stop smoking before plastic surgery?

Question

Why do they want me to stop smoking before plastic surgery? Something about lack of blood flow to the skin? anyone?

Answer 1

Actually, it's the oxygen in the blood that they want increased to promote healing.
A simple lesson......... think of the red blood cells as little life boats floating through the river of blood. There's little hook up sites on these little life boats for the oxygen to attach to so it can get to different parts of your body.
The carbon monoxide produced by smoking also attaches to these same receptors. In fact, if there's already an oxygen there, it may literally "throw him overboard" to take it's place.
So, to have enough oxygen to promote healing, you have to decrease the amount of Carbon monoxide (co2) in the blood.
Make sense now? Good.
And, if you're going to the trouble of surgery, I'm sure you certainly want it to go well.
Good luck.

Answer 2

It's more than lack of blood flow to the skin that's involved - when you smoke you're congested to some degree and if they have to intubate (put a tube in for anesthetic) the passages are narrowed and the process is made more risky as well as more difficult.

Answer 3

Nicotine (found in cigarettes) is a drug that constricts blood vessels, therefore your heart has to work harder to get blood through your body, and sometimes can't get to certain places at all (ie, your skin)

Answer 4

u shouldn't be somkeing any way but ya because of the lack of blood flow
a tip: ur just gona kill ur self with smokeing.
blondi girl

Answer 5

thats right it increases oxygen % in the blood to speed healing

Answer 6

Stop smoking period!