Tummy Tuck Recovery and Necrosis Risk Due to Smoking?

First of all even a social or "occasional smoker" is still a smoker and this brings real risks to your surgery. Discuss your risk factors such as your smoking history candidly with your plastic surgeon and ask for his advice and recommendations.

Most experts unanimously agree that smoking increases the risk of most surgical complications significantly. This especially applies to all  lifting such as a tummy tuck procedure that you are scheduled to have done. Just about all plastic surgeons strongly recommend women to stop smoking and all nicotine products well in advance of all plastic surgery and especially lift procedures..  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 constrict ( spasm or  tighten up). Over time, these constricted arteries and capillaries deliver less blood to the tissue which is needed for normal healing. Smokers therefore have an increased incidence of higher likelihood of complications such as tissue sloughing (death by necrosis) and infection.  General complications of surgery such as blood clots (deep venous thrombosis) which can travel to your lungs (pulmonary embolus), anesthetic problems such as pneumonia are also increased.
A recent 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

Smoking brings a significant risk of cancer, stroke, heat attack, etc. From a Plastic Surgery standpoint it is a vasoconstrictor. Wound healing is all about getting oxygen and needed entities to the wound. It is well known that patient who smoke have a tremendous increase in their rate of serious complications, (infections, wounds falling apart, etc.). Nicotine is the main vasoconstrictor, so getting a patch or lozenge of nicotine won't help the vasoconstriction. Best to be off the tobacco/nicotine entirely before surgery. Please be honest with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Together you can make a plan to quit and proceed with surgery. The amount of time between quitting and surgery will depend on the Plastic Surgeon and the procedure.

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 tummy tuck where the viability of the belly button and skin flaps are obviously important. Since the vascularity to the area is already tenuous with the dissection of the abdominal tissue as well as cutting around the belly button, 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, skin flap necrosis, and wound complications, as well as other health consequences.   There is an increase pulmonary risk with the anesthesia and postop lung infections.  The most devastating consequence of infection, especially since the tissue is tightened, is increased. This along with wound healing and scarring. I would discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

Smoking will increase your risk of skin necrosis for any form of plastic surgery. Because most of our work is often at the level of the skin, or is at least somehow altering the tension on the skin (usually increasing it), we are very sensitive to smokers.
In my practice I try not to operate on smokers. f the patient quit for 7 months, as is your case, then I don't consider them a smoker anymore You should be careful to not even so much as smell second hand smoke.. or wait until later in life to quit for real. Don't forget that you also have to be off ciggs for over a month after surgery as well!
Best Wishes,
DoctorMeade

I am not one to scare you but any history of smoking creates a higher risk of necrosis. Studies have shown that cessation of smoking for a minimum of 4 weeks prior to surgery can lower your risks but will not eliminate the risk. In one study EX-smokers still had a 50 fold higher risk of necrosis when compared to NON smokers. It is in your best interest to notify your surgeon of your habit. He/she may modify the procedure to lower the risk of complications. In some individuals, I have recommended that they use home oxygen for the first few days after surgery in order to remain well oxygenated during the recovery process. This can be relatively affordable (under $100) and arranged though a home health service or oxygen delivery agency. Do NOT smoke with oxygen present.

You need to be nicotine free for atleast 2 weeks, best if 4 weeks. You can not use any nicotine products, including patches and gum. I generally test the urine the day of surgery for any of my patients that have a history of smoking. If the test is positive the surgery is cancelled.
Smoking causes serious complications in plastic surgery and needs to be avoided as mentioned above.
Good luck.

The issue with nicotine from any source is that it is a vasoconstrictor, meaning that it causes blood vessles to close and reduce the supply of oxygen to the tissues. With procedures such as tummy tucks, facelifts, and breast lifts, the skin is undermined so that it can be repositioned and then put on some stretch, which is the whole idea. Both of these cause a diminished blood flow so nicotine is snough to cut it off completely and the tissue dies. So quit now, no patches or gum, and remember even one "dose" is enough to cause serious problems during the healing phase.

Each surgeon has his or her own instructions regarding smoking before an dominant plasty. It is very important to respect and follow those recommendations closely. Each surgeon also has his or her own postoperative directions to be followed after a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty). There are however some generally accepted guidelines that most surgeons agree on. In the performance of a full abdominoplasty the skin and fat layer has been elevated off of the underlying muscle layer. This creates two large surface areas that have to heal and seal the space between the two layers. As long as the space remains open and the raw surfaces remain, drainage will continue. Drainage stops when the two surfaces have completely healed and no space remains tween the two layers. This normally takes between ten and fourteen days to occur. During this two week period if there is too much activity these two surface areas continued to shift back and forth over each other preventing adherence and delaying the healing process. For that reason it is best to plan on remaining home for two weeks and keeping activity to a minimal level to allow for the greatest chance of healing and the cessation of drainage. It is important to keep the wounds clean to prevent infection. Patient's should not sleep with their pets. This will help prevent infection. If the muscle has been tightened it is important not to engage in strenuous core activities for at least eight weeks. Aggressive abdominal exercises should not be performed for twelve weeks. Resolution of swelling is different from patient to patient. Most often the swelling is gone and the final result is realized within 6 -8months. A well performed abdominoplasty can be a truly life changing experience. For patients to have the best chance for a good outcome and is very important to strictly follow the postoperative directions of their surgeon.

 Avoid nicotine nicotine in all its "modalities' of delivery. It is a powerful constrictor of blood vessels,  decreasing blood flow to the “flaps” used during these procedures. This decreased blood flow could potentially lead to wound healing problems and/or tissue necrosis. Best advice: avoid nicotine completely or postpone surgery.
Best wishes. 

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