Is it ok to use Arnica to help with bruising and swelling after a tummy tuck? What can you do to reduce swelling?

Hello and thanks for your post and questions.  I routinely ask my patients to take arnica beginning the day before their tummy tuck and continuing for a week to 10 days after to counteract bruising, swelling and inflammation.  You can also use a compression garment and limit any unnecessary activity in order to minimize swelling.  No matter what, you will most definitely have moderate-to-significant swelling for the first 2-3 weeks after which you will begin to be able to better see your final result.  I usually tell my patients that by 6 weeks post, they will be 65-70% of the way toward their final result and at 6 months post they will see 90-95% of their final result.  The scars and swelling can take up to 12-18 months to reach the "final" result, but your look at 6-8 weeks is a very good predictor of your final outcome.  Best wishes!Daniel Brown, MD, FACSBoard Certified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonsMember American Society of  Plastic SurgeonsCastle Connolly Top DocReal Self Top 500

Dear White popcorn,I recommend my patients to use compression garments in order to reduce swelling. But every plastic surgeon has his own postoperative 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