Boston Plastic Surgery Specialists

Patient Resources

Dr. Brooke R. Seckel

Patient Resources

Permission and Guidelines to Contact You

It is important that we know how to contact you. We will obtain your contact information but it is important that we know how you wish us to communicate with you and that we have your permission on record. Please copy, fill out and either email the form to us or bring it with you to your appointment.

Letter of Medical Clearance For Elective Plastic Surgery

Once you have scheduled your surgery we may ask you to have your primary care physician send us a letter of medical clearance for surgery. If you have a history of medical illness, are over 55 years old and or are taking prescription medications for a medical illness we request that you see your primary care physician and obtain medical clearance to have elective plastic surgery. Most doctors are used to providing this letter but below are the essential features of the letter we require. You may print the form below to take to your doctor. All patients over 55 years old are also required to have a recent EKG or Electrocardiogram to have sent to us before your pre op visit.

Prepare for Surgery

Have A Support System In Place

It is very important to have someone who can help you with your daily activities after surgery. This can be a spouse, significant other, parent, or friend but especially the first day or 2 after surgery you need someone to be with you. Although many plastic surgery procedures are outpatient or ambulatory procedures after which you may go home, you must be accompanied by someone or you will not be able to leave the hospital and will need to be admitted. It is a Hospital rule that if you have had anesthesia or if you are taking narcotic pain medications you may not leave the hospital unless accompanied by someone who can be with you.

Eat Healthy

Eat a healthy diet low in saturated fats, high in complex carbohydrates and fiber, with healthy colorful vegetables and fruits and avoid rich spicy foods and foods that are high in salt and sodium. High salt or sodium intake makes your body withhold water in the tissues and can lead to increased swelling after surgery. You want to approach your procedure with good healthy nutritional support.

Helpful Pre Op Medications

  • Vitamin C is an important vitamin for wound healing. If you do not regularly take vitamin C I suggest taking 500 to 1000 mg of vitamin C daily starting 2 weeks before surgery.
  • Metamucil is an excellent high fiber stool softener which will help prevent constipation after surgery. Pain medications are notorious for slowing the bowel, can cause constipation and result in straining when you go to the bathroom. It is important to avoid constipation because straining at the stool can cause you discomfort and can increase the chance of bleeding after surgery. I suggest a tablespoon of Metamucil in water the morning before surgery and each day after surgery as long as you’re taking pain medication.
  • Arnica Montana is an herbal supplement available in most health food stores and drug stores which may reduce your bruising and swelling after surgery. By the 30C sized tablets. Take 2 30C tablets 3 times a day starting the day before your surgery. You may dissolve the tablets underneath your tongue. You may also take Arnica Montana to help reduce bruising prior to injections of Botox® and dermal fillers.

Do Not Smoke or Use Tobacco or Nicotine

Nicotine in any form whether tobacco or nicotine patches should be fastidiously avoided ideally 5 weeks before elective plastic surgery. Nicotine causes spasm and constriction of blood vessels and robs your skin of blood supply. This could have disastrous consequences for a facelift, tummy tuck or any procedure that involves lifting the skin. If you are a smoker you may be tested for nicotine metabolites in your blood prior to surgery.

Avoid Excessive Alcohol Intake

Excessive alcohol intake can cause fluid retention, disturbance of liver function and disturbance of brain function. You want to approach your surgery in your best health and should avoid excessive alcohol intake at least 2 weeks prior to your surgery.

Medications to Avoid Before Surgery

There are many over-the-counter medications that people take often on a daily basis that can cause bleeding after surgery. A partial list of medications that you should stop taking 2 weeks prior to your surgery is:

Advil
Alcohol
Aleve
Alka-Seltzer
Anacin
APC
ArtbritisPainFormula
ASA
Ascriptin
Ascodeen-30
Apsercream
Aspergum
Aspirin
Bayer Aspirin
BC Cold Powder
BCPowders
Buff-A-Com
Buffadyne
Bufferin
Buffex
Butalbital
Cama Arthritis Pain Reliever
CamaInlay
Caprin
Caspirin
Cephalgesic
Cheracol
Children’s Aspirin
Clinoril
Congesprin
Cope
Oricidin
Coumadin
Darvon
Daypro
Disalcid
Doan’s
Dolia
Dolobid
Dristan
Durade
Duragesic
Easprin
Ecotrin
Emprin
Emprazil
Equagec
Excedrin
Feldene
Fiorinal
Florbiprofen
Goody’s Extra Strength
Gingko
Ibuprofen
Indomethacin
Magsal
Measurin
Meclomen
Medipren
Midol-200
Midol
MidolPMS
Mobigesic
Moncet with codeine
Momentum
Motrin
Naprosyn
Norgesic Forte
Nuprin
Pabrin Buffered
Panadynes
Panalgesic
Pepto-Bismal
Percodan
Persantine
Persistin
Quagesic
Ralafen
Robaxisal
Rufen
Sine-Aid
Sine-Off
Soma with Codeine
Soma Compound
Stanback powder
Max Powder
Stendin
Steri-Darovan w/ASA
Supac
SX-65 Compound
Synalgos
Talwin
Tolectin
Toradol
Trandate
Trental
Trialgesic
Triarninacin
Trilisate
Ursinus Inlay
Vanquish
Vioxx
Voltaren
Wesprin
Zactrin
Zorpin
 
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  • American College of Surgeons
  • Best of Boston Award – Boston Magazine
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  • RealSelf Hall of Fame Award
  • Patients Choice 2019 – RealSelf
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Plastic Surgery Boston

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

BOSTON

160 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite L1 Boston MA 02116

Phone: (617) 455-2859

Plastic Surgery Concord

EMERSON HOSPITAL

CONCORD

131 Old Road to Nine Acre Corner Concord, MA, 01742

Phone: (978) 369-4499