Think Your Edible Is Harmless Before Plastic Surgery? Think Again.
A new study shows patients who regularly use cannabis may have complications with anesthesia and post-operative healing.
For her part, Dr. Melissa Doft, a plastic surgeon in New York City and clinical assistant professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical School, will add this study to the growing body of research that cannabis is not harmless. "Cannabis use is known to lead to higher requirements of propofol, the anesthetic we often use to put patients to sleep; pain medication during and after surgery; airway irritation; increased heart rate; and there is a paper suggesting an increase in heart attacks," she says. "And now this paper suggests worse skin healing." She asks all patients to stop any cannabis use one week prior to surgery and to refrain for two weeks after.
Is she concerned this might deter any marijuana-loving patients from seeking out an elective cosmetic surgery? "Not at all," she says. "I do not have any patients who prefer weed to looking their best."