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Question
Hello Dr.E.
I am a daily marijuana smoker(not cigarettes), my question is - can it cause any any problems if I having a breast surgery and not stop smoking??

Answer
from Dr. Alan Engler
www.bodysculpture.com

Hi Amaryllis,

That is an excellent question - for which there is no scientific answer that I know of!  I have never seen a study that discussed marijuana smoking in relation to its effects on plastic surgery.  As you might, imagine there are many reasons for this:  I think it might be a little tricky to get people to discuss their marijuana smoking habits as part of an ongoing study.

That being said, from an anecdotal standpoint (ie, my experience as a surgeon based on conversations with my patients) I am aware of marijuana smoking on the part of some of patients, and I do not recall any problems associated with that.

I hope that this helps, and good luck, (with the surgery, that is!)

Dr. E
www.bodysculpture.com

Plastic Surgery

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Alan M. Engler, MD, FACS

Expertise

Dr. Engler has answered over 3100 questions as a volunteer expert for AllExperts. His expertise includes breast surgery (breast enlargement with implants, breast reduction, breast lifts), liposuction, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, facelifts, skin cancers, cysts, etc. Dr. Engler has been listed as one New York`s Top Doctors, and as "One of the World's Most Famous Aesthetic Surgeons" (Aesthetic Surgery, TASCHEN Books, Angelika Taschen, Editor). He is the author of 4 books, including "BodySculpture" (a best-selling plastic surgery book on breast surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks), "EyeScapes" (Plastic Surgery of the Eyelids), "Restylane," and "The Slim Book of Liposuction." Dr. Engler has two US Patents for surgical instruments that he's designed, and has appeared on numerous television shows, including The Tyra Banks Show, The Ricki Lake Show (four times), and the Dr. Keith Ablow Show. Videos of his appearances are available on YouTube (search for "DR. ENGLER"), and his discussion of breast implants, also on YouTube is "How to Choose a Breast Implant." His website is www.bodysculpture.com. Thanks for "Likiing" Dr. Engler on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Alan-M-Engler-MD-New-York-Plastic-Surgery-and-Aesthetics/107206405967267?ref=ts&__a=8

Experience

Dr. Alan Engler is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York and the author of BodySculpture - Plastic Surgery of the Body for Men and Women (ISBN 0966382749) one of the top-selling plastic surgery books on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, etc.

Education/Credentials
Dr. Engler graduated from Yale University (BA, Russian Studies) and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (MD). He did his residency training in General Surgery and, after that, Plastic Surgery, at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York. He is on the faculty of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and is a Special Lecturer in the Department of Dermatology at Columbia University in New York. He has admitting privileges at Beth Israel Medical Center and Montefiore Medical Center, both in New York.

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