Eastlake Cosmetic Surgery

Why Smoking and Plastic Surgery Don’t Mix

To attain the results you are seeking from plastic surgery, you must first eliminate those things in your life that could hinder the success of the procedure. Smoking can wreak havoc on your plastic surgery goals; the success of the surgery may dictate that you quit smoking ahead of your surgery.

Ideally, doctors would prefer that their patients quit smoking altogether. If this is something that you don’t think you can do, or don’t want to do, you will be asked by your doctor to refrain from smoking for a period of time before your plastic surgery. There are many opinions as the appropriate length of time to be smoke-free before your surgery. Dr. NojanTalebzadeh at Eastlake Cosmetic Surgery is available to meet with you for an in-depth consultation to review your goals, to discuss how to quit smoking and your options, and to share his thoughts on the minimum length of time required to be smoke-free before surgery.

Smoking has a number of negative effects on the body during the surgery and during the recovery process. In the next 3 sections we have identified the major challenges that smoking can cause on plastic surgery procedures.

Effects of Smoking on Anesthesia

Breathing during the plastic surgery procedure is the most challenging issue for an anesthesiologist. Smokers generally have weaker and damaged lungs, which cause breathing concerns while the procedure is in process.

Key Concerns During Surgery

The fact is that the opportunity for blood clots and infections are much higher with smokers versus non-smokers. These are real risks that can be mitigated by quitting smoking well in advance of surgery.

Healing and Recovery Delays as a Result of Smoking

The primary reason that the healing and recovery process is delayed with smokers is because of nicotine. Research has demonstrated that nicotine will force the blood vessels to tighten and it will also damage the blood vessels. Damaged and tightened blood vessels directly impacts blood flow.

The healing process requires normal blood flow/circulation to help the body heal itself. And finally, cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide; these adversely affect the healing and will cause delays in the recovery period.

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