14/05/2025
If you’re preparing for plastic surgery, quitting smoking and va**ng isn’t just recommended—it’s essential for a safe procedure and smooth recovery.
Why? Ni****ne and carbon monoxide impair blood flow and oxygen delivery, making it harder for your body to heal and significantly increasing the risk of post-op complications.
Here’s why quitting matters:
🔹 Reduced Blood Flow: Ni****ne narrows blood vessels, limiting oxygen and nutrients to tissues. This raises the risk of wound breakdown and tissue death (necrosis), especially in surgeries involving skin flaps.
🔹 Lower Oxygen Levels: Carbon monoxide binds to red blood cells, displacing oxygen and slowing tissue repair.
🔹 Delayed Healing: Less oxygen means slower wound closure, more scarring, and higher infection risk.
🔹 Increased Complications: Smokers are more likely to experience wound dehiscence (reopening), hematomas (internal bleeding), infections, and skin slough (loss of tissue due to poor circulation).
🔹 Surgery-Specific Risks: Procedures like rhytidectomy (facelift), abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), mastopexy (breast lift), and breast reduction are particularly affected due to their reliance on blood supply for skin healing.
🔹 Anesthesia Risks: Smoking increases the chance of breathing difficulties, pneumonia, blood clots, and poor oxygenation under anesthesia.
👉 Our advice: Quit smoking and va**ng at least 6 weeks before and after surgery. This gives your body the time it needs to restore circulation, improve oxygen levels, and heal effectively.
If you’ve been considering quitting, now is a meaningful time to take that step—not just for your surgery, but for your overall health moving forward.
*All surgical procedures carry risk. Discuss these risks with your surgeon to ensure you’re fully informed and have realistic expectations. Not all procedures are suitable for everyone, and individual results will vary.
Dr Kirstin Miteff (MED0001621405) Registered Medical Practitioner, Specialist Plastic Surgeon (Specialist registration in Surgery – Plastic Surgery)