How Does Smoking or Vaping Impact Plastic Surgery?

The harmful effects of smoking and nicotine based vaping are a well-known, and there is definitely no question that doing so before or after surgery can significantly increase your chances of complications during recovery. It’s for this reason that our Plastic Surgeons insist that you stop smoking and nicotine based vaping for at least 6 weeks prior to surgery and 6 weeks post-surgery. Failure to stop smoking prior to surgery, may actually result in your surgery being postponed. 

Why is smoking & vaping bad for surgery?

Clients who smoke or nicotine based vape have a much higher risk of surgical complications because nicotine restricts blood flow, which in-turn can increase your risk of infection, skin loss and poor circulation. In addition to the better known risks of developing  coronary artery disease, vascular problems and lung disease, it can also seriously jeopardize your surgery recovery because it increases your risk of developing a condition known as necrosis.

What is Necrosis?

Necrosis is a form of cell injury that results in the premature death of cells and tissue, caused by external factors such as toxins, trauma and infection. Necrosis can prevent wound healing and may result in surgical correction, implant removal, disfigurement, permanent scarring and can even be fatal. 

Other side effects as a result of smoking and surgery

Clients who smoke or nicotine based vape have a much higher risk of the following side effects:

  • Slower healing time
  • Worsened scarring
  • Accelerated aging of the skin
  • Loss of elasticity
  • Increased risk of infection
  • Increased chance of capsular contracture
  • Formation of blood clots
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Impaired healing of skin and wounds

It’s all about the new you…

Just remember, you are considering plastic surgery to improve your  appearance and self-confidence. If you have a complication and a part of your tissue dies, the resulting problem will be difficult, if not impossible to repair. It’s simply not worth jeopardising the ‘new you’ or your wellbeing by smoking or vaping in the lead up to, and following your procedure. Why not quit now while you have the perfect incentive to do so?

For tools to help quite smoking or vaping, chat with your General Practitioner or visit Quit.org.au

Disclaimer: Please note any information provided should be used only as an information guide and not CosMediTour giving advice. Please ensure you do your own valid surgery research and seek advice from a general practitioner to enable you to be fully informed about surgery.

Cosmeditour

Written by Cosmeditour

Recent Posts

Hospital Profile | Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute

Hospital Profile | Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute

All About the Phuket Plastic Surgery Institute  For over 12 years, CosMediTour have been helping clients to discover the beauty of self-confidence in Thailand. By partnering with the nation’s leading Plastic Surgeons and world-class Thailand hospitals, we’ve delivered...

Menstrual Cycle After Plastic Surgery

Menstrual Cycle After Plastic Surgery

You Asked: Does Surgery Affect Menstrual Cycle There are so many things to consider when planning the perfect Thailand plastic surgery procedure. From which destination to pick, to what to pack, there’s often a lot of information rolling around in your brain. Add to...

Dissolvable Stitches & What You Need to Know

Dissolvable Stitches & What You Need to Know

What Are Dissolvable Stitches? When preparing for Thailand plastic surgery, no matter the procedure, you will at some point stumble across images or descriptions of the recovery process. Recovery from any type of surgical procedure typically involves sutures—stitches...

10 Best Thailand Plastic Surgeons

10 Best Thailand Plastic Surgeons

All About the Best Thailand Plastic Surgeons At CosMediTour, we’re proud to only work with Thailand’s best Plastic Surgeons—qualified and Board-Certified professionals with years of experience delivering outstanding plastic surgery results. Our Surgeons are...

Can You Have Surgery on Your Period?

Can You Have Surgery on Your Period?

5 Reasons Why Having Your Period During Surgery Is Not Ideal Concerns about surgery and menstruation are some of the most frequently asked questions our Client Support Team get. If you’ve stumbled across the numerous sources stating that having surgery while on your...

Is Plastic Surgery in Thailand Safe?

Is Plastic Surgery in Thailand Safe?

Care, Support & Plastic Surgery Thailand Style Plastic surgery in Thailand…ever popular, but is it safe? If you’re starting to look into your dream plastic surgery procedure and want to know why so many people flock to Thailand for medical tourism each year,...

The Ultimate Thailand Surgery Packing List

The Ultimate Thailand Surgery Packing List

Tips to get you started So, your suitcase is open, you’ve found your passport, but now you’re at a loss. If you find packing overwhelming, we get it—there’s a lot to consider. Not only are you jetting off to a country you might not have been to before, you’ve got a...

Why Use a Plastic Surgery Consultant (Us)?

Why Use a Plastic Surgery Consultant (Us)?

Park the stress, go with the best If you’re currently considering a certain Plastic Surgery procedure, chances are you’ve been looking into it for a while. Once you’ve got a general idea of the techniques used and all the different approaches and preferences involved,...

Comparing Breast Implant CCs

Comparing Breast Implant CCs

Same, Same, But Different Unlike bras, breast implants are measured in CCs (cubic centimetres). This measurement ranges from 120 – 1000cc and is just one of the factors that contributes to your cup size after Breast Augmentation. As a general rule, you can expect to...

10 Tips for Rhinoplasty Recovery

10 Tips for Rhinoplasty Recovery

Healing after a Nose JobBruising and swelling are a normal part of the recovery process after a Rhinoplasty procedure. While, in most cases, bruising around the eyes will have subsided by 10 days post-surgery, swelling inside the nose will still be present—this can...