Park Ridge, IL May 3, 2009 -- Many people continue to pursue all-natural or herbal remedies in today's environment. Natural products or herbal supplements available over-the-counter without a doctor's prescription are often mistakenly believed to be free of significant risks. This is because most people consider the words "natural" or "herbal" as being virtually synonymous with safety and purity. Plastic surgeons have always warned patients about holding these supplements before surgical procedures since they can cause significant complications. A recent study revealed that almost 40% of plastic surgery patients use herbal supplements in the two weeks prior to undergoing surgery. Although some herbal supplements may provide benefits during recovery, commonly used herbal medications such as ginkgo biloba, ginseng, garlic, echinacea, valerian root and others can have serious side effects effects for surgery patients.

"Stopping certain herbal supplements prior to surgery is just as critical as stopping aspirin, ibuprofen and many other common drugs that can cause problems with surgery," says Dr. Sam Speron, Chicago plastic surgery expert and consumer advocate. "The main concerns of any plastic surgeon are the interaction of herbal supplements with other medications. This can include cardiovascular side effects, alterations in mental status, and effects on coagulation with an increased risk of bleeding. ASPS and ASAPS Member Surgeons are first and foremost physicians, so these things are very important to them."   

A new study recently revealed that when undergoing plastic surgery, the most significant and potentially dangerous effects of alternative or homeopathic medicines occur during the surgery or immediate postoperative periods. Unfortunately, as many as 70% of patients may not disclose the use of alternative medications to their surgeon or conventional health care provider, sometimes because they feel these physicians have little knowledge or interest in naturopathic medicine or they feel physicians may disapprove of such treatments. Some patients simply fail to recognize the relevance of supplement usage to their current medical or surgical care. Patients need to be aware that full disclosure of all medications - both those that are prescribed and those that are obtained over-the-counter - is extremely important to their health and safety. They should also understand that inconsistent and unregulated manufacturing standards and lack of regulation for many herbal supplements mean that quality and dosage may vary considerably among similar products.

Herbal Medications to Avoid Within 2 Weeks of Surgery:

Bleeding effects   Drug interations

Gingko biloba   Echinacea
Garlic   Goldenseal
Ginseng   Licorice
Fish oils (omega-3 fatty acids)   St. John's wort
Dong Quai   Kava
Feverfew   Valerian root
   
Cardiovascular Effects    Anesthetic effects
Ephedra (tachycardia, hypertension and palpitations)   Valerian root
Garlic (hypotension)    St. John's wort
   Kava
Other   
St. John's wort and Dong Quai (photosensitivity)   
Ginseng (hypoglycemia)

Dr Speron says you can still undergo safe plastic surgery procedures but you need to disclose all herbal supplements or natural medications you are taking to your plastic surgeon.

Dr. Speron is the founder and medical director of the Park Ridge Center for Plastic Surgery. He is board certified with the American Board of Plastic Surgery and an active member of both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS).

For more Chicago plastic surgery or Chicago cosmetic surgery information, please visit our web site at www.prplastic.com or www.drsperonplasticsurgery.com, call us at 847.696.9900 or email us at prplastic (at) yahoo (dot) com . To order anti-aging or herbal supplements, please see our website at www.prskincare.com.