Vitamins In Plastic Surgery

The proper use of a dietary supplement containing vitamin C and plant extracts can be an effective way of speeding the healing process following plastic surgery.  A person could take one herbal supplement pill after having plastic surgery and recuperate faster than without it, according to a study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.  The study found that patients healed seventeen percent faster by taking a special mixture of bromelain, vitamin C, rutin and grape seed extract.

Eighty-two percent of the participants in the study benefited from taking the special mixture of herbal supplements during the early phase of the healing process.  It sped up the soft-tissue wound healing compared with participants who received a placebo.  Study co-author Dr. James Chao said that previously, it would generally take eighteen days for a patient to recover from a plastic surgery procedure such as a facelift.  But by taking the supplements immediately after the procedure, the patient can heal in just fifteen days.

Four main ingredients are in the special mixture:

* Vitamin C:  Preliminary studies suggest vitamin C supplements in non-deficient people can speed healing of various types of wounds and trauma, including surgery, minor injuries, herniated intervertebral disks and skin ulcers.

* Bromelain:  An anti-inflammatory agent, bromelain helps heal minor injuries, including sprains, strains and muscle injuries.  Bromelain has been found to dramatically reduce postoperative swelling.

* Rutin:  This ingredient assists vitamin C to maintain healthy collagen by strengthening capillaries and regulating their permeability.

* Grape Seed Extract:  Similar to pine bark extract, some evidence indicates the extract helps vitamin C enter cells, thus strengthening the cell membranes.

All of the herbal supplements in the mixture are antioxidants, which improves cellular stability and decrease swelling.

Although the mixture used for the study was found to have decreased healing time, doctors do not yet know which ingredient is the active ingredient, or if they rely on each other to be effective.  The authors of the study said all the mixture's ingredients are generally recognized as safe by the FDA, patients should never take large amounts of any supplement.    Patients need to be extremely careful when considering taking these supplements, according to Dr. Rohrich.  Although this study strongly indicates the particular mixture used for the study decreases healing time, doctors and health care provider do not yet know which ingredient is the active ingredient or if they rely on each other to be effective. Also, while all of the herbal mixture's ingredients are generally recognized as safe by the FDA, patients should never take large amounts of any supplement.   Generally, patients should supplement their diets before and after cosmetic and plastic surgery with high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A.  Each plays a role in wound healing and in building the immune system, thereby reducing the chance of infection.