Yes, smokers who undergo breast lifts are at great risk of losing their nipples. Anthony Youn, M.D., is a plastic surgeon in Metro Detroit as well as an author who warns woman patients of the risk.  ”I’m deathly afraid that despite my warnings, she will smoke before or after surgery and cause her nipples to turn black and fall off”, said Youn. Having seen it before Youn explains how the nicotine in cigarettes and the carbon monoxide contained in cigarette smoke can diminish blood flow to various parts of the body. These toxins act as a virtual tourniquet. If the blood flow to a particular body part becomes greatly reduced or halted, that body part dies.

In Youn’s memoir “In Stitches,” he tells the story of a smoker whose nipples turned purple while undergoing a breast lift surgery. Purple is the precursor to black. Black is the precursor to falling off. To save the patient—and her nipples – they turned to the only treatment available, leeches.

The leeches were literally used to suck out the excess venous blood from the body part, acting as an attachable vein. The leech drains the old blood, causing it to turn from unhealthy purple back to healthy pink. They placed the leeches intermittently until the body part grows new blood vessels to do the leeches’ work. This can take several days.

 If you are having a breast lift or reduction and you smoke, your nipples could turn black and fall off. If you are having a tummy tuck and you smoke, you may get an infection resulting in a big gross open wound that will take three months to heal. If you are having a facelift and you smoke, the skin of your cheek could turn black and slough off, leaving exposed fat.

All smokers have been warned!!

Submitted by Brooklyn Midas