If you have decided to have a facelift, one of the most important things you can do for yourself during this time is to stop smoking. Smoking has serious health consequences, and can also cause serious problems with your recovery from facelift surgery.
If you smoke, you must not smoke for a minimum of one month before and one month after the surgery. Many reputable facial cosmetic surgeons ask for an even longer commitment of not smoking. Smoking not only is bad for your body, it also slows the healing process after surgery. Stopping smoking will also help during the surgical procedure and with the anesthesia.
You should be aware that smoking immediately before or after a facelift may cause considerable damage to your face, including skin necrosis. This is because smoking causes changes in the vascular system of the skin. Skin necrosis is when your skin will turn black and die. During skin necrosis, the incision lines become red and then black. Incisions separate, and infection may set in. The only treatment for skin necrosis is a skin graft. A skin graft requires extensive surgeries and repeated consultations with a qualified surgeon. One in ten smokers will suffer from skin necrosis at the incision lines if they are still smoking before and after surgery.
If you want to have facial plastic surgery, always contact a reputable cosmetic surgeon and follow their instructions exactly. Be honest with your physician about your smoking history so he or she can best advise you.