Key Takeaways
- Smoking reduces blood oxygen levels, impairing wound healing and increasing complication risks; it should be stopped at least six weeks before any surgical procedure.
- Being at or near your ideal weight before surgery is especially important for procedures like liposuction and breast augmentation, as post-surgical weight changes alter results.
- Good cardiovascular health supports excellent circulation and oxygen delivery to surgical sites, which shortens recovery and reduces risk of complications.
- Sun exposure breaks down collagen and elastin, reversing the results of anti-aging surgeries like facelifts and laser resurfacing over time.
- Even patients who are not in perfect health can optimize their results by making targeted lifestyle improvements in the weeks leading up to surgery.
We all know the rules of healthy living: don’t smoke, eat well, get plenty of exercise, and avoid unnecessary exposure to sun in order to avoid skin cancer.
These are the choices that will give us long, healthy lives. But what effects do these choices- or not making these choices- have on the results of your plastic surgery?
Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, which is necessary for proper wound healing. If you are a smoker and you undergo a procedure that involves an incision, the decreased oxygen in your bloodstream can lead to improper wound healing.
Also, if you are getting a facial plastic surgical procedure, smoking can greatly reduce the appearance of the results. The constant squinting against the smoke and the lip puckering motion can cause wrinkles, skin yellowing, and sagging of the skin.
Eating well and exercising have multiple positive effects on your plastic surgery results and recovery. If you go into the surgery healthy, your recovery time will be shorter and less uncomfortable.
Being at or close to your ideal weight is especially useful if you are having liposuction, breast augmentation or lift, or any other surgery done on the body.
Weight loss or gain after surgery can cause the skin to stretch or shift, the breasts volume to increase or decrease, and can have other negative effects on your results.
People in good cardiovascular health will also have excellent oxygen levels in their blood and healthy circulation, which decreases recovery time and helps eliminate unhealthy bacteria and other waste from the wound site.
Sun exposure can also have negative effects on your plastic surgery results, especially if you are undergoing a skin-related procedure like a facelift or laser resurfacing.UV rays from the sun lead to collagen and elastin breakdown in the skin, and those are the proteins that give your skin firmness and elasticity.
If you’ve had an anti-aging procedure, exposure to the sun can reverse those results over time, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin, as well as risk for developing skin cancer.
Of course, you don’t have to be in perfect health to have plastic surgery! There are steps you can take leading up to your surgery to optimize your results and recovery.If you smoke, quit at least six weeks before surgery so your body has time to adjust. Don’t yo-yo diet before surgery: slowly get down to the weight you want to be in the time leading up to the procedure. Continue your healthy habits after the procedure.
If you have any questions about plastic surgery in Northern Virginia or want to schedule a consultation, please call our offices at (703) 574-2588.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does smoking affect plastic surgery outcomes so significantly?
Smoking reduces the oxygen levels in the bloodstream, and healing tissue needs adequate oxygenation to repair properly. Reduced oxygen at incision sites can lead to poor wound healing, increased infection risk, and visible scarring. For facial procedures, the repeated squinting and lip puckering from smoking also create wrinkles that work against cosmetic results.
How does diet and exercise affect plastic surgery results?
Going into surgery in good physical condition leads to a shorter, less uncomfortable recovery. Being close to your ideal weight before body contouring procedures ensures that post-surgical weight fluctuations do not distort the results. Patients with good cardiovascular health also have stronger circulation that removes waste from healing wounds more efficiently.
Can sun exposure reverse the results of a facelift or laser resurfacing?
Yes. UV rays from the sun break down collagen and elastin, which are the structural proteins that give skin its firmness and elasticity. Continued sun exposure after anti-aging procedures gradually reverses the tightening and smoothing effects that were achieved, while also increasing the risk of developing skin cancer over time.
What lifestyle changes should I make before plastic surgery to optimize my recovery?
If you smoke, quit at least six weeks before surgery to allow your body to adjust. Work toward your ideal weight gradually rather than crash dieting. Maintain your exercise routine in the lead-up to surgery to go in with strong cardiovascular health. Continue all healthy habits after surgery to protect and prolong your results.
Do I need to be in perfect health to get plastic surgery?
No. While optimal health produces the best outcomes and fastest recovery, patients who are not in perfect condition can still have excellent results by taking targeted steps in the weeks before surgery. Quitting smoking, reaching a stable weight, and being honest with your surgeon about your health history all contribute to a safer and more successful procedure.