The Impact of Nicotine on Wound Healing: Cigarettes vs Vaping vs Patches
Does nicotine affect wound healing after surgery?
Yes. Nicotine significantly impairs wound healing regardless of delivery method, with cigarettes causing the most severe damage. All forms of nicotine - cigarettes, vaping, and patches - delay healing by reducing blood flow, disrupting cellular repair processes, and weakening immune response.
This 2025 systematic review by Bonilla et al. examined how different nicotine delivery systems affect the body’s ability to heal wounds. The research reveals that while cigarettes cause the most damage due to additional toxins like carbon monoxide and tar, nicotine itself is the primary culprit behind delayed healing across all delivery methods.