Dr. Marina Makarova, an assistant professor in the Department of Pulmonary Diseases at Russia’s Pirogov University, revealed how long it takes for the lungs to recover after quitting smoking.
In an interview discussing the topic, the doctor said: "On the one hand, the lungs have an amazing ability to regenerate, but on the other hand, some damage may be irreversible, and the degree of recovery depends on the person's age, the duration of smoking, and pre-existing conditions."
She added: “The first signs of improvement in the lungs appear within two to three months after the person smokes their last cigarette. During the recovery process, the mucociliary transport process in the lung improves, as the epithelial cilia grow back, helping to clear the mucous membrane of germs. Oxidative stress decreases, blood flow and lung function improve, the former smoker begins to cough less, the volume of phlegm decreases, and shortness of breath gradually disappears.”
pointed out that within the first year after quitting smoking, the risk of heart attacks and strokes is halved, and the risk of lung cancer is reduced compared to those who continue to smoke.
As for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the doctor confirmed that some changes are irreversible, but quitting smoking slows the deterioration of respiratory functions, reduces the rate of development of emphysema, and lowers the rate of hospital admissions.
