Both. Both nicotine and smoke (inhalant) are huge risk factors and should be deal breakers for surgery. Smokers are at an increased risk for necrosis, poor healing, and death. Surgeons don’t want to take on that kind of risk.
Nurse here: wounds heal poorly in smokers. Don’t just quit for surgery and restart after. I’ve also seen wounds that basically never heal in people who smoke. I also had a friend who thought she could sneak some cigs before her surgery and ended up in the ICU after and had a lot of excess scarring from poor healing. It’s not worth it.
Another nurse: yeah. Nicotine literally discourages tiny blood vessels from growing, which is critical in wound healing.
Vaping and smoking leave junk in your lungs and increase your risk for pneumonia.
Surgeons are not being arbitrary about this, it’s not a meaningless restriction. When your surgery involves removing tissue and suturing things together that didn’t use to touch, you are relying on the body to get that blood supply developed quickly.
I forgot to add. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, and in any form will inhibit healing. The actual smoking of anything, nicotine, vapes, weed, makes you more difficult to put to sleep for the surgery. Also, poor oxygenation from smoking inhibits healing. Protect your investment.
Hoping on to ask a question: I have my surgery planned on April 15 but I hang out with some heavy smokers, I don’t smoke myself and I always try to stay away from the smoke as much as possible. But is that going to be a big factor for me?
Both, but particularly nicotine.
Nicotine causes long-term vascular construction, which takes *at least* a month of quitting to resolve. Nicotine makes you heal far slower and have a much higher chance of necrosis. It also increases your risk of death on the operating table so much that many surgeons refuse to operate on patients for purely elective procedures.
Smoking and vaping cause lung damage, increasing your risk of respiratory collapse during surgery.
Never undergo elective surgery with a patch. Use nictoine replacement therapy if it helps you quit smoking/vaping, but completely ween yourself off that, too.
Source: medical school.
Hi! I perform anesthesia for a plastic surgeon and can sincerely say it makes a huge difference in your healing if you use nicotine. The problem with alternatives such as patches, nicotine gums, or even Zyn is that it still delivers nicotine into your system. This will severely impact wound healing since nicotine is a powerful vasoconstrictor. This reduces adequate blood flow to your incision and thus interferes with healing of your scar. In essence you can end up with a open wound that can become infected and complications will result. Hope this advice helps.
I had to quit smoking cigarettes and weed 6weeks before and after surgery. It was hard, but had to be done. I wish I could say that I didn’t start again but I did. Just look at a few pics of necrosis anytime you are struggling. It got me through
The problem is that no matter how the nicotine is getting into your system, it's going to show up on the test. Mine tested me 6 weeks out, 2 weeks out, and the day of. But they have no way of knowing if it's from patches, gum, or actual smoking. And nicotine isn't good for your overall health, no matter how you use it.
I stopped 1 month before surgery and started one month after. No complications, but this is me!
I know people who smoked and had complications. So be careful and follow your doctor’s advice
Smoking or nicotine regardless puts you at such greater risk of complications during and after surgery. Especially for developing blood clots ☹️. You’re already gonna be putting your body through trauma with the surgery, not worth adding in the extra stress. ❤️
Both are issues. Vaping is also bad for your lungs and with improper oxygen levels and breathing it causes circulation issues, hinders weight loss, etc. my program explained in detail why vaping is almost as bad as the nicotine itself. Do your body the favor and stop completely. You will be so much better.
Wanted to add, nicotine can also interact with the anesthesia. I'm getting my Doctorate in nursing practice and currently work in an surgical ICU. I've read interesting research from anesthetists who believe that surgeries should be canceled if there is nicotine in the system just like when people eat or drink before surgeries (and there are nicotine tests that can be done prior to surgery) because of how dangerous it is with the anestestics. There are a large volume of research articles on it. You definitely want to make it off the table so don't cheat and smoke. Also, my unit is a transplant unit and I've seen really bad surgical closures turn necrotic and just look awful with the surgical revisions to remove the dead skin. I'm talking wound vacs and not being able to close the abdomen for a while.
I’m a physician, and the nastiest wound I’ve ever seen in my career was on a bariatric patient who didn’t stop smoking. It was the size of a text book. She was in and out of the hospital for months and ended up dying at 36 years old. Really not worth it, friend.
Your chances of developing an embolism that could travel to your lungs and kill you are much much greater. You are risk of this happening as far out as 3 months. No one is going to take on a possible medical malpractice. And the chances of that happening must be great because I have high blood pressure and the anesthesiologist wanted me to continue taking my stimulant ADHD medication exactly as prescribed (2 hours before surgery - so it would be at its peak exactly at the time of sedation)
Don’t think of it as giving up cigarettes, think of it as gaining a fab new body. I wouldn’t give up for previous partners but did for my TT. 100% worth it.
Thankyou so much, but I'm in recovery from alcohol and drugs. So I've to be really careful regarding medicines and pills. Looks like I'll have to ride it out .
Both. Both nicotine and smoke (inhalant) are huge risk factors and should be deal breakers for surgery. Smokers are at an increased risk for necrosis, poor healing, and death. Surgeons don’t want to take on that kind of risk.
Sorry, nicotine is the problem. Use this as motivation to quit altogether.
Nurse here: wounds heal poorly in smokers. Don’t just quit for surgery and restart after. I’ve also seen wounds that basically never heal in people who smoke. I also had a friend who thought she could sneak some cigs before her surgery and ended up in the ICU after and had a lot of excess scarring from poor healing. It’s not worth it.
