Plastic surgeons recommend that you quit smoking three to six weeks before surgery. If you’ve made it three to six weeks without nicotine, it might be a good time to make a clean break. Don’t start again.
Here’s a list from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, of what else nicotine can do to plastic surgery patients.:
- Loss of cheek skin, nipples or tummy skin after a facelift, breast lift, breast reduction, or tummy tuck surgery
- Infections
- Death of fat cells (fat necrosis), causing hard lumps
- Delayed wound healing
- Thick, wide scars
- Blood clots, which can be fatal
- Increased pain
- Permanent small vessel damage adding risk even if you quit
- Loss of breast implants
- Life threatening complications like stroke, heart attack, blood clots, and pneumonia.