Does Ibuprofen Increase Bleeding Risk after breast augmentation?

Question

Getting a breast augmentation surgery soon. And the surgeon states I cant take any ibuprofen before or after surgery only Tylenol. But doing some research i saw that research shows ibuprofen doesn't cause a bleeding risk. I had 2 ACL repair surgeis and with both surgeries the strong narcotics didn't help with pain just put me to sleep. But when I started taking the ibuprofen the pain became more manageable. Want to know if I can alternate ibuprofen and the narcotic after my breast augmentation?

Leila Kasrai, MD, FRCSC · Answer

If your surgeon instructed you to avoid ibuprofen, then it would be best to follow their instructions. Please ask them if there is anything else that you could take instead.

Sacha Obaid, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! For my patients having a breast augmentation, I recommend they stop blood thinners such as ibuprofen and aleve, 2 weeks prior to and 3 weeks post surgery. At 3 weeks post op, it is ok to take ibuprofen. I recommend discussing specific post op questions with your plastic surgeon. Best of luck!

Wayne I. Yamahata, MD · Answer

There is some controversy regarding the risks of bleeding after taking ibuprophen. Surgeons therefore have differing opinions regarding the safety of taking ibuprophen during the perioperative period. Since you are trusting your surgeon to perform your surgery, it would be appropriate to follow his or her guidelines and regimen. Although it's reasonable to ask questions, you should defer the medical decisions to your doctor.

Jimmy S. Firouz, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and you are correct.  Some surgeons have their patients take ibuprofen instead of narcotics to reduce the side effects of narcotics.  Always follow your board certified plastic surgeons protocol as they can be different.

Urmen Desai, MD, MPH, FACS · Answer

I wouldn't even bother risking it. I recommend an in-office examination as well as a detailed discussion with a surgeon who you are comfortable with. Finally, make sure your surgeon is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS).
Best,Dr. DesaiBeverly Hills Institute for Aesthetic Plastic SurgeryHarvard Educated, Beverly Hills & Miami Beach TrainedDouble Board-Certified, Double Fellowship-Trained Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
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John Paletta, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question. Plenty of surgeons use ibuprofen post procedure. However, surgeons like to avoid ibuprofen before the procedure because it does increase the bleeding during the procedure which may make it more difficult to perform.   I would defer to the advice of your  plastic surgery .

Joshua Cooper, MD, FACS · Answer

I recommend that all of my breast augmentation patients take Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin...) after their procedure along with the narcotic that I prescribe. I have not found an increased risk of bleeding. I do find that taking Ibuprofen allows my breast augmentation patients to take less narcotic and thereby avoid the side effects of narcotics.  Side effects include: nausea, constipation, and itching. Best of luck to you!

Jaime S. Schwartz, MD, FACS · Answer

I only prescribe Tylenol and Ibuprofen for all of my surgeries. I don’t use narcotics since I think they make people feel worse and are addictive. Plus Ibuporfen is also anti-inflammatory which allows for my patients to be out to dinner the next night after surgery.  Jaime Schwartz MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
#RealSelf100Surgeon 
#RealSelfCORESurgeon

Roger Tsai, MD · Answer

Great question!  The chemical nature of ibuprofen does impair platelet function and clotting after major surgery.  There are a few studies that show that it can be safe after a few days after surgery.  But the standard of care still dictates to avoid using NSAIDS (ibuprofen, motrin, alleve) as there is a higher chance of bleeding and hematoma.  Ultimately, I believe it depends on how much bleeding and trauma there was during surgery and I would just follow your surgeon's recommendations.  
Best of luck and hope his information helps!
- Dr. Roger Tsai  
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear krknight590,
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

Does Ibuprofen Increase Bleeding Risk after breast augmentation?

Answers (18)

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