Should I be concerned about complications from my upcoming breast augmentation after using garlic supplements?

Many surgeons will ask you to stop most supplements prior to surgery to decrease the likelihood of an issues related to the supplements (especially related to bleeding). If you are not taking a garlic supplement and just had some food with garlic, it is totally ok to proceed. If you are still worried, call the doctor's office to confirm.

Garlic has natural blood thinning properties and can increase bleeding risk during surgery. Garlic may also cause cardiac complications. Some surgeons recommend that garlic supplements be stopped 7 to 10 days prior to surgery, but some others recommend 14 days prior to surgery. Eating a bit of garlic sauce should not cause complications with your BAM.

"Drop and fluff" refers to the fact that as the skin stretches and the muscles relax, the implants move down and out slowly – about 1 percent a day. It’ll be about six weeks before they even begin to settle down, but they’ll be close to 80 percent settled and softened at three months. Watching their progress is like watching your hair grow. You don’t see a difference in your hair growth daily, but all of a sudden you need a haircut. Be patient after surgery. Give yourself a few months before making a judgment about your surgical results. You won't know the outcome until then. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee

Dear October Eleventh,
every plastic surgeon has his own preoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. I would suggest you to discuss this with your plastic surgeon.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Garlic is a blood thinner and garlic supplements need to be stopped prior to surgery. However, the garlic in food is a much lower dose and probably will have minimal effect on your surgery.

Garlic supplements on a regular basis are known to thin the blood. This is when taken in high amounts. If you only consumed a small amount of garlic sauce for a meal or two, it is unlikely this would affect your bleeding risk.

The small amount of garlic sauce you had with your meal should not interfere with your surgery. It is always best to mention it to your surgeon, but it should be fine. The recommendation is aimed toward specific garlic supplements and consumption of larger amounts of garlic. Good luck with surgery.

Thanks for your question. Taking a garlic supplement or eating garlic will not impact your upcoming breast augmentation.
Best of luck!

Dear Madam,I am glad you asked this question in many details.
Garlic and many more herbal products like Ginseng ZincoBilova are blood thinners but on a long term basis.All herbal products take time to act compared to allopathic medicines which start acting in 40 mins.
Therefore a single dose as a cause cant cause blood thinning at the time of surgery.I think you and your surgeon should be ok

patients are being driven crazy by people writing stupid things about most supplements. first of all, i suspect very strongly that any "evidence" about garlic being a significant blood thinner is based on a case report or is total speculation. furthermore, supplements have much higher concentrations (or they are supposed to) than the actually food does. i think it is totally irrelevant what foods you eat before surgery and i personally think that most vitamins and supplements (unless taken in extremely high doses) are very unlikely to create any problems. Clearly someone having a brain tumor is going to be extra cautious about such things compared to plastic surgery. there will be more cautious plastic surgeons, but i truly thing that it is unnecessary to be so cautious.
david berman md