Electronic cigarettes are generating a lot of press lately — as a lifestyle choice, as an unfortunate fad among teen-agers, and as a supposedly “safe” alternative to tobacco.
As president of the Indianapolis Medical Society, I wrote this article about the concern in health circles over the growing use of e-cigarettes and personal vaporizers.
As e-smoking, or “vaping,” becomes a $1.5 billion yearly business, independent researchers are subjecting these products to extensive testing for toxins. They are also scrutinizing the claims that electronic nicotine delivery systems can help wean smokers off of traditional cigarettes.
For readers of this blog, I want to talk about e-cigarettes and cosmetic surgery.
Please Extinguish All Smoking Materials
Traditional cigarette smoking is the bane of surgeons everywhere. If you’ve ever had, or actively considered, any cosmetic or reconstructive procedure, you’ve likely been told as much. Tobacco and nicotine damage the skin and other bodily tissues. They slow — and sometimes severely complicate — post-operative healing.
We ask that our patients quit smoking weeks ahead of plastic surgery and we urge them to stay tobacco-free afterward to speed healing and recovery.
For facial plastic surgery candidates, it’s important to remember that e-cigarettes also contain nicotine. While they may ultimately prove helpful for quitting smoking (the scientific literature on that question is mixed), the bottom line is they are not free of chemicals and toxins that increase health risks to patients undergoing plastic surgery.
I am for any safe, proven strategy to get my patients to quit smoking, and I’m not ruling out e-cigarettes as a means to that end. But medicine has a ways to go before we know all the facts about electronic smoking, and before we understand all the implications.
I advise my patients to err on the side of caution. If you don’t smoke, don’t vape, either.
About Dr. Hamilton
Visit Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery to consult with founder Dr. Mark M. Hamilton or their licensed Aestheticiansto learn more about sunscreen and treatments that can reverse your existing sun damage. Meeting with a plastic surgeon or licensed skincare professional is the best way to learn more about any treatments you are considering for your unique skin concerns.
Dr. Hamilton is a double board certified plastic surgeon, specializing in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Hamilton is the author of multiple articles in his area of expertise and has lectured on all aspects of facial plastic surgery.His Indianapolis-based clinic offers both nonsurgical procedures, like injectables, as well as the top-requested facial surgical procedures such as rhinoplasty, brow lifts, and facelifts, among others. Contact Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, located at 533 E. County Line Road, Suite 104, in Indianapolis, IN, by calling (317) 859-3810 to schedule your first consultation.