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The decision to undergo breast augmentation is life changing, and you most likely will have plenty of questions about the procedure. Some questions have simple answers, while some are a little more complicated. A question I get asked often (living in the great state of Colorado) is about recreational use of marijuana before and after plastic surgery in Denver.
Eden Knows Breast Implants recently tackled the argument behind using cannabis during recovery from breast augmentation. Here’s what she had to say:
Pot after Plastic Surgery: The Benefits
First, it’s important to point out the science behind this controversial medicinal plant. Marijuana contains two kinds of cannabinoids: THC and CBD. The THC element is psychoactive, while the CBD component is widely accepted for its medicinal benefits including pain reduction. Many recreational cannabis users report benefits to their health from consumption that make them regular users. But, while marijuana has perks—it can help ease anxiety, pain, and stress and help you sleep better—there are some downsides when it comes to using pot during recovery from surgery.
Pot after Plastic Surgery: The Buzzkill
While many of the side effects of using pot might sound appealing after breast augmentation (hello, pain reduction!), there are potentially dangerous effects that should be a concern to anyone recovering from a major surgery.
The use of marijuana during recovery also means:
- A slower heart rate and lower blood pressure. Because anesthesia is also a depressant, and you’ll likely be using a prescription pain medication, which can have sedative effects, it’s best not to add another depressing component to the equation.
- THC is known to affect the respiratory, cardiovascular, and heat regulation systems of the body. Using cannabis can reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches your cells, which can affect your blood quality and, thus, the ability for tissues and organs to respond to stress. In a nutshell, all of this affects your healing response (something you do not want to risk).
- Smoking anything increases the risk of coughing, and that could mean a variety of scary things like internal bleeding, developing hematomas, or opening up incisions.
- And of course, smoking could lead to tissue death from lack of oxygen, resulting in poor scarring, infection, and likely another surgery to correct the problem. And you don’t want that.
Bottom line: get a doctor to recommend alternative options for use in the weeks before and after surgery
Always be completely honest with your plastic surgeon about your medical history and drug use habits, including current cannabis usage. It is completely normal to feel anxious about surgery. If you normally use cannabis to calm your nerves, talk to your surgeon about safe, alternative ways to reduce anxiety and manage stress in the weeks before and after your procedure.
If you have any questions about the breast augmentation recovery process, contact us online or call our Lone Tree plastic surgery center at 303-951-5829. We would be happy to help address any causes of concern and make you feel confident and safe about your procedure and recovery.