When to Stop Drinking Alcohol Prior to Surgery?

This is very common and realistic question patients will ask at their preoperative appointment.  The answers vary greatly from surgeon to surgeon.  My recommendation is no alcohol with 48 hours of surgery.  The reason is alcohol is a diuretic (increases the amount you urinate), which could result in you presenting on the day of surgery somewhat dehydrated, potentially creating issues for the anesthesia team.  Also, having alcohol in your system at the time of surgery could interact and potentiate the anesthesia given to you.  Finally, if you routinely have alcohol of some quantity on a routine basis, depending on to what degree of consumption, this can decrease your blood’s ability to clot, and therefore should be reviewed with your surgeon prior to surgery.  Post-operatively you should never consume any alcohol while on pain medication or sleeping medication given for your post-op healing period.

This question also lends to what else should you avoid prior to surgery.  Since plastic surgery is elective, you have plenty of time to stop taking contraindicated medication before your surgery.  The most common non-prescription class of these medications is Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID’s).  This is not an all-inclusive list, but some of the more common over the counter NSAID’s are Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, and Celebrex).  There are cells in your blood called platelets that are crucial for clotting.  Every day your body removes the older ones and manufactures new ones.  NSAID’s inhibit the new platelets clotting function that are created the day you take the medication – a big problem when undergoing surgery of any kind.  Taking these over the counter medications on a daily basis prior to surgery can put you at significant risk for bleeding during or after surgery.   No NSAID’s should be taken for of a minimum of one week before surgery, and two weeks is preferable.  Again, you should discuss this with your surgeon, since many patients usually only list their physician-prescribed medications on their new patient intake forms.  Most good surgeons will give you a list of all non-prescription (i.e. over the counter) medication to be avoided, as well as the time frame before and after surgery.



Finally, Herbs and Vitamins, especially in high doses can also have the side effect of increased bleeding.  The list is extensive, and again your surgeon should be able to provide those to you in advance.  Some of the more common ones would be Vitamin E, Ginger, and Saw Palmetto.  Given the fact these are “supplements”, and not imperative to take, the best advice is to abstain from all of them for at least a week or longer, again depending on what you surgeon recommends. Hope you found this answer helpful.  All the best!

Answer from Dr. Sean Hill, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon at Lone Star Plastic Surgery in Frisco, TX:
Great question — and it’s smart to plan ahead for a smooth and safe recovery.
I typically recommend that patients stop drinking alcohol at least 1 week before surgery. Here’s why: • Alcohol can thin the blood, which may increase your risk of bruising and bleeding during and after surgery. • It can also interfere with anesthesia and dehydrate your body, making recovery more difficult. • Additionally, alcohol may interact with medications prescribed before and after surgery, including antibiotics and pain medication.
After surgery, it’s also best to avoid alcohol for at least 1–2 weeks while your body is healing and you’re on medications.
At Lone Star Plastic Surgery, we provide every patient with detailed pre- and post-operative instructions, including guidance on medications, supplements, alcohol, and activity restrictions — all designed to help you get the best result with the smoothest recovery.
If you’re ever unsure, your pre-op visit is a great time to go over any specific questions about your medications, lifestyle, or surgical prep.
Warmly,Dr. Sean HillBoard-Certified Plastic SurgeonLone Star Plastic Surgery – Frisco, TX

Thank you for your great question!
I think technically most surgeons will recommend no alcohol within 48 hours of surgery as this can potentially interfere with fluid and electrolyte regulation during and after surgery. However, I think most patients who are looking for the best possible result should avoid alcohol for longer than that, somewhere in the range of 4-6 weeks before and after surgery. This puts your body in the best possible situation going into surgery and then allows the body to heal as quickly as possible after surgery. While I am not aware of any scientific studies to confirm this recommendation, anecdotally I see better results when patients do everything possible to take care of their body both before and after surgery.
Hope this helps!Kyle Kimura, MD

Hello and thank you for your question. Moderate alcohol consumption is OK. The key is moderate. I would not recommend heavy alcohol consumption one week before and one week after surgery. But done in moderation is okay up until 24 hours prior to surgery. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Great question. Every surgeon will give you a slightly different answer. I recommend stopping alcohol 5 days before surgery to decrease the risk of bleeding. Hold off for another week after surgery, or as long as you're still on narcotic pain medication.

Honestly I don't think it matters at all.... just don't turn up to your surgery hung over! Much more significant is smoking (minimum 6 weeks prior) and blood thinners (one week prior if safe).

himy personal approach to alcohol around surgery is that it should be omitted for around 3-4 days before the surgery and up to a week to 10 days after. that is mostly as it can affect bleeding tendencies

Hello and thank you for your great question.
Every surgeon is a little different with their personal recommendations, but I generally tell patients to stop drinking at least 48 hours prior to their surgery to avoid dehydration and the blood thinning affects that are associated with alcohol consumption. If you are a heavy drinker, this should also be discussed with your surgical team prior to surgery to ensure that proper preoperative evaluation can occur.
I hope this helps!
Best,Dr. G Dominick J Gadaleta, MDFacial Plastic SurgeonDG Facial Plastic SurgeryPalo Alto, CA

Thank you for your good question. I typically recommend refraining from alcohol for one week before rhinoplasty. Alcohol can affect the body in ways that can impact what happens during and after surgery. First and foremost, alcohol is a diuretic, which means it can lead to dehydration. If you are dehydrated when you undergo surgery, it could impact your blood pressure and other functions. Second, alcohol can interfere with your body's ability to clot properly, which can lead to bleeding concerns during and after your procedure. If you are a regular drinker, your liver could metabolize pain medications given to you after surgery, which could affect your ability to manage any post-operative discomfort.

In addition to alcohol, it is important to stop taking certain over-the-counter medications and supplements as well, since they can also increase your risk for bleeding and bruising. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen should be avoided for two weeks before surgery, as well as supplements like vitamin E. Talk to your surgeon about specific pre-op instructions based on your specific situation.

I advice my patients to stop drinking alcohol one week before the surgery. But one glass of red wine a day is OK if your primary physician has adviced you to do so to manage cholesterol levels.  Refrain during the month preceding the surgery from smoking, taking any herbals, multivitamins, vitamin E, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and all other over the counter medications that may increase bleeding during and after the surgery.

Every surgeon may have his/her own preference to this but I advice my patients to avoid any alcohol at least 48 hours before surgery mainly due to its dehydrating effect. 
If you are heavy drinker, this is best discussed with your surgeon and certainly make him/her aware of this as this can affect you liver function and your bloods ability to clot, which is obviously important if you are having surgery.