Smoking and Plastic Surgery
August 26th, 2008 Kenneth M. Rose MDThis article concerning facelift and smokers that was recently in the New York Times is extremely important for those considering a facelift. I know many surgeons who will turn down a potential facelift patient if he finds out that he or she is even an occasional smoker.The same can be said other cosmetic procedures such as tummy tucks . Smokers normally function using less oxygen in the blood than non-smokers. Smoking deprives the skin of oxygen which is a crucial part of the healing process therefore terrible scarring can result. This video From CNN, Smoking and Plastic Surgery, show what happened to a liposucrion, breast augmentation patient. patient. Something many patients fail to consider is that cessation of smoking is just as important after the surgery is over. Although surgery can be stressful for many people, reaching for a cigarette to calm your nerves (even weeks after the procedure) will ruin your esults. So once you quit, you must quit for good.
As a patient, being less than truthful about your smoking history, sneaking a cigarette either before or after the surgery (even one) can have disastrous results. The best thing about having a facelift and being a smoker is that it can potentially prolong your life. In order to have the procedure you will need to quit for a least a year (no cheating!). Hopefully that will be the end of your smoking habit. A younger look and a longer life will be yours!