Losing weight can significantly improve your overall health- especially if you are obese. Unfortunately, losing weight alone isn't easy for everyone. Some people have a hard time losing weight no matter how many diets they follow. If you are struggling to see the weight loss results you are hoping for, you may consider Lap Band as a tool to help you achieve your goals.

Lap-Band surgery is fairly straightforward, but the risk of serious complications can increase if you are a regular smoker. Avoid any negative side effects by eliminating cigarettes from your post-surgical routine.

1. Slow Healing

You don't want to spend months recovering from your Lap-Band procedure. Smoking could slow the recovery process and extend your healing time significantly. Many patients end up with fewer blood vessels traveling to the stomach after Lap-Band surgery.

Tobacco has the ability to narrow blood vessels, restricting the flow of oxygen moving through the limited number of blood vessels that remain after surgery. Without a steady supply of blood and oxygen, your surgical incision could take a long time to heal. Avoid tobacco products to expedite your recovery after a Lap-Band procedure.

2. Co-Occurring Conditions

Smoking after your Lap-Band surgery could cause you to develop some co-occurring conditions as you heal from the surgical process. The risk of developing ulcers, gastritis, and strictures increases when you use tobacco products after surgery.

These co-occurring conditions can be extremely painful and limit the benefits that your Lap-Band can offer in the months following your surgery.

3. Respiratory Problems

Acute respiratory failure is a serious condition that can affect people after bariatric surgery. This respiratory problem can be life-threatening, and it typically extends a patient's stay in a hospital following surgery.

Problems stemming from acute respiratory failure can last a lifetime. You don't want to risk losing your ability to breathe or participate in routine exercise after your Lap-Band surgery is complete.

Researchers have identified smoking as one of the statistically significant factors that can increase a patient's risk of developing acute respiratory failure after bariatric surgery. By cutting cigarettes from your daily routine after your surgery is complete, you can reduce the risk of respiratory problems in the future.

Don't let cigarettes get in the way of a smooth recovery after you invest in Lap-Band surgery. Avoid the negative side effects of tobacco use by eliminating cigarettes from your life for good. Contact Davtyan Medical Weight Loss to learn more.