Plastic Surgery & Smoking

Unfortunately for those who are addicted there is nothing good to be said about smoking cigarettes. Similar to any type of addiction, nicotine will convince your brain at an unconscious level that you should find a reason to continue smoking the next cigarette, despite the facts at a conscious level that it triples the risk of heart disease and doubles the risk of having a stroke. But don’t forget the skin! When smoking, the blood vessels all over the body vasoconstrict, meaning less blood gets to the skin. Blood is vital to the skin for supplying oxygen, energy and amino acids to the cells that are continuously at work to maintain its integrity. It is therefore no surprise to note that smoking ages your skin by collagen breakdown, promoting wrinkles and skin cancer! Because of the negative effects of smoking on skin wound healing and the increased risk of blood clots causing life-threatening disease, some plastic surgery procedures are contraindicated if you smoke.