Whether you are undergoing surgery, have an infection, a broken bone, or an open wound, smoking tobacco products can significantly prolong the healing process.

In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons examined 132 patients who underwent tummy tuck surgery, with 53.8 percent admitting to smoking and 46.2 percent reporting being nonsmokers. Almost 50 percent of the smokers experienced wound-healing problems prior to hospital discharge, while 14.8 percent of the nonsmokers experienced wound-healing problems.

Tobacco smoke affects the healing process in several ways. The nicotine works to inhibit blood flow and stops the proliferation of red blood cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages. Carbon monoxide impairs oxygen transport and metabolism, and hydrogen cyanide disables the enzyme systems needed for oxidative metabolism and oxygen transport at the cellular level. The constricted blood flow and oxygen deprivation work together to delay the healing process of wounds associated with surgery, disease, and trauma.