Why you should Quit Smoking before having your Plastic Surgery

"Top Bengaluru Plastic Surgeon Dr. Karishma Kagodu explains how Smoking and Nicotine Impacts Your Plastic Surgery Recovery and Results!"

·       Do you know quitting smoking for a few weeks is prime pre-op instruction for plastic cosmetic surgeries? 

·       Do you know that smoking behaviour can impact the healing process badly and can affect the results of surgery?

·       Do you know that smoking and surgery cannot go well together, as they can cause a higher risk of developing major heart or lung issues post-surgery?

·       Do you know that smoking affects different types of surgeries differently, but the result almost always is necrosis and wound dehiscence?

Smoking is injurious to health; it is always a marked warning on every cigarette box you must read. Furthermore, smoking is a lifestyle choice and is generally considered a bad habit regarding personality and living behaviour. Thus, anything that contributes to a bad lifestyle should be avoided utmost. Learning to live a healthy life is a prerequisite if you consider plastic cosmetic surgery to improve your body and facial appearance.

Dr. Karishma Kagodu, MS, M CH., a board-certified plastic surgeon and head of Dr. Karishma Aesthetics, also consults patients at Kinder women's hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore says that quitting smoking for a few weeks is the first and foremost instruction for patients who are scheduling the plastic surgery to achieve the optimal results. One should be aware that nicotine in cigarettes can cause impaired healing due to reduced blood flow through your body. Wounds caused by open incisions require proper healing, primarily dependent on proper blood flow. However, you are advised to stop smoking if considering plastic cosmetic surgeries.

4 Main Reasons to Quit Smoking before Surgery:

Dr. Karishma Kagodu explains the topmost reasons that will make you consider stopping smoking as she explains what happens to your body if you are a smoker and undergoing surgery.

1.    Increased complications with anaesthesia:

Smoking affects your lungs, as you have undergone significant changes and get harmed due to nicotine in cigarettes. However, we recommend quitting smoking pre-and-post surgery for at least 6-8 weeks, depending on your chosen procedure. In addition, smoking can make the job of your anaesthesiologist even more complicated as they might have to work around the clock to ensure you are breathing while you are under the effects of the anaesthesia. And one must note that smoking affects different types of surgeries differently; however, how long you should have to quit smoking for a specific plastic surgery requires a plastic surgeon's instructions. Thus, one-on-one consultation is inevitable.

2.    Increased stress on the heart:

Nicotine in cigarettes can cause constrictions in blood vessels, putting more pressure on your heart and compromising its proper healing ability. However, delayed healing and compromised outcomes become the case for smokers who undergo surgery. According to recent research published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), smokers have a higher risk of having heart complications after surgery than non-smokers.

3.    Risk of getting a blood clot:

Smoking can cause blockage because the nicotine in it affects the consistency of your blood, making it thicker than usual. Therefore, the possibility of blood clot formation is easier, resulting in heart complications. In addition, smokers' chances of getting strokes after surgery are higher than non-smokers.

4.    Delayed wound healing:

Safe and smooth healing after surgery is only possible when your blood flows through your body is normal since there is a higher chance of carbon monoxide (CO) concentration in your body if you smoke cigarettes. And so, this carbon monoxide reduces your tissue's ability to receive enough oxygen for proper healing. However, the wound healing process becomes slower, often resulting in wound dehiscence.

Please contact us to book a consultation with our specialist plastic surgeon, Dr. Karishma Kagodu, or to speak with our patient care advisor.

Call us at +91 8042036382, +91 9108969006, or +91 7624809006 to schedule your in-person consultation today.