Plastic Surgery and Smoking?

Question

I am scheduled for breast reduction surgery in 1 week. My PS asked me to stop smoking for 3 months (which I did) with the exception of a couple on the weekend here and there. I am now freaking out that I smoked a couple last weekend and will end up with complications. Should I ask my surgeon or just go through with it?

Answer 1

The reason why they want you to stop smoking is because smoking constricts your blood vessels. This can make things go unplanned during surgery. Anything that can mess with circulation (like smoking) could have serious consequences to your health. You should be fine with a cig here and there, but quit as much as you possibly can. Maybe this is a good time for you to give it up for good!

Answer 2

I am a plastic surgeon in Houston and can tell you do NOT listen to some of these other answers saying it is OK to smoke!! If you have only had a few a week or two before surgery, that is fine, but smoking just before surgery can have adverse effects during your procedure with regard to anesthesia. As a surgeon, it is easy to tell who has been lying about smoking, because at extubation (when the breathing tube comes out of your mouth at the end of the procedure) there is thick, yellow gunk all over the tube, and the patients are coughing and hacking like crazy and gasping for air.

Some plastic surgery procedures are more risky to smoke after than others. In many of the procedures, most of the blood supply lines to your tissues that are being operated on are severed, leaving only a few left in which to survive. Smoking does two things to the blood in the supply lines, the smoke decreases the oxygen concentration in your blood, making it harder to keep the tissue alive, and the nicotine in the blood causes what few blood vessels you have in the operated area to constrict, also letting less blood through. In your particular case (a breast reduction) this can lead to LOSING YOUR NIPPLES FOREVER!! My worry with you is not the few cigs you had last week- that should be fine. It the few cigs you may have just before surgery (jeopardizing your health under anesthesia)- or your inability to stay away from cigs after the procedure (permanent loss of your nipples, fat necrosis in the breast leading to hard nodules in your breast, poor wound healing.)

You should first evaluate your ability to TRULY stay away from cigs for at least a month after surgery before moving forward- the damage that could occur afterward may be permanent.

I hope this helps

Answer 3

I would tell your surgeon but i don't think it will affect you too much, i had a breast reduction two years ago. Good luck. They normally tell you this because your healing will be much better if you try not to smoke. Try your best to not have any but if you feel worried and guilty for having the odd one then tell your PS next time you see them. If you have any concerns questions or answers that you want answering a good forum to go to is http://www.breasthealthonline.org/ there are loads of women in the same boat as you there!

Answer 4

No worries. You should continue with the scheduled surgery. Smoking cessation is recommended or required by most surgeons so that the healing process will not be disrupted. The nicotine constricts the blood vessels in your body and you are not able to heal properly. I also had a reduction and my surgeon asked me to quit. I had no problems at all. Best of luck.

Answer 5

I doubt the couple of cigs will complicate the surgery. However, don't smoke any more - in fact it's a great time to quit. You may want to be upfront with your doc and let him know that you did quit, but last week had a couple. But have not had any further.

Smoking does constrict blood vessels and prolongs healing. Also, if you are having general anesthesia the anesthesiologists wants to make sure your lungs are clear.

Good luck with your surgery.

Answer 6

You should be fine. Smoking makes the healing time longer. They wanted you to stop for now because it will make your recovery easier, and the faster you heal, the less chance of infection you have.
The less you smoke, the better you will heal, but smoking a few here and there shouldn't complicate your surgery or do any significant harm.

Answer 7

You MUST tell your surgeon!

You could cause serious healing issues by smoking even if it was one smoke!

http://www.breasthealthonline.com

Edit: LISTEN and READ what rlsteely says below!

You MUST disclose the fact you smoked to your doctor. You could seriously affect how you heal.