What impact does smoking and nicotine have my healing process after surgery?

Smoking causes several complications for surgery patients, other than the other well known side effects of smoking. It is recommended that patients stop smoking at least two weeks before surgery and  two weeks after. Smoking introduces nicotine into your blood stream which causes you to have low levels of oxygen. Oxygen is essential for the proper healing of any wound and lack of oxygenated blood can lead to several complications. The nocitine also constricts small blood vessels making it difficult for the low oxyginated blood to reach the wounded area to keep that tissue alive. Smoking also causes several complications when it comes to administering anesthesia, it can cuase over production of saliva as well as low lung capacity. Smoking can prolong your healing process and cause tissue death. So before you decided to have cosmetic surgery and you are a smoker make sure you are willing to stop long enough to heal properly or stop smoking altoghter.