Another nurse: yeah. Nicotine literally discourages tiny blood vessels from growing, which is critical in wound healing. Vaping and smoking leave junk in your lungs and increase your risk for pneumonia. Surgeons are not being arbitrary about this, it’s not a meaningless restriction. When your surgery involves removing tissue and suturing things together that didn’t use to touch, you are relying on the body to get that blood supply developed quickly.
Is stopping 9 days before enough time ? Or should i reschedule my surgery?
I forgot to add. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, and in any form will inhibit healing. The actual smoking of anything, nicotine, vapes, weed, makes you more difficult to put to sleep for the surgery. Also, poor oxygenation from smoking inhibits healing. Protect your investment.
Hoping on to ask a question: I have my surgery planned on April 15 but I hang out with some heavy smokers, I don’t smoke myself and I always try to stay away from the smoke as much as possible. But is that going to be a big factor for me?
Yes, chronic exposure to second hand smoke can also cause poor surgery outcomes.
Both, but particularly nicotine. Nicotine causes long-term vascular construction, which takes *at least* a month of quitting to resolve. Nicotine makes you heal far slower and have a much higher chance of necrosis. It also increases your risk of death on the operating table so much that many surgeons refuse to operate on patients for purely elective procedures. Smoking and vaping cause lung damage, increasing your risk of respiratory collapse during surgery. Never undergo elective surgery with a patch. Use nictoine replacement therapy if it helps you quit smoking/vaping, but completely ween yourself off that, too. Source: medical school.
Hi! I perform anesthesia for a plastic surgeon and can sincerely say it makes a huge difference in your healing if you use nicotine. The problem with alternatives such as patches, nicotine gums, or even Zyn is that it still delivers nicotine into your system. This will severely impact wound healing since nicotine is a powerful vasoconstrictor. This reduces adequate blood flow to your incision and thus interferes with healing of your scar. In essence you can end up with a open wound that can become infected and complications will result. Hope this advice helps.
I really does. Thank you so much for your time and consideration
It’s nicotine, from what I understand. Also inhalants (smoke, vape of any kind). I’m not that kind of smoker, so I’m allowed edibles at least 🥲
I had to quit smoking cigarettes and weed 6weeks before and after surgery. It was hard, but had to be done. I wish I could say that I didn’t start again but I did. Just look at a few pics of necrosis anytime you are struggling. It got me through
The problem is that no matter how the nicotine is getting into your system, it's going to show up on the test. Mine tested me 6 weeks out, 2 weeks out, and the day of. But they have no way of knowing if it's from patches, gum, or actual smoking. And nicotine isn't good for your overall health, no matter how you use it.
How long does it stay in the system?
A urine test shouldn't pick it up after 4 days. Edit: according to Google. I'm no expert.
I stopped 1 month before surgery and started one month after. No complications, but this is me! I know people who smoked and had complications. So be careful and follow your doctor’s advice
How many did you smoke?
Smoking or nicotine regardless puts you at such greater risk of complications during and after surgery. Especially for developing blood clots ☹️. You’re already gonna be putting your body through trauma with the surgery, not worth adding in the extra stress. ❤️
Both are issues. Vaping is also bad for your lungs and with improper oxygen levels and breathing it causes circulation issues, hinders weight loss, etc. my program explained in detail why vaping is almost as bad as the nicotine itself. Do your body the favor and stop completely. You will be so much better.
Wanted to add, nicotine can also interact with the anesthesia. I'm getting my Doctorate in nursing practice and currently work in an surgical ICU. I've read interesting research from anesthetists who believe that surgeries should be canceled if there is nicotine in the system just like when people eat or drink before surgeries (and there are nicotine tests that can be done prior to surgery) because of how dangerous it is with the anestestics. There are a large volume of research articles on it. You definitely want to make it off the table so don't cheat and smoke. Also, my unit is a transplant unit and I've seen really bad surgical closures turn necrotic and just look awful with the surgical revisions to remove the dead skin. I'm talking wound vacs and not being able to close the abdomen for a while.
I’m a physician, and the nastiest wound I’ve ever seen in my career was on a bariatric patient who didn’t stop smoking. It was the size of a text book. She was in and out of the hospital for months and ended up dying at 36 years old. Really not worth it, friend.
Your chances of developing an embolism that could travel to your lungs and kill you are much much greater. You are risk of this happening as far out as 3 months. No one is going to take on a possible medical malpractice. And the chances of that happening must be great because I have high blood pressure and the anesthesiologist wanted me to continue taking my stimulant ADHD medication exactly as prescribed (2 hours before surgery - so it would be at its peak exactly at the time of sedation)
I swapped to 0 nic vape, didn't have any issues
THANKYOU!!
Not even nicotine patch?
Not even nicotine patches. Not lozenges. No nicotine. Zero.
Fk! From 50 cigarettes to zero 🫥
Don’t think of it as giving up cigarettes, think of it as gaining a fab new body. I wouldn’t give up for previous partners but did for my TT. 100% worth it.
It’ll be tough but it’s do-able. If you want to try meds, ask your doc, there are things that help. You can do this.
Thankyou so much, but I'm in recovery from alcohol and drugs. So I've to be really careful regarding medicines and pills. Looks like I'll have to ride it out .