Here's how quitting smoking can elevate the results after a plastic surgery

by Priya Sharma Best Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon in Gurgaon

If someone is a smoker and is considering to undergo any kind of plastic or cosmetic surgery, their plastic surgeon will suggest to discontinue smoking for at least two weeks before the procedure. It is better to refrain from smoking after the surgery as well when one is in the healing (recovery) phase.

It is considered as one of the most beneficial changes any patient can make. The health privileges of resigning from smoking before the surgery are instant and substantial. At SB Aesthetics, the Best Cosmetic Clinic in Gurgaon, our surgeons guide the patients both before & after the surgery by providing them specific instructions. This includes both pre and post-op instructions with an aim to optimise the results and minimise the complications. Quitting smoking is one such instruction which is common for almost all the surgical procedures.

Why is it crucial to quit smoking before surgery?

Smoking is injurious to health and has many life-threatening conditions associated with it. In addition to the critical complexities associated with smoking, many other complications can also hinder the patient’s ability to recuperate after the surgery. Smokers are known to exhibit a tendency for slower wound healing, greater risk of scarring and higher rates of catching the infection. For example, broken bones heal slower and respiratory issues like coughing which comes from excessive smoking during the recovery phase is more likely. It would be accurate to say that smoking can aggravate painful episodes and thus hamper the healing phase.

Due to the adverse consequences of smoking on wound healing, many plastic surgeons are reluctant to conduct surgical procedures on the patients who are habitual of smoking.

People who quit smoking before the surgical procedure and continue to abstain from it have shown higher levels of recovery in a shorter time span. It has been recorded that the patients who discontinue puffing cigarettes even a day prior to the surgery have witnessed a lower risk in terms of surgical complexities. On the other hand, more intense and severe wound-healing difficulties have been recorded in patients who did not follow the instructions to quit smoking.

When to quit smoking?

The sooner one can quit smoking before a surgical procedure, the better the consequences are. As Dr. Shilpi Bhadani, the Best Plastic Surgeon in Gurgaon says, “With each passing no-smoking day, the overall risk of associated complications decreases”.

Quitting smoking just 12 hours before surgery can make a huge difference, but discontinuing smoke 8 weeks before the surgical operation can have a dramatic impact on the procedure of the surgery and its recovery.

Here is a simple chart of instructions that can guide better. But, one must always consult a board-certified surgeon to understand the specific details.

Quit smoking:

• 12 hours prior to the surgery to aid in improved oxygenation, regulate blood pressure, and heart rate.

• 2 weeks before the surgery to ensure less breathing problems during the surgery.

• 3 weeks prior to the surgical procedure drastically aids in the wound healing process.

• 8 weeks before the surgery is associated with a lowered risk of clot-related problems like heart attack and strokes and the risk of catching an infection is reduced. This also results in improved immunity and shows a better response to sedative medications.

Hope this information helps! For details about various plastic & Cosmetic surgical procedures visit www.theplasticsurgeryclinic.in. To get answers to the specific queries get in touch at +91-81301-34693.