Plastic Surgery and Smoking

Serving Kansas City, Independence, Overland Park
and Lee's Summit, Missouri

 

Undergoing one or more plastic surgery procedures is often a big step to take and can require a large investment in time and resources. Because having plastic surgery is such a big decision, Dr. Chhatre recommends that you take every step you can to ensure the best outcome possible. Many patients are unaware that quitting smoking is one of those important steps.

Skin Flap Necrosis

After you have undergone any major or minor surgery, your body requires a certain amount of time and resources to heal. If you do not supply your body with the appropriate healing conditions, you may suffer negative side effects or symptoms.

One big inhibitor of your body’s ability to regenerate is the use of tobacco products, particularly cigarettes. Cigarettes restrict the flow of blood throughout your body which can result in skin flap necrosis. This occurs because skin tissue requires oxygen supplied by the blood to heal and generate new cells. If this supply of blood is restricted, as it is with the use of cigarettes, your surgery site may not heal correctly. The procedures especially negatively affected by smoking are facelift, breast lift, and tummy tuck.

Smokers at Greater Risk

Studies have found that smokers are at far greater risk of delayed of slow wound healing after surgical procedures than non-smokers. Heavy smokers, individuals who smoke an average of a pack a day, are three times more likely to develop skin flap necrosis than non-smokers.

While the effects of smoking are irreversible, over time the cessation of smoking prior to surgery has its benefits. An ongoing study discussed in the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reveals that skin flap necrosis is less likely if an individual has stopped smoking as little as four weeks prior to his or her surgery. Skin flaps of lab subjects deprived of tobacco smoke from eight weeks before surgery showed lowered incidence of skin flap necrosis postoperatively at four weeks than those with smoking cessation at four weeks.

If you are a current smoker considering plastic surgery, please take the following recommendations into consideration:

• Stop smoking sooner rather than closer to the surgery
• A few weeks of smoking cessation can improve your postoperative results
• Continuing to smoke may negatively impact your plastic surgery outcome
• Second hand smoke can also negatively impact your results
  
  

If you are in Kansas City or Lee’s Summit, Missouri and would like to learn more about how to have the best possible outcome after plastic surgery, please contact our Kansas City plastic surgery office today and schedule your free initial consultation.