Post-Surgery Smoking: Risks & Recovery Timeline

The general recommendation is to wait at least 48 hours after surgery before smoking. However, it is best to consult your doctor or surgeon to determine the safest timeframe for you, as it can depend on the specific surgery you have undergone.

Smoking after surgery can increase your risk of complications, including:

- Wound infection

- Poor wound healing

- Increased pain

- Difficulty breathing

- Pneumonia

- Heart attack

- Stroke

In addition, smoking can damage the blood vessels and tissues around the surgical site, which can delay healing and increase the risk of scarring.

If you are a smoker, it is highly recommended that you quit smoking before surgery and for as long as possible afterward to give your body the best chance to heal and recover.