How long before revision surgery should smoking stop?
Surgeons commonly ask for several smoke-free weeks before and after revision, because nicotine chokes the blood supply that healing tissue depends on.
Nicotine narrows small blood vessels, and carbon monoxide lowers the oxygen blood can carry — a double hit against wounds that need rich circulation to close. Revision raises the stakes: scarred, re-operated tissue starts with a poorer blood supply than untouched tissue.
The window surgeons ask for
Requests commonly land around four to six weeks before surgery and continue through early healing, with every nicotine source counted — cigarettes, vaping, patches, and gum all deliver the vessel-narrowing agent. Some surgeons verify with a urine or blood nicotine test before a high-risk revision such as one combined with a lift.
How much smoking history raises your particular risk differs from person to person, so declare it honestly at the consult — an adjusted plan is far better than a hidden risk factor discovered after a wound breaks down.
MediIndex articles are for general information only and are not medical advice, diagnosis, or advertising. Outcomes vary by individual — consult a board-certified specialist for personal decisions.