straightforward first time stand-alone breast augmentations are safe for smokers.  I would not perform or recommend performing a major mastopexy procedure in conjunction with a breast augmentation in a patient who is smoking.

a simple breast augmentation without a mastopexy can in my oppinion be done safetly in a minimal smoker such as yourself.  I will not operate for a breast lift or reduction on a smoker but a small augmentation incision shouldn't pose too much of a problem.  Good luck

It is always advisable to stop smoking before plastic surgery or any type of surgery.  It depends on how your surgeon feels about this issue and the risk you are willing to take to compromise the final result.  

This is a tough one, because for almost all plastic surgery procedures I perform, I insist that a patient be completely non smoking for a minimum of 2 weeks and preferably one month. There is no question that smokers have a higher wound healing and flap loss rate than non-smokers.Having said that, I will do a straight forward augmentation on a smoker if they do not require a breast lift because the incision line is so small. I will still recommend that they are non-smokers.

Thank you for your question.Smoking and breast augmentation generally don't mix.  While it is possible to get away with the increased risk, I wouldn't recommend it.  I liken it to Russian roulette, but adding a few more rounds to the revolver.  There's a possibility you'll have a good result, but the likelihood that you'll have problems is greater than if you're a non-smoker.  I generally will not perform cosmetic breast surgery on a patient who has any nicotine in the bloodstream.  The risk of wound breakdown and capsular contracture defeats the purpose of having the augmentation in the first place.Ultimately, you'll need to decide for yourself what is best - speak with your surgeon and proceed accordingly.Best wishes.

Before answering your question, we MUST remember that you are having "I want" Surgery not "I N\need" surgery. Although each and every operation has a long list of potntial bad things that can happen (ie complications), in the case of "I want" Cosmetic operations, you do not have to take on such risks to save your life. You are risking them only to look better.According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the inhaled cigarette smoke " contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals. Hundreds are toxic. About 70 can cause cancer. Here are some of the chemicals:CANCER causing chemicalsFormaldehyde: Used to embalm dead bodiesBenzene: Found in gasolinePolonium 210: Radioactive and very toxicVinyl chloride: Used to make pipesToxic metals:Chromium: Used to make steelArsenic: Used in pesticidesLead: Once used in paintCadmium: Used to make batteriesPoison Gases:Carbon monoxide: Found in car exhaustsHydrogen cyanide: Used in chemical weaponsAmmonia: Used in household cleanersButane: Used in lighter fluidToluene: Found in paint thinners"A good blood supply in the operated skin is VITAL for healing. Smokers are infamous for having scars stretch and wounds pop open (even in intestinal surgery where intestines are stitched together). As a result disastrous skin death and wound separations are seen in Breast Lift, Tummy Tuck and in Facelift surgery. If the skin dies or wound separates, the implants will be exposed and need to be removed.In Breast Augmentation, you MAY get away without such complications. Or you may NOT. In the latter case, you will NOT be able to get the breasts you had before surgery.Now, ask yourself: Is it worth spending so much money for a sub-par result or a horrible scar which could have been prevented? Is your surgeon doing you a favor or potentially hurting you by agreeing to operate on you knowing of your smoking habit?Wishing you luck with your decision.Peter ALDEA MDMemphis, TN