How long after a rhinoplasty can you drink alcohol?
This is a very common question we get asked commonly by patients who are considering rhinoplasty surgery. We highly recommend that our patients avoid alcohol 1 month prior to surgery and 1 month after surgery. We know this is not always possible, so its considered a recommendation for optimal healing and reduced swelling.
Alcohol is a known blood thinner that can cause more bruising and postoperative swelling as well as causing more bleeding during your surgery. For optimal results we suggest avoiding completely, to the best of your ability, all alcohol consumption. Closed Scarless Rhinoplasty has less bruising and less swelling generally than traditional open rhinoplasty, but even with this approach, we still recommend reducing your alcohol intake to obtain best results.
Alcohol consumption on a long term basis can alter the nature of the liver’s ability to process medications. Alcohol is metabolized by the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme in the liver. This could cause the amount of anesthesia medications or dosing to be altered based on the liver’s ability to process the medications.
On a short term level, the alcohol consumption could delay gastric emptying, which could lead to dire consequences if there is still food in your stomach upon induction of anesthesia. This is also important to reveal to your physician if you are currently taking Ozempic or Monjauro as these medications also cause delayed gastric emptying and could be dangerous on the day of surgery, should you not technically have an empty stomach.
Alcohol before a rhinoplasty can cause thinning of the blood and cause more bleeding during your procedure.
Alcohol intolerance may be associated with skin flushing and nasal congestion.
Alcohol consumption is considered a carcinogen for many types of cancers in the body including esophagus, breast, oral, colon, and more. We always recommend reduction in alcohol intake for health and longevity, irregardless of any future surgical procedures.
If you have consumed alcohol the night before surgery, it is imperative you inform your physician of this so they can decide if they should delay or reschedule your surgery, for your optimal safety.
Alcohol resumption after surgery should be delayed by at least 1 month to prohibit interference with heart health, healing and infections.
If you have specific concerns regarding your alcohol use or consumption, you can counsel our office to discuss upon consultation, with Dr. Deepak Dugar, a Plastic Surgeon specializing in Scarless Nose® Rhinoplasty surgery, about your needs. We always customize and tailor the patient plan to the individual patient needs to give the best results possible for the outcome.
Our Goal with closed scarless rhinoplasty is to achieve the most balanced version of your nose on your face. While many surgeons opt for a more reconstructive method, Dr. Dugar in Beverly Hills, opts for a finesse rhinoplasty that suits your individual anatomy most ideally. We take a less is more approach for most of our noses, where we refresh the painting of the face, instead of recreating a new painting.
The key with finding the best rhinoplasty surgeon is doing multiple consultations to determine your best needs. Today, many surgeons opt for an Open rhinoplasty with preservation rhinoplasty or structure rhinoplasty techniques with or without piezotome rhinoplasty surgery. All of these methods must be compared and contrasted to your best needs for your individual anatomy. Risks and benefits must be measured and weighed before a decision for yourself can be made. This is why we counsel all patients should have at least 1 Closed Scarless Rhinoplasty consultation to determine their true needs for their individual anatomy.
We invite your to our office for a consultation. Our concierge staff is standing by to assist with any questions and needs you may have. You can reach us at +1-310-276-1703 by phone, text or whatsapp. You can also email us at [email protected]. You can also visit our website to learn more about our Closed Scarless Nose® Rhinoplasty approach to noses in Los Angeles, where we perform all of our surgeries.
