Introduction: Marijuana smoking can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360
Lipo 360 involves liposuction of the entire body to eliminate all concerned areas of fat deposition. This means that most patients will require circumferential body contouring with coverage of over 50 % of their body surface area. Liposuction involves traversing this large area with hollow bore cannulas that rip out fat cells from amongst ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves. In doing so, the small microvessels that cover the body like a net called the horizontal plexus are irritated and made raw.
As such, these microvessels will leak plasma, red blood cells, and pro-inflammatory cells from physical micro-tears in the vessel walls. If this physical trauma is compounded by drugs that induce dilation of vessels, deleterious leakage of blood contents will occur. This why prospective clients should know that marijuana smoking can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360 cases.
Marijuana is a vasodilator
Although Marijuana is consumed by many as a pain relief modality, it can have a deleterious effect due to its vasodilatory effects. Specifically, marijuana smoking can harm Lipo 360 clients since it is a strong vessel dilating agent, termed a vasodilator. You might be wondering why Marijuana would be considered a vasodilator.
The first notion that Marijuana is a vasodilator is the observation that potheads always get the infamous red-eye. The red eye is caused by the dilation of blood vessels in the eye. This effect of Marijuana is useful in the treatment of glaucoma where increased blood pressure in the eye can be released by leaky retinal vessels following the smoking of marijuana. However, this same beneficial effect of marijuana in the eyes can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360 patients.
Mechanism of marijuana vasodilating
The active ingredient in marijuana is a cannabinoid, a chemical compound that first elevates your blood pressure and heart rate. These effects added to cannabinoids vasodilating effects can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360 patients with the adverse effect of plasma, red blood cells, and pro-inflammatory cells being pushed out of vessels into the soft tissues. The mechanism for vasodilatory effects has been studied in the eye, brain, and heart organs.
Several studies have documented the effects of cannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol, a metabolic byproduct, on pericytes that seal the junctions between endothelial cells that line the inside of the blood vessels. Pericytes are involved in controlling the in and outflow of plasma and cells from inside to outside the vessels. The above chemical has been demonstrated to shorten the width of the pericytes thus making vessels leaky. As such, the combination of increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, and leaky capillaries results in an undesirable leakage of fluid, red blood cells, and pro-inflammatory cells into the soft tissues.
Deleterious effects of leaking vessels
Deleterious effects of leaking plasma fluid, red blood cells, and pro-inflammatory cells into the soft tissues are several. The side effect of plasma fluid leakage is significant because liposuction can be associated with adverse fluid shifts. Fluid shifts can have a detrimental effect on your cardiovascular performance. Leakage of red blood cells can be dangerous to your health as you can become anemic. Also, red blood cells will increase your discomfort as they will activate pain sensory nerves.
Finally, hemosiderin deposition from red blood cells can cause soft tissue staining and subsequent hyperpigmentation. Finally, pro-inflammatory cells can induce a hyperinflammatory cascade that will result in the influx of fibroblasts that will produce collagen over deposition. Over-deposition of collagen molecules can result in undesirable scar tissue formation and an undesirable firmness of the tissues.
Marijuana and Liposuction: Usage Effects on Surgical Outcomes
Marijuana smoking can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360. With the growing legalization of marijuana, more patients may be using it medically and recreationally around their liposuction procedure. However, marijuana does impact the body in ways that can be problematic perioperatively. Understanding the considerations around marijuana and liposuction helps ensure patient safety and optimal surgical results.
Overview on Marijuana and How It Affects the Body
Marijuana smoking can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360. Marijuana plants contain various active compounds. However, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) primarily produces the “high” effects (Carliner et al., 2017). THC binds with receptors in the brain and body influencing:
- Pain modulation
- Inflammation
- Energy metabolism
- Cardiovascular function
- Immune response
These effects make managing patients using marijuana more complex in the surgical setting.
Marijuana Effects That May Interfere with Liposuction
Specific concerns around marijuana usage with liposuction include:
- Impaired wound healing and high infection risk (Wong and Wilens, 2017)
- Increased bleeding and bruising during surgery (Bruner, 2017)
- Drug interactions with prescribed post-op pain medication
- Risk of postoperative nausea, dizziness, fainting
- Worsening depression, anxiety, and fatigue
- Cardiac risks with anesthesia, especially in older patients
Refraining from marijuana use for at least 6-8 weeks pre-op is recommended.
Should I Tell My Surgeon About Marijuana Use Before Liposuction?
Marijuana smoking can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360. It is imperative to disclose all marijuana, CBD, and THC product use to your liposuction surgeon and anesthesiologist (ASPS, 2022). Being transparent allows them to:
- Understand your usage patterns and history
- Identify potential drug interactions
- Alter anesthesia dosing or type if required for safety
- Manage postoperative medications differently if needed
- Provide optimal counsel on discontinuing use before surgery
Honesty ensures your care team has complete information for maximum safety.
When Do I Need to Stop Using Marijuana Before Liposuction?
Experts recommend stopping all marijuana, CBD, and THC product use ideally 6-8 weeks prior to any surgery (Wong and Wilens, 2017). However, discontinuing use even after just 4 weeks of pre-op is still beneficial. This abstinence duration allows for:
- Clearing of THC from your body prior to anesthesia and surgery
- Better post-op pain control with prescribed medications
- Lower bleeding risks during the procedure
- Improved wound healing capacity
- Avoiding mental side effects like anxiety or depression
Discuss a cessation timeline with your treatment team.
Can Marijuana Be Used Safely During Liposuction Recovery?
After liposuction, recovery normally takes 4-6 weeks until you stabilize. Marijuana is best avoided during this initial postoperative period to prevent (Wong and Wilens, 2017):
- Interference with optimal wound healing
- Risk of bleeding or poor blood clots
- Reduced effectiveness of prescribed medications
- Impairment of mental alertness if complications occur
After clearance from your care team, limited marijuana use may be cautiously resumed.
The Takeaway: Stopping Marijuana Before Liposuction is Crucial
In conclusion, communicate openly with your plastic surgeon about any marijuana or CBD products you use. This is because marijuana smoking can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360. For smoothest safety and results, stopping marijuana use for at least 4-6 weeks before liposuction and during the initial recovery period allows your body to heal optimally after surgery. Once fully recovered, limited marijuana use may be appropriate to discuss with your care team.
Conclusion: Marijuana Smoking can have a deleterious effect on Lipo 360
In summary, patients should avoid smoking marijuana if they are undergoing Lipo 360. Although marijuana has beneficial effects such as pain relief that may be desirable following liposuction, its vasodilatory effects outweigh its beneficial effects. Please advise your surgeon if you are a marijuana smoker so that he or she can counsel you regarding why you should not smoke marijuana at least for several days following your liposuction procedure. Marijuana smoking can have a deleterious effect on lipo 360.
