Many of my patients want to take arnica to increase their healing and reduce their bruising. I don’t object to this but I don’t recommend it. Here’s why.
- In the past, surgeons didn’t have cautery, tumescent fluid and other ways to reduce bruising but techniques have improved a lot. Bruising is less common than in the past.
- Controlled studies show no improvement at all from topical arnica creams. Why waste your money on something that we know doesn’t make a difference?
- Studies show that arnica by mouth may reduce face lift bruising in some people.
- No studies show that arnica speeds up healing.
- Here’s the problem though with arnica’s effect on bruising, studies show that arnica increases blood clotting.
- We have no studies showing that arnica is safe. We do know that serious blood clots after surgery can be fatal.
- I don’t recommend arnica but I don’t object if someone decides to take it and their surgery is not one that is high risk for blood clots.
Much more important than arnica are the things that patients and surgeons should do to get you the best possible result.
- Patients should stop all aspirin, ibuprofen, herbals, omega pills or any other products for two weeks that increase bleeding and bruising.
- Surgeons should inject fluid at surgery that reduces bleeding of tiny blood vessels.
- Surgeons should take care to control all possible bleeding at surgery and use gentle surgical techniques.
- Patients should rest and limit their activity after surgery. It will be a few days for minor surgery and several weeks for major surgery.
- Above all, if patients have a question or concern they should not go online and treat it themselves or take advice from others. Ask your surgeon to help you before, during and after your surgery.