In the past, most cosmetic surgeons wouldn’t blink an eye if one of their patients admitted to being a smoker while scheduling a surgical procedure. Now, many refuse to perform surgery that requires skin to be shifted — for example, a face lift, tummy tuck or breast lift — on a smoker.

“Nicotine causes the tiny blood vessels in the skin to clamp down or constrict, which reduces blood supply to the skin,” said Dr. Darshan Shah, a plastic surgeon in Bakersfield, California. The lack of blood supply can cause poor healing, infection, bruising and scarring.

If you’re planning on lip enhancement with a wrinkle filler, smoking is also not in your best interest.  According to San Francisco plastic surgeon Sirish Maddali, smoking is not just unhealthy, it “also causes lip lines and will certainly decrease the amount of time Juvederm will last in the lips.”

If you are interested in cosmetic surgery, Dr. Samaha is a qualified plastic surgeon in Boston. During your consultation, he will discuss your medical history. If you are a smoker, check out this government website that provides tips on how to quit smoking.

If you are unhappy with your large breasts, you may want to consider a breast reduction. According to a recent study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, women reported higher self-esteem and reduced lower back pain following surgery to reduce the size of their breasts. Over 150,000 women had breast reduction procedures in 2007.

According to Dr. Alan Gold, president of American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, “This study further demonstrates that the connection between the aesthetic results of plastic surgery and the emotional, social and physical quality of life of our patients cannot be underestimated.”

If you are looking for the best plastic surgeon in Boston to perform your breast reduction surgery, Dr. Samaha is experienced at providing results that please his patients.