Many patients wonder about the risks of smoking during cosmetic surgery and this is quite normal.
To stop smoking before the operation
It is a fact : anyone who wants to undergo a plastic surgery must stop smoking beforehand.
It is even advisable to avoid cigarettes after the operation and for as long as possible.
It is recommended to stop smoking at least one month before the intervention (even if some surgeons are harder and require a stop of at least 6 weeks).
Why this recommendation ? What are the risks of smoking during cosmetic surgery ?
The dangers of smoking during plastic surgery
Whether the patient is undergoing rhinoplasty, liposuction or breast augmentation, the risks are the same, smoking causes a lack of oxygen to the tissues.
Thus, smoking can have a strong influence on the healing process and even cause tissue necrosis.
The scars of the operation tend to be darker and it can even happen that the stitches do not hold if the tissues are particularly damaged.
Some operations are more traumatic for the tissues and being a smoker increases the risk of more important complications on the skin.
In the worst cases, smoking can also cause cardiovascular and respiratory complications.
It is not uncommon to notice cases of pulmonary embolism after a cosmetic surgery if the smoking patient did not stop smoking in time.
Some smoking patients may also suffer from edema or phlebitis.
The risk of post-operative infection is higher when the patient is a smoker, his hospitalization may also be longer, this can last a few days longer or even a few weeks depending on the importance of the post-operative problem.
The best time to stop smoking
As a general rule, a one-month period without smoking is mentioned before a cosmetic surgery procedure.
If the patient finds it difficult to quit, it is possible to respect a period of 3 weeks without smoking (even if this increases the risks).
Some studies show that in some cases, the obligation to stop smoking in order to undergo plastic surgery leads to the permanent cessation of smoking.
One of these studies shows that 40% of smokers who opted for surgery have definitely stopped smoking on a daily basis after the operation.
Having the help of a surgeon would be perceived as an additional motivation to quit smoking. Smokers are more motivated to quit smoking if physicians illustrate the harms of smoking with specific examples rather than just presenting the benefits of quitting.
The use of nicotine substitutes is not necessarily prohibited, but it is not recommended especially when it comes to electronic cigarettes.
In short, it is strongly recommended to avoid smoking before and after any surgical procedure.
