Before a rhinoplasty, are there any medications that I should avoid?

Ensure that you are optimised for surgery by making sure that you are not taking medications or supplements that can lead to excessive bleeding or bruising. Please disclose all the medications and supplements that you take with your surgeon during your pre-operative consultation.

Some of the common medications include aspirin (salicylates) or the NSAIDs (Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) class of medication such as Ponstan, Ibuprofen. These should be stopped at least 1 week before surgery. Speak to your doctor if you are on these medication so that he can advise you. You should NEVER discontinue a prescription medication without the advice and approval of prescribing doctor.

Herbal supplements such as gingko, garlic, ginseng thin the blood and these increase the risk of bleeding and bruising. They should be stopped 2 weeks before surgery.

If you are a smoker, consider quitting. You should stop smoking at least 2-4 weeks before surgery. Smoking slows the healing process after surgery, increasing the risk of wound breakdown and wound infections.

You should stop medications and supplements on this list:

1. Medication that contains Aspirin or salicylates eg. Asprin, Advil
2. Medication that contains NSAIDs (Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) class of medication eg. Ponstan, Ibuprofen, Voltaren
3. Herbal products or supplements that can cause blood thinning e.g. Ginseng, Garlic, Ginger, Wolfberry, Fish oil, Tonka beans, Vitamin E

This is not an exhaustive list – be sure to review all medicines and supplements that you are taking with your surgeon prior to surgery.

Firstly, you should always avoid blood-thinning meds. Apart from that, you should also avoid supplements. Here are some examples:

• Ginkgo Biloba,
• Ginseng,
• Cordyceps,
• Fish oils.

Smokers should stop and avoid smoking as it has been reported to give poorer results. Besides that, smokers tend to have a longer healing time as compared to normal patients.