Most people are aware that smoking can damage their health. If you smoke you should seriously think about quitting before you undergo cosmetic surgery.
One of the most significant problems is that smoking reduces the amount of oxygen available to the cells for healing. It does this by shrinking small blood vessels (vasoconstriction), reducing the amount of hemoglobin available to move oxygen around the body and by interfering with the special chemicals that allow the release of oxygen to the cells.
There is some evidence that smoking in those around you- - second hand smoke - may also delay healing or cause problems. This may be a good time for all of your family and friends to quit too!
Most doctors prefer that their patients stop smoking for several weeks baround surgery. Unfortunately the use of nicotine gum and patches are no help around the time of surgery. The nicotine can interfere with healing in the same way as nicotine in cigarettes. Patches may be especially damaging because the constant supply of nicotine can interfere with the blood supply in thin skin flaps such as in a facelift.
SMOKING INTERFERES WITH HEALING BECAUSE:
• it reduces the blood flow to the cell
• it reduces the ability of hemoglobin to move oxygen
• it reduces the amount of oxygen released to the cells.