Norm

Interesting question, which I couldn't resist answering.

At the end of the day, your best bet is simply to ask the doctor straight up. At the very least, I would imagine, you'd have carbon monoxide from the smoke interfering between oxygen and tissue, which could slow down the healing to some degree. And depending on how many hands the product passed through, it could have unknown chemicals that present their own issues. Whether it interacts with the steroid, I have no idea. But I'd go straight to the source. (By which I mean the M.D., of course...)

danistarr

I forgot completely to ask the doctor. Now I'm too far from him to ask. I'm having the week from hell, but I don't really want to take the risk of it interfering.

robyne00

Smoking will slow down as well as impede healing.

Best of luck to you and please keep us posted!

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nursekelso

It does slow the healing - I don't know by how much, but I do know that it definitely does slow the healing--I think it's because the carbon monoxide and other chemicals arrest tissue reformation/rebuilding. It could be that it doesn't affect it by much, BUT it does affect it some. Honestly, I wouldn't risk it if I were you. I'm sorry you can't stress smoke though maybe ice cream or beer? I really hope things work out though!

danistarr

*update*
It's 6 months since my surg today. My tip/supra tip is kind of gushy/very soft and the tissue is really moving around now. Since the injection, I can actually push the "pollybeak" bump down pretty flat.
I had another doctor take a look at it. He told me about Pollybeak, so he does think it may be what I have (which I figured out myself, I might as well be a doctor ). He also thought he could feel a slight bit of cartilage sticking out that wasn't removed, beneath the scarring, that might need to be revised, but that it is hard to tell with the scar tissue still there.

This second doc also said I should wait for a while, or wait until I have more steroid treatments and when the swelling goes down so we can really tell what it actually looks like.
I have been smoking, you know, but I think it's ok because I notice the progression. I really hope I don't need more injections because it was not the most pleasant feeling to say the least...and needles gross me out :P

la_angel

Well that's good news! I guess that means your pollybeak deformity is mostly from scar tissue swelling, right? I think that's better than having one from not enough cartilage being taken down in the middle (you said there might be a little, but that's better than a lot LOL). When do you go back to see him again?