Possible to Take Vitamins and Drink Alcohol After Mohs Surgery for Basal Cell Carcinoma?

Question

Can someone getting Mohs surgery for basal cell carcinoma on their nose continue to take vitamins & alcohol after surgery? I was told by my dermatologist to not take aspirin, vitamins or drink alcohol 7 days before surgery. Can I continue with taking the former after surgery?

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

The only one you should be asking is the doctor who did your MOhs surgery. Depending on the complexity of the procedure, whether there was a graft or side to side closure, or delayed wound healing, or flap, the amount of time that you should not drink alcohol after surgery varies. The concern is bleeding and this can interefere with the healing of the reconstruction, or can be a nuisance or serious if an open/dressed wound bleeds a great deal in your sleep. Vitamin E may make you bleed also so check with your Mohs surgeon.

Larisa Ravitskiy, MD · Answer

My rule of thumb is to advise all patients avoid alcohol 24 hrs beforehand 48 hrs after surgery. Vitamins should be discontinued 2 weeks before and resumed no sooner than 48 hrs after surgery. This only applies if all surgeries had been completed. If your reconstruction is delayed, then 48 hrs countdown after your last surgery. One notable exception to this rule is something called a 2-staged procedure or pedicle flaps. You may have to abstain from alcohol/vitamins for a week in this case.

Steven Hacker, MD · Answer

I do not recommend drinking alcohol after any surgery. Vitamins will be at the discretion of your own dermatologist or surgeon.

Chad L. Prather, MD · Answer

The answer completely depends on the location, size, and complexity of the surgery and closure, as well as your health status and other medications you might be on.

	Alcohol and certain vitamins can thin the blood, so your risk for bleeding will be increased if you ingest these substances around the time of Mohs surgery.  Most of my patients can resume alcohol and all vitamins at 2-3 days post-operatively if they haven't had bleeding or bruising complications, but you need to ask your Mohs surgeon. Don't let abstinence from these substances stop you from having a cancer removed... you can make it 2 weeks without them if necessary.

Possible to Take Vitamins and Drink Alcohol After Mohs Surgery for Basal Cell Carcinoma?

Answers (4)

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