Stopped Smoking 1 Week Before TT, Is there Anything that Can Help Get Nicotine Out of System?

Question

I am 1.75m and weighs 89kg My Tummy Tuck is scheduled for the 6th of December 2011. I was still smoking up untill Sunday past. Is there any fruit or food that can help get most of the necotine out of my body before 6 December 2011.

John J. Corey, MD · Answer

You Really don't want to rush this and have complications like dead skin or a dead belly button...the smartest thing would be to postpone the surgery as the other doctors have advised...but above all...be sure and be honest with your doctor...they NEED to know...

Lewis Albert Andres, MD · Answer

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 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.  Nothing can help rid the system besides time.    I would 
discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Hope that this 
helps! Best wishes!

J. Jason Wendel, MD, FACS · Answer

It is unsafe to undergo TT if you have been smoking. It is recommended that you do not smoke for six weeks before and six weeks after surgery.

	Getting the nicotine out of your system does not do anything to improve healing.  If you have been smoking up to one week prior to surgery, I invite you to consider postponing surgery until you have quit smoking the required amount of time. It's your body and your call though.

Don W. Griffin, MD · Answer

I would recommend that you postpone your surgery. You and your physician will both suffer if you have a nicotine related complication such as dead skin and fat in the lower abdomen. If this occurs, it may take months to heal and will never look like it would if you had no complications. Be honest with yourself. This is a cosmetic procedure, not an emergent surgery. Do everything to stop smoking before you have this done and continue to avoid all nicotine for at least a month after surgery as well. You should let your surgeon know now.

Trenton C. Jones, MD · Answer

Nicotine is a fast acting drug. The effects of carbon monoxide last much longer, as do the negative consequences on your respiratory system. I know of nothing but time that will improve this, short of time spent in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. I will not perform a tummy tuck or a face lift on a smoker. The risk is 
just not worth it. Nicotine is a potent vasoconstrictor and carbon 
monoxide binds with hemoglobin to displace oxygen from your blood, which
 you will need to heal and combat infection. Poor wound healing, 
increased scarring, and ischemic necrosis are the result. I recommend 
smoking cessation for a minimum of two weeks before and four weeks after
 surgery, if not longer. Take advantage of this great opportunity to quit smoking 
forever, but at a minimum, please inform your surgeon that you are 
smoking if you have not done so already.

Karol A. Gutowski, MD, FACS · Answer

There is no way to clear the toxic products from cigarettes out of your system any faster. I would suggest you tell your surgeon right away and ask if you should reschedule your surgery. You should be having this done under the best possible conditions.

Rick Rosen, MD · Answer

I personally would tell you to reschedule your surgery. I will not consider abdominoplasty on a patient that is still smoking. You would need at least 6 weeks off of nicotine products to consider surgery. There is no way that I am aware of to remove the effects of nicotine before that.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.

	Unfortunately, there is no substance that I am aware of that will eliminate nicotine from your system. I would suggest that you inform your plastic surgeon that you have been smoking recently.

	Best wishes.

Robert M. Grenley, MD (retired) · Answer

It appears that you are overweight and a smoker, and neither of these bodes well for you being a good candidate for a tummy tuck, and significantly raises the risks of you suffering serious healing complications. I have my tummy tuck patients quit smoking 3 months before, though 6 weeks would be a minimum, and there if nothing you can take to get the nicotine out of your system any faster or lessen the effects of chronic smoking on your blood vessels.

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

You must be Nicotine free for 6 weeks before Tummy Tuck. This means no patch no gum no cigarettes for 6 weeks before surgery.

	The Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty along with facelift are the two operations that can have disastrous results in active smokers.

	The Nicotine in your system causes spasms of the blood vessels which are necessary to supply blood to the abdominal skin during Tummy Tuck.

	The presence of Nicotine in your blood can cause the abdominal skin to die resulting in the need for further surgery to remove dead skin and horrible abdominal scars.

	Cancel your surgery, discuss with your doctor and be abstinent fro m Nicotine for the recommended period.

	To be safe we do blood tests before surgery in smokers before doing a Tummy Tuck or Face;lift.

Stopped Smoking 1 Week Before TT, Is there Anything that Can Help Get Nicotine Out of System?

Answers (11)

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