If you are considering a plastic surgery procedure, it’s very important that you adhere to your plastic surgeon’s pre- and post surgical instructions on many things. For instance, one of the first things that plastic surgeons tell patients considering laser liposuction in New York is to quit smoking. They will be told to stop smoking a few weeks before and after the procedure. The reason is that anything with nicotine, including nicotine gum, patches, snuff, chewing tobacco, pipes, cigars or e cigarettes, can sabotage the plastic surgery experience.
Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor that tightens the blood vessels and decreases healthy circulation. It can also make the blood clot more easily which can further clog small blood vessels and capillaries. Quitting smoking is a healthy decision that anyone should take, because, smoking leads to diseases such as cancer and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body. Research shows that repeated exposure to tobacco smoke also raises risk for cardiovascular disease, emphysema, bronchitis and stroke. Given all these harmful effects, there are more reasons to kick the habit once and for all. You have even greater reason to stop smoking if you are planning on having plastic surgery as smoking can severely compromise your recovery from liposuction or any other cosmetic surgical procedure.
Plastic surgeons advise their patients to stop smoking at least a few weeks prior to and after their procedure. When nicotine enters the body, it causes an increase in both heart rate and blood pressure. It makes your blood vessels constrict, or narrow and impairs the ability of these blood vessels to deliver oxygen to the tissues. The lack of sufficient oxygen and other nutrients necessary for healing can cause tissue necrosis, or skin death, and lead to many other complications.
The presence of nicotine in the body significantly increases the risk of various conditions for those who undergo surgery, including infections, death of fat cells (fat necrosis), causing hard lumps, delayed wound healing, thick, noticeable scars, increased pain, incision separation, permanent small vessel damage, and life-threatening complications like stroke, heart attack, blood clots, and pneumonia.
Research by the National Institutes of Health suggests that smokers experience more post-surgical pain and require more pain medications than non-smokers following outpatient surgery. So, if you smoke cigarettes or are into any other form of nicotine and are planning to have plastic surgery, kick the habit.
If you are scheduled to have laser liposuction surgery in New York City, follow your plastic surgeon’s recommendation precisely. Patients are generally told to quit smoking and remain nicotine-free three to six weeks before surgery through three to six weeks after. If you are having a hard time quitting, discuss the matter with your surgeon. It’s better to delay surgery than to risk complications. A reliable plastic surgeon in NYC will discuss all the complications related to your procedure and nicotine use during the consultation. Choose an AAAASF accredited plastic surgery center for a safe and comfortable experience and optimal results.
