Different people have natural different levels of hemoglobin. It’s important to understand if you have iron deficiency-based anemia. If so, then, taking supplemental iron, may improve your blood count. If you’re not iron deficient, then taking supplemental iron, it will probably not increase your hemoglobin level. It’s important to recognize different people have different natural baseline hemoglobin levels. Unless your hemoglobin level is unstable for dangerously low, most people can still have elective surgical procedures. Each plastic surgeon will have the wrong criteria for what is acceptable and what is not. I personally do not have absolute levels of hemoglobin or hematocrit required for anyone in particular procedure. It’s better to look at everything in context, then make a clinical decision that seems most appropriate. Blood levels can be increased with the use of erythropoietin, but this is usually not done in preparation for surgery. Talk to your plastic surgeon and consider getting a few different consultations. Best, Mats Hagstrom, MD