According to the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UAMS, there is no safe minimum amount of smoking prior to surgery. Research shows patients that smoke have 10 times more surgical complications than a non-smoker. In addition, smokers that smoke between three to nine cigarettes a day have the same risk as those who who reported smoking more than 30 cigarettes a day.
Smoking introduces chemicals into your body that linger for quite some time. Just one cigarette remains in the system for 14 days. If you smoke one pack a day, you have at any given time 14 packs of cigarettes in your system. And if it contains menthol, the cigarette will remain for 20 days.
To learn more about the personalized care provided by our doctors using state-of-the-art equipment and technology, please visit our medical services section.