Plastic Surgery and Smoking Don't Mix
Patients of Dr. Patricia Berbari appreciate her patient-centered approach to aesthetic enhancement. When patients visit her Gatineau cosmetic surgery and skin care centre, they receive ample information that helps them make smart choices about their aesthetic treatment options.
Before undergoing surgery, we often stress the importance of avoiding tobacco products. Let's discuss why that is so important right now.
Smoking Makes the Risk of Infection More Likely
When you smoke—or use any tobacco products, for that matter—you seriously increase the risk of infections as you are healing. This goes for oral surgeries as well as general medical procedures and elective procedures. In fact, smoking increases your risk of gum disease, which is an infection of the soft tissue of the gums. This is regardless of a surgery being performed.
For this reason, plastic surgeons will often as their patients to avoid smoking for a few weeks prior to surgery and for a few weeks after the surgery has been performed. This is just a common sense precaution to ensure that there is as low an infection risk as possible in those crucial early days of surgical recovery.
Smoking Can Extend Healing Times
In addition to increasing the risk of infection, smoking has been shown to slow down the body's ability to recovery. Following a surgery, that could mean more time for incisions to fully heal, or for bruises and swelling to clear up. Again, it's just a common sense solution to avoid smoking before and after surgery to ensure the best healing experience possible.
Smoking in General Can Have a Negative Effect on Aesthetics
In addition to causing problems as patients heal, smoking has been shown to affect the look and appearance of a person. For one, cigarettes can cause teeth to become yellow and dingy, making your smile appear less than stellar. Over time, nicotine stains can show up on the fingers as well, in an off-putting yellow color.
A number of aesthetic flaws have been linked to smoking as well, including advanced signs of age such as bags under the eyes, lines on the forehead, wrinkles around the mouth, dry or unhealthy-looking skin, thinning of the hair, and so forth. Ironically, the reason you may wish to undergo a facial plastic surgery procedure may be because you smoked for many years.
So Many Compelling Reasons to Quit
There are so many compelling reasons to quit smoking, and it's important that you look into all options out there to help you quit. If you need that assistance, be sure to consult with your general practitioner. He or she will be able to provide pointers and give you direction.
As for addressing the negative cosmetic effects of smoking, our team has a number of different surgical and non-surgical treatments that can restore the beauty, glow, and health of your skin.
Learn More About Wrinkle Reduction and Anti-Aging Treatment
For more information about plastic surgery and how it can help you reduce wrinkles and look your absolute best, be sure to contact our cosmetic skin care and plastic surgery centre today. Dr. Patricia Berbari looks forward to your visit and helping you achieve all of your aesthetic goals.
