Smoking Pre and Post Cosmetic Surgery – what do you need to know?
Medically reviewed and updated: Aug 2026
Reviewed by Dr Daniel Fleming, Medical Director at MINKST.
Well, this information isn’t particularly fun to read, but if you smoke, it’s important to understand the risks so you can make informed decisions about your health and your surgery.
If you’re investing in cosmetic surgery and taking time away from work and your normal routine to recover, you want to give yourself the best possible chance of an uncomplicated recovery and the best possible result.
In addition to the well-known health risks of smoking, long-term smoking accelerates skin ageing. Smoking also increases the risk of complications during and after surgery, including problems with wound healing, infection and blood clots.
MINKST’s recommendation: Stop smoking at least 8 weeks before surgery and for 8 weeks after surgery. This includes cigarettes, vaping and other nicotine products. The longer you stop, the more you can reduce your risk.
What are the risks of smoking before or after cosmetic surgery?
Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen available to your tissues and also constricts the small blood vessels that supply the skin. This can significantly affect your body’s ability to heal.
When a surgical wound receives less oxygen and blood flow, it is more likely to heal slowly, break down or remain open. This can increase the risk of infection and other wound-healing complications.
These risks apply to all types of surgery but can be particularly significant when the skin has been lifted from the underlying tissues or when there is tension on the wound. Examples include Breast lifts and reductions, tummy tucks and facelifts are examples of these types of procedures.
Smoking can also increase the risk of blood clots such as DVT, as well as certain complications associated with anaesthesia.
How long before surgery should you stop smoking?
Ideally, you should stop smoking at least 8 weeks before surgery. The longer you are smoke-free before your procedure, the better.
It is important to discuss your smoking history honestly with your doctor and MINKST as some more invasive procedures warrant longer “no smoking” periods. They can advise you on the safest approach for your individual circumstances and whether your surgery should proceed if you have recently smoked or used nicotine products.
When can you smoke again after cosmetic surgery?
The safest approach is to remain smoke-free after surgery, particularly while your wounds are healing.
MINKST recommends avoiding smoking, vaping and nicotine products for at least 8 weeks after surgery. Restarting too soon can interfere with blood flow and wound healing and may increase your risk of complications.
If you are finding it difficult to stay smoke-free, speak with your doctor or another qualified healthcare professional for advice and support.
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.
The bottom line
MINKST strongly recommends stopping smoking, vaping and using nicotine products at least 8 weeks before surgery and for at least 8 weeks afterwards.
Quitting smoking is always a positive step for your health, and an upcoming surgery can be the motivation you need to finally kick the habit.
Your future self — and your recovery — will thank you for it.
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.