Does Arnica really help for bruising and pain?

Question

Does Arnica really help for bruising and pain? If so which is better the Arnica Gel or Arnica Cream and by which manufactures.

Marco A. Pelosi III, MD, FACOG, FACS · Answer

Arnica works great on bruises. Not to prevent them, but to help them go away faster. A typical bruise goes away in 2-3 weeks on its own. With arnica, it's 5-6 days. It doesn't really matter what caused the bruise. I've seen it with my own eyes many times. Anyone who tells you otherwise hasn't used it. Gel or cream doesn't matter. Arnicare from Boiron is the most popular brand. It's less than $20 for a tube and that's usually enough for any bruising from any reason. It doesn't do much for pain.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Msoes16,
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

Paul E. Cox, MD · Answer

Yes, Arnica does help to alleviate bruising. We prefer the sublingual arnica troches that melt in your mouth. We ask patients worried about bruising to start them 2-3 days before the procedure and continue for 7 days total. The great thing about Smartlipo is there tends to be less bruising and swelling for most patients than traditional lipo even without the Arnica.

Shalini Gupta, MD · Answer

Arnica stimulates your body's natural healing process, facilitating blood flow through the area, which helps to alleviate pain, reduce swelling, and reabsorb bruising. As long as your skin isn't broken, you can apply Arnica topically in a cream, gel, or even tablet form. We have tried many different brands of Arnica, but we seem to find that SINEECH brand works very well for our patients. We have them take the tablet right after their procedure and we notice that it cuts swelling and bruising in half (for most of our patients) versus not using Arnica.

Gregory Chambon, MD · Answer

We have our patients take oral Arnica for 1 week prior to surgery through 1 week after, and the patient can also use Arnica gel postop. The product really does help minimize swelling and bruising. 
Added tip: There is also benefit from eating fresh pineapple.

Does Arnica really help for bruising and pain?

Answers (7)