Dietary supplements to avoid (before Botox!)

If you take any Vitamins or have a dentist appointment coming up, you are only doing so with the best of intentions. You want to be healthier, and you are proactively trying to achieve that. Kudos!

BUT. Some of the normal things you do can be counter-productive to your injection treatments.

Check-out the list below to find out what to avoid a few days before a procedure.

Supplements to Avoid Before Injections

1. Vitamin E, Ginger, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, Bilberry, Fish Oil: These items all act as blood-thinners — prolonging bleeding and making bruising much more likely to occur.
2. Gingko Biloba: This supplement is thought to be great for improving memory, but is 300x more likely to prolong bleeding than Vitamin E! (see above)
3. Ginseng: This is one of the most popular medicinal herbs in the world, and is believed to increase vitality. That being said, it has also been associated with episodes of hypertension and rapid heartbeat.
4. St. John’s Wort: Taken by millions of people to treat anxiety and depression, this may also interrupt the effects of numbing agents and anesthetics used during your medical procedure.
5. Echinacea: This herb can have a negative impact on your liver when mixed with general anesthesia.
6. Ephedra, Ma Hung: Commonly found in weight-loss supplements, these ingredients should be avoided before surgery as they are reported to increase blood pressure, and potentially cause irregular heart rate, insomnia, seizures, heart attacks and strokes.
7. Aspirin: An over-the-counter pain-killer, this product has blood-thinning components that are great for heart health — but will also leave you much more likely to bruise.

So, what can you take?

Arnica is a natural, herbal supplement that has been long believed to help prevent bruising/swelling from occurring, and speed up the healing process. There is also data to support pineapple’s positive effect on bruising and anti-inflammation, so feel free to eat all the pineapple you like.

In the end, what should you ALWAYS do?

To ensure a safe and successful outcome, it is essential that you communicate.

Please tell your treatment provider about ALL over-the-counter supplements or prescription medications you take . Let your trusted professionals take away any guess-work for you, and help you sort out which might lead to post-procedure complications.

(Not on any list of dietary supplements, but an important blood-thinner to be aware of: alcohol. This is one of the most blood-thinners out there, please avoid any alcoholic beverages for 3-5 days prior to your treatment to best minimize risk of bruising.)

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