Smoking Pre and Post Cosmetic Surgery – what do you need to know?
Medically reviewed and updated: June 2026
Reviewed by Dr Daniel Fleming, Medical Director at MINKST – 25+ years of cosmetic surgery experience.
Well this information isn’t super fun to read but if you are a smoker it is important to understand the facts and make informed health decisions if you are having cosmetic or plastic surgery. There is no point spending the money and taking time off for cosmetic surgery if you are not going to give yourself the best chance of an uncomplicated recovery and uncompromised results.
Unfortunately, in addition to the well known risks of smoking, long-term smoking accelerates skin ageing and smokers also have an increased risk of serious complications during and after surgery.
MINKST’s recommendation: stop smoking at least 8 weeks before surgery, and for 8 weeks after. This applies to cigarettes, vaping and nicotine products. The longer you stop, the lower your risk.
What are the risks of smoking before or after cosmetic surgery?
Smoking decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood and also reduces blood flow in the small blood vessels that supply the skin. If a healing wound receives less oxygen it is more likely to break down and remain open. It is then more likely to become infected and this is a double whammy because even without wound breakdown, smoking independently increases the risk of developing a wound infection.
These increased risks in smokers apply to all types of surgery but they are even greater when the skin has been elevated from the underlying tissues and/or closed with any tension. Breast lifts and reductions, tummy tucks and facelifts are examples of these types of procedures.
Smoking also increases the risks of developing blood clots (DVT) during surgery as well as the risks of anaesthetic complications.
How long before surgery should you stop smoking?
Ideally smokers should aim to quit smoking at least 8 weeks prior to surgery. Remember, the longer you stop smoking, the better. Stopping for two weeks before and two weeks after your surgery will make a big difference. However, if you have not quit, stopping smoking for at least 12 hours before surgery and for some days after will help.
When can you smoke again after cosmetic surgery?
It is important you do not start smoking again, even if you only quit 12 hours before surgery. You do not want to take oxygen away from your healing wounds. If you are going to start smoking again, try not to do so for at least one week following your procedure.
How to quit smoking before cosmetic surgery
Many people have used an upcoming surgery as a reason to quit, even if just a day or two before the procedure. The surgery can be used as motivation to set a quit date!
Once a quit date is set, there are lots of ways to go about quitting, for example talking to a medical expert, hypnotherapy and getting social support from family and friends.
Nicotine replacement in the form of patches before surgery, lozenges or e-cigarettes can help some smokers to quit. Nicotine is the chemical in cigarettes that causes the small blood vessels to constrict and thus reduce blood flow. Studies to show that this adversely affects wound healing are lacking but common sense suggests that it may well do. It is best to quit before surgery without using a nicotine substitute but quitting using one is better than not quitting at all.
MINKST strongly recommends stopping smoking at least 8 weeks prior and 8 weeks post surgery. The good news is that imminent cosmetic surgery can be just the motivation you need to finally kick that habit! Quitting smoking is always a good idea, and your upcoming surgery can be just what the doctor ordered.
Frequently Asked Questions: Smoking and Surgery
Yes — vaping and nicotine products carry similar risks to cigarettes before surgery, because nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict and reduces blood flow to healing wounds. MINKST’s recommendation of at least 8 weeks off smoking applies to vaping and nicotine products as well as cigarettes.
Most surgeons, including those at MINKST, will discuss smoking with you during your consultation and will ask you to stop before surgery. Proceeding without quitting significantly increases your risk of wound complications, infection and poor healing. If you are a smoker, be honest with your surgeon — this isn’t about judgement, it’s about making sure your surgery is as safe and successful as possible.
Breast augmentation involves creating a pocket for the implant, which means the tissue is elevated and the wound is closed under some degree of tension — making it one of the procedures where smoking-related wound complications are a particular concern. Breast lifts and breast reductions carry an even higher risk, as the skin is more extensively elevated and repositioned.
Cutting down is better than nothing, but it is not the same as quitting. The risks associated with smoking are dose-dependent, so reducing your intake will reduce (but not eliminate) the elevated risk. For the best possible outcome, stopping completely for at least 8 weeks before surgery gives your body the best chance to restore normal blood flow and tissue oxygenation before your procedure.