Nose job also called rhinoplasty or nose surgery is one of the most common cosmetic surgery in the world. The aim of undergoing a nose job is improving appearance or breathing problems or both of them. But if you are a smoker you should quit smoking before and after the surgery as well as avoid drinking alcohol before and after surgery. Because both of them increase the risks associated with rhinoplasty.
Effects of smoking before and after rhinoplasty
Although most people may be aware of the hazards of smoking, they may don’t know about the side effects of smoking before and after a surgery like a nose job. Smoking can increase the risks of complications during the surgery and healing time including:
- Increase anesthesia risks
- Delay recovery time
- Cause excessive scarring
- Narrow blood vessels (because nicotine stay in the body for up to 2 weeks)
- Increase the risk of infection
- Provide poor surgical results or asymmetry of the nose
- Block the airway
- Causes excessive bleeding
How smoking can affect on nose job?
If you smoke before the rhinoplasty, your anesthesia process may be weakened and removed faster. Before the surgery, anesthesia applies to numb the area that is under the surgery to minimize and eliminate the pain. But if you smoke before the surgery, the anesthesia’s effect can wear out easily. After the rhinoplasty, you should also quit smoking at least for two weeks following the surgery. Because nicotine constricts the blood vessels which cause to minimize circulation. More addition smoking increases the risk of infection that causes to longer healing time and affects the surgery results. Excessive bleeding is another side effect of smoking before and after surgery. On the other hand, smoking causes a shortage of oxygen supply which lead to the death of the healthy tissues and skin necrosis.
Effect of smoking on breathing
Nose job not only provides you a beautiful appearance also improves the function of your nose. A fully functional nose allows you to breathe easily but smoking effect on the function of your nose. Smoking damage your respiratory system, cause to form mucus and also block your airway. Many smokers may experience difficulty breathing but rhinoplasty can correct these problems. So if you are considering rhinoplasty you should concern smoking can damage the function of your nose as well as breathing.
Effect of alcohol on rhinoplasty
Drinking alcohol also can increase the risk of complications associated with nose job so you should avoid alcohol 2-3 weeks following the nose surgery. Drinking increase swelling post-op the surgery and also cause to lose the nasal vessels and increase bleeding. On the other hand, alcohol may be in clash with medicines which are prescribed for you to reduce possible pain following the surgery. Alcohol also increases urine that leads to reduce the amount of water in the body and cause problems during the recovery time.
You also should avoid drinking alcohol before the surgery because it can affect the anesthesia process and increase the risks of anesthesia and also decreases the sedative effect. Drinking alcohol especially if it consumed to excess before the surgery, dry out the skin and causes to appear cracks. Then it is difficult for the surgeon to stitch or staple the skin together during the surgery.
Drinking alcohol also thin the blood and since you will lose some blood during the rhinoplasty, it may be difficult for the surgeon to stop any unexpected excessive bleeding during the rhinoplasty.
Generally, if you are considering nose surgery you should avoid doing some things before and even after the surgery like smoking and drinking alcohol. You should follow all the requirements and structures in order to achieve desirable results and have safety surgery. You need to consult with an expert rhinoplasty surgeon before the surgery to inform you about all requirements and what you should do and do not before and after the surgery.
