Rhinoplasty Surgery

Plenty of people schedule their rhinoplasty in Toronto during holidays. Whether summer break with a beach vacation, Pina Colada’s and ice-cold beers are your thing, or Winter warm-ups with hot toddy’s and eggnog, there will often be alcohol wherever fun times are. This makes planning for a cosmetic surgery somewhat tricky, as you’ll need to avoid certain activities both before and after. Those include working out at the gym, strenuous work and sports, medications and alcohol.

Even Healthy Things Can Be A Problem Before Surgery

When you schedule your procedure with the Solomon Nasal and Facial Cosmetic Surgery Centre, we’ll arrange to meet with you a few weeks beforehand to review instructions and set you up for success. The substances you drink, eat and take in the form of supplements, all have an effect on your body’s healing.

Some items that are usually considered good for you, nonetheless need to be discontinued before surgery. These include supplements like Vitamin E, garlic, Omegas, Ginseng and Ginko Biloba. You might be surprised to learn they can change how your blood clots and make you more prone to bleeding. Alcohol too, falls under this category.

Safety Is Essential

Alcohol will need to be discontinued for at least 2 weeks before your nose job because it can create problem bleeding, bruising and swelling.

From a safety standpoint- your anaesthetist could have trouble correctly administering general anaesthetic to put you to sleep if you have alcohol in your system. For that reason, surgery will be cancelled if you haven’t adhered to the guidelines. It’s never worth taking a chance.

What Other Issues Can Alcohol Cause?

Normally, moderate enjoyment of alcoholic beverages doesn’t appear to be a health issue for many people, but planning for surgery is a unique circumstance. It’s essential to know how these drinks can affect your body, so you plan for the safest recovery possible.

Thin Blood

You may have heard that ‘alcohol thins the blood.’ While this is true, the degrees of severity depend on each individual case.

Decreased Immunity

There is some evidence to show depressed immune function under the influence of alcohol, and at a time when preventing infection is paramount, this is the last thing you need. Instead, bolster the immune system with good food, rest, hydration and abstaining from alcohol 2 weeks before and after your Toronto rhinoplasty.

Dry Skin

Consumed regularly, alcoholic drinks can dry out your skin. You may be slower to heal and have more chance of visible scarring if your skin is dehydrated at the time of surgery.

Swelling After Toronto Rhinoplasty

You’ll be expected to have a reasonable amount of post-operative inflammation in the days following your procedure but drinking alcohol after surgery can cause excess swelling which slows your healing time and feels more uncomfortable.

Medication Interactions

You may already be aware that specific analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications have blood-thinning effects. Alcohol compounds these, but it also leads to serious side effects when mixed with narcotic pain medication. If you’re taking strong prescription medication given to you by your surgeon, adding alcohol could lead to life-threatening consequences.

Dr. Phillip Solomon is a double board-certified rhinoplasty expert. He performs hundreds of nasal surgeries each year, and he is vigilant about patient safety and optimal results. This means meticulous planning and taking every available precaution. We believe in detailed patient education and empowering you with the understanding to make your surgery an investment that brings beautiful results. If you’d like to discuss a procedure to improve your nose, please give us a call today.