smoking and tummy tuck

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has smoked before and after surgery and how it affected your recovery. I am not proud but I am a veteran smoker and have not been able to quit. Please no condescending comments; i'm well aware of the harmful affects of smoking...i'm addicted. For anyone not comfortable replying please PM me. Thank-you!

Expack-a-day girl here- I know it's hard!  My understanding is that smoking greatly impairs the skin's ability to heal- and it is an important factor.  Any chance in the world that you could work out a reasonable timeline with your surgeon and white knuckle it for a before and after period that s/he may feel is safe?  Wishing you the best of luck in this- wise decisions and mostly, good health.  Bonnie

It really depends so much on your skin and how you heal in general. I think smoking can hinder healing as a general rule as all the docs say so. They must have seen evidence of this. Especially in people who have a particular skin type I would imagine. I know in some cases it doesn't. If one (or more) people do not have any issues with healing and smoking it doesn't mean you won't, and vise versa. It is a risk. I know how hard it is. Our personal experiences would be anecdotal and probably not relevant to what your experience may turn out to be, with or without the cigs. Best of luck with the TT!! It is exciting and a little wierd to have a flat tummy all of a sudden.

I was advised to stop 2 weeks before and continue 2 weeks after. Good Luck!

Sorry I ment continue to be smoke free for 2 weeks after, LOL

What does your surgeon say? Some plastic surgeons will not operate unless you quit.

Your right, mine won't.  Our WLS center wouldn't either.  According to one person I talk to at my pre-op admit, she was tested (I have not idea how) and she was denied surgery.

Is there anything you have tried that would get you thru a few weeks.  I am a non-smoker but, as I am here you all know I am a food addict and can feel your pain.

Not proud of it, but I smoked up until the day before my PS.  My surgeon was not happy.  He told me it could cause bleeding issues during the surgery so he may not be able to complete it.  Boy, did that scare me!  But the surgery went off fine and I recovered without any complications.  Sad to say, I started smoking again a few months later... I really wish I didn't - that was a great wake up call and I wish I never started again.

thank you for your honest replies. My surgeon expects me to stop 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after. There is no other solution but for me to "whiteknuckle" this obstacle. Thank-you again!

Most PS are going to advise complete nicotine cessation in any form for 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after.  There can be serious healing problems, so be sure and Google "abdominoplasty necrosis" as a good incentive to quit.  

My opinion is that a standard of care exists, and for operations involving a skin flap (like tummy tuck, facelift, or breast lift) the complications form smoking can't be justified for a cosmetic procedure.

Best wishes quitting...my patients have had success using the vapo-cigs and lowering the dose as they go.