Nikki Sommer, a nurse with Key West Surgical Group, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5 FM for Medical Matters this morning.
Children and teens are now using nicotine pouches to get a buzz.
Sommer said, “Nicotine pouches, they’re the small tobacco free products placed between the gum and the lip. They’re marketed as clean alternatives to smoking or vaping, but they deliver a concentrated amount of nicotine, often equal to the amount or more than a regular cigarette.”
About 480,000 US students admitting to using nicotine pouches in the past 30 days.
Sommer said it can “impact brain development, disrupting attention, memory and mood. It can also increase the risk of lifelong addiction, because nicotine is the addictive property in cigarettes and then it can lead to other substance abuse along the way.”
Nicotine pouches can also affect surgery.
Sommer said, “Nicotine reduces the blood flow, which can reduce healing. So it’s nicotine use, and it doesn’t matter if it’s through a pouch or vaping or smoking, it can interfere with the outcome of surgery in both kids and adults. When there’s less blood flow, it increases the risk of infection by weakening the amount of oxygenation your body has. It can raise your blood pressure, your heart rate, and that can stress your heart out during anesthesia. It also can affect the way your body responds to anesthesia or pain medicines, during and after the procedure.”
Nicotine really doesn’t have a lot of upsides.
Sommer said, “The American College of Surgeons, they recommend stopping all nicotine, which I know is difficult, because, like we said it’s an addictive substance. They recommend you stop it at least four weeks before surgery, even pouches. So it doesn’t matter if you’re 15 or 55, you need to really stop any nicotine type product before surgery, just to so you don’t affect the way you heal and you have a better outcome.”
Even toddlers can be affected by nicotine pouches. They can accidentally ingest them and that can result in nicotine poisoning.
Sommer said, “Vaping became really popular because it has flavors, right? So, like, if you ever walk by somebody vaping, and it smells like cherry or bubble gum, so that’s what attracted younger teens to start using those products because it had a flavor. Well, the pouches have flavors and it also looks like mint or gum, and it might have a sweet smell, so where a toddler might think it’s candy. So if you accidentally leave it on a counter, or they can get in your purse, they might try to ingest it, thinking that it’s something sweet, when really it’s not.”
Some children have actually required ICU care and hospitalization.
Sommer said, “Having a conversation with your doctor is important, whether it’s with parents, patients and the providers, everybody needs to be on the same page and again, I even experience this with people that vape, they will deny that they smoke, because the question we always ask them is, do you smoke? So everybody associates that with a cigarettes. And vaping, they would say, well, no, I’m not smoking, I’m vaping. Thinking that there’s a difference. They all contain nicotine, usually, so being honest, and let your doctor know. I guess the question should be, are you using any type of nicotine product? Not just smoking.”
Don’t assume that smoke free means it’s safe.
Sommer said, “Nicotine patches, they may look harmless, but they carry serious health risks, just like smoking a cigarette or vaping, and especially when there’s surgery on the table, it does delay healing. I’ve seen this personally, where people who have smoked for many, many years need to have emergency surgery and they have some type of post op complication, whether it’s heart related or, like it said, wound healing. Wound healing is a big, a big thing.”
Smokers can get lines on their skin.
Sommer said, “A lot of smokers get those lines around the mouth and the chin, and that’s what our microneedling can help soften and lessen their appearance. So that’s really good treatment for that. Smoking can damage your skin and age you quicker than you want to be.”
For more information, click here: https://www.keywestsurgicalgroup.com/