Still Smoking 20 days before breast reduction, is this going to be a problem?

Thank you for your question.
It is necessary that you do not smoke 4 weeks before and after surgery.  Smoking can cause many complications and promotes wound healing issues. Contact your surgeon to discuss this and perhaps postpone your surgery. Best of luck!

If you were my patient, I would not do your surgery. There is an increased risk of nipple death, wound problems and a range of other possible complications. You should let your surgeon know and let him/her advise you on requirements.
Regards, Dr Steve Merten, Sydney, Australia

My answer would be YES, but your plastic surgeon may disagree. Be honest about your smoking habits when you ask for guidance, as misinforming him or her will jeopardize your surgery results and your health.
Definitely stop smoking now! Smoking reduces circulation to the skin and impedes healing.  It is best to avoid smoking, including second hand smoke, and cigarette replacements, such as nicotine patches or gum, in the perioperative period.  It is usually best to refrain from smoking and nicotine products for 4 weeks prior to and after surgery.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Yes. Your risks for problems with healing after this procedure is multiplied if you smoke before or after the reduction. This goes for marijuana as well as tobacco.
Best advice would be to postpone surgery until you are sure you will quit smoking.

I would suggest that you notify your surgeon now so that you can re-schedule your surgery after you successfully quit smoking. Do not wait until a few days before because it will not be fair to the surgeon who has set surgical time aside for you and will probably not be able to reschedule someone else in your place within a short period of time.

Smoking and a breast reduction (or breast lift or tummy tuck, for that matter) is a HUGE deal!  You either need to quit or you need to postpone your procedure.  Since it is an elective procedure (not an emergency), you should be in optimum shape or health prior to undergoing it. Nicotine causes vasoconstriction (blood vessels tighten so blood can't get through as easily), which decreases your body's ability to heal.  During breast reduction, all of the cutting and removal of tissue interrupts circulation to the tissue that's left behind.  Imagine if you took a chunk of highway out....all of a sudden the cars cannot pass and they have to find an alternative route.  It's chaos for several weeks, right until either roads get fixed or travelers get used to new routes?  Your body does the same when its normal blood vessels are interrupted by surgery.  It has to find alternative routes.  During this time, your tissue may not get enough circulation to survive.  Nipples are the most vulnerable, but healing (in general) is also more difficult than just a normal "cut". Incisions may not heal, nipples may turn black or fall off--you definitely don't want that to happen, right?  People can have trouble healing even without nicotine making it worse.  Your chances of having complications rise automatically by over 50%!In addition, cigarettes cause you to inhale carbon monoxide which kicks oxygen off the red blood cells so they are not even carrying the right stuff to the healing tissues.  Another strike against you....again, for elective surgery, it is not worth the risks.During the first 2 weeks after you quit, your lungs begin to clear out all the mucous and material that has built up from it not being able to do its normal functions.  Your lungs mechanisms for clearing out material (cilia--little hair like processes which propel unwanted material from your lungs) are paralyzed by nicotine. That's why people who quit smoking normally cough for several days afterwards.  That is not the best time to be put to sleep either.  It's best to get past that phase prior to having anesthesia.Speak with your plastic surgeon and make the best choice for your long term health.   Having healthy nipples seems like a good motivation to quit smoking if you really want to have a breast reduction! 

I recommend quitting smoking at least 3 weeks prior and post surgery. For more info re/ how smoking affects your healing- you can review this link:

Hello and thank you for your question,
Smoking is the number one risk factor for complications. I would strongly recommend you put off your surgery until you are able to quit surgery for at least 30 days before your scheduled surgery. You could have areola necrosis and are at risk of loosing your entire areola. Best of luck!

Many thanks for your question. Smoking is a very significant risk for breast reduction surgery. If you have not totally stopped by this stage you should contact your surgeon and discuss this with them - I prefer patients to have stopped completely 4 weeks prior to surgery.
Smoking causes vasoconstriction (narrowing) of the blood vessels supplying the skin flaps and nipples post-operatively. There is therefore a significant risk of wound breakdown, wound infection and skin and nipple loss following surgery. There is also an increased risk of DVT and pulmonary embolism as the blood clots easier.
You should contact your surgeon and discuss this further with them to avoid these increased risks.
Good luck with your treatment.

I prefer that patients stop smoking 2-4 weeks prior to surgery because smoking increases the risk of complications.  Best to review with your surgeon.