Smoking and Surgery
I know that quitting smoking is much easier said than done. If you are a smoker-no matter if social or not-and are considering breast augmentation or any other surgery for that matter, please read the following.
Smokers have a much tougher time with wound healing-why is that? Well, everytime you take a puff, you are depleting your body of oxygen. Oxygen is a life line-it carries a multitude of nutrients that are especially necessary for wounds to heal. It takes your body 3 weeks to be at 90% wound strength. We have seen patients (smokers) who are initially doing just fine with their sutures for about 2 weeks, and then they start popping them. Your body has run out of material to heal your injury-which surgery really is-it is trauma to your body. Now, there are smokers who do not encounter any difficulties-but that is definitely not a given.
Also, consider that a long term smoker may suffer from chronic lung ailments. In many of the longer cases, you may be intubated. If your airways are not clear, that can cause serious problems during your anesthesia.
Dr. Bednar is one of the few plastic surgeons that I know who will actually listen to your heart and lungs and take your blood pressure during the initial exam. If you are a smoker and he finds that your lungs are not clear, he may very well refuse to do surgery on you. He has actually stopped performing facelifts and tummy tucks on smokers-they just don't heal well at all.
Overall, if you are a smoker you run a higher risk of complications after surgery, such as poor and prolonged wound healing and higher rate of scar tissue formation. Why would you want to risk that - especially for costly elective surgery. You want the best possible outcome, right? I know it's hard to quit-but maybe consider cutting back-or better yet-this could be your best excuse ever to stop.
Smokers have a much tougher time with wound healing-why is that? Well, everytime you take a puff, you are depleting your body of oxygen. Oxygen is a life line-it carries a multitude of nutrients that are especially necessary for wounds to heal. It takes your body 3 weeks to be at 90% wound strength. We have seen patients (smokers) who are initially doing just fine with their sutures for about 2 weeks, and then they start popping them. Your body has run out of material to heal your injury-which surgery really is-it is trauma to your body. Now, there are smokers who do not encounter any difficulties-but that is definitely not a given.
Also, consider that a long term smoker may suffer from chronic lung ailments. In many of the longer cases, you may be intubated. If your airways are not clear, that can cause serious problems during your anesthesia.
Dr. Bednar is one of the few plastic surgeons that I know who will actually listen to your heart and lungs and take your blood pressure during the initial exam. If you are a smoker and he finds that your lungs are not clear, he may very well refuse to do surgery on you. He has actually stopped performing facelifts and tummy tucks on smokers-they just don't heal well at all.
Overall, if you are a smoker you run a higher risk of complications after surgery, such as poor and prolonged wound healing and higher rate of scar tissue formation. Why would you want to risk that - especially for costly elective surgery. You want the best possible outcome, right? I know it's hard to quit-but maybe consider cutting back-or better yet-this could be your best excuse ever to stop.
posted by Breast Info at 3:16 PM
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