Of all the reasons you may have considered stopping smoking, a facelift probably wasn’t at the top of the list. Interestingly, however, there is some evidence suggesting that people who undergo plastic surgery are more likely to stop or at least cut down on smoking. Part of this may well be vanity – someone who is concerned about their appearance enough to have surgery might not want to suffer the effects cigarettes have on their appearance. Smoking can cause bags under the eyes, psoriasis, yellow teeth, wrinkles, yellow fingers and nails, thinning hair, tooth loss, poor wound healing leading to scars, warts, and stretch marks. That doesn’t even take into account the possible effects of mouth and throat cancer, which can cause lesions and ulcers and even necessitate the opening of a hole into the neck, called a stoma.
Another possible explanation is that people who decide to have surgery are simply more motivated. After all, if you’re willing to spend potentially thousands of dollars on an elective procedure because you’re concerned about your body, you might be more likely than the average person to find the willpower to quit smoking.
It’s not only long-term considerations about appearance that link plastic surgery and smoking cessation. Most surgeons require people to stop smoking at least two weeks before a procedure. A study published in the magazine Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that among patients who were smokers before surgery but stopped for at least two weeks beforehand, about 40 percent said they no longer smoked cigarettes on a daily basis, and nearly one-fourth had not smoked at all since their surgery. The reason for this two-week ban is the negative effect smoking has on wound healing. The carbon monoxide produced during smoking can damage tissue, and nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict, limiting the amount of oxygen that can travel through the body. For example, during a facelift the skin is literally lifted up from the surface of the face, which decreases the blood supply to the skin. If this blood supply is already lessened due to smoking, the skin can actually die during the procedure, or at the least there will be substantial scarring.
The effects of nicotine on the skin and blood vessels are not only evident from cigarette use but any ingestion of nicotine. This means that you won’t be able to rely on patches or gum to get you through the pre-op period, but you’ll have to stop completely. Sometimes this two-week forced abstinence is enough of a head start that people are able to quit smoking altogether, especially with enough motivation. It may also be that a general idea that smoking is bad for you isn’t enough to encourage people to stop – similar to how “Just Say No” proved to be somewhat of a failure in combating drug use. Instead, someone who sits down with a surgeon and discusses the specific effects nicotine has on their body might be more motivated to quit.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504.
