Is it okay to have plastic surgery while menstruating?

Many patients call the day before surgery is scheduled and want to know if they should reschedule their surgery because they have started their cycle. The answer to the question is no.  There is no reason to reschedule the surgery and it can be completed safely.  In general there is very little blood loss during cosmetic surgery with the exception of liposuction (large volume), and even here the amount is easily manageable. If you have been taking Advil or one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory preparations you will likely bruise more. Concerning the pain level, I have noticed that some women are a bit more sensitive during their cycle, however, this should not be a major concern.

Typically a tummy tuck hurts much less than a C-section.  It is not uncommon for patients to be menstruating at the time of surgery.

Years ago, it was thought that there would be more bleeding during the surgery but most plastic surgeons do not believe this anymore.

The tummy tuck has been greatly reduced with the use of Exparel. It can cause decreased sensation for up to three days. I recommend it and all my tummy tuck patients get it. They need far less Percocet. 

Having your period on the day of your plastic surgery is safe and doesn’t interfere with the operation. I would say that you will have some discomfort rather than pain after the procedure. Best of luck to you.

No concerns with having surgery (breast augmentation and tummy tuck) while on your period. We generally give patients a pad instead of tampon. Since the area will not be in the surgical field, it would not affect the surgery in terms of sterility. The pain shouldn't be much affected unless you have severe pain when menstruating.

It is common for women of reproductive age to be menstruating when they present for surgery. This does not preclude surgery, but let the nursing staff at the surgery facility know. Most importantly, don't leave any tampons in place during surgery. Although the risk of infection and toxic shock is remote, the standard of care is not to have any foreign body material in a patient's body at surgery unless medically necessary. Also let the staff know if you have had any history of anemia (low blood count) from menstruating or if there is anything usual about your current cycle.This is a common question. Good luck.

generally it's ok to have plastic surgery during your menstrual cycle,  but in people who have heavy menstuations they loos much blood, therefore they have to be cautious, and discuss this with thier surgeon, prior to surgery. 

Hi. I do surgeries on patients basically regardless of whether they are menstruating or not.  We do preoperative lab work to include a hemoglobin, which over simplified is a measure of your blood level.  If that is low then we do an appropriate workup.  The main concern with menstruating would be if someone has very heavy periods and tends to have a low hemoglobin level because of that.  As far as pain compared to a C-section most of my patients tell me that the C-section recovery was much harder than the tummy tuck, but occasionally someone has the reverse experience.  The pain associated with a tummy tuck is typically very well controlled on the typical pain medications.  Hope that helps.Good luck and take care,Dr. Howell

When I was training at Mayo Scottsdale in 1993, there was an understanding that women should not have surgery during their menstruation because they were more prone to intraop and to post op bleeding. This is no longer the current understanding. However, there is fairly good agreement that significant anemia may be a relative contraindication depending on the degree of anemia and the procedure(s) being performed. 

It is important to know that everyone has a different experience after surgery, from negligible pain to significant discomfort. Many women claim they have found the experience and discomfort similar to that after a caesarean. 
There is no concern of proceeding with surgery while menstruating. Just mention it to your surgeon and hospital staff prior to the surgery.