Taking Vitamins Before Cosmetic Surgery

There is an ever increasing amount of confusing information on the Internet. No matter what you read, it is best to discuss what you have read with your own physician before trying something on your own. There are many vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements that are taken in order to alleviate any number of ailments. It is very important that you tell your physician about any and all of these supplements whether or not they are "natural." Many of these supplements have... more

I tell my patients that they can take a single mutlivitamin each day and some Vitamin C suplements. Otherwise, they should avoid all herbal's and additonal vitamins. Some people like to take VIt E., but actually excessive Vit E can impair wound healing. The herbals can have additional items in them that can cause bleeding and can effect the medications that the anesthesiologist administers.

More people take some sort of multi-vitamin or herbal supplement but very few think to disclose their vitamins to their doctor and anesthesiologist prior to their surgery. After all, they're just vitamins, they don't count as a medication right? Wrong! You are smart to ask this question because so many people don't think about it. Herbs, and products that contain them, are packaged as nutritional supplements and will not provide warnings, dosage information or suggested usage... more

Before surgery, your surgeon should give you a list of medications and remedies to avoid for 2 weeks prior to AND after surgery that increase your tendency to bleed. These include Motrin, Advil, Aspirin, Vitamin E and many commonly used herbal supplements.