Pineapple? Does this superfood reduce bruising?
I often have friends ask me about social media trends they are curious about. One recent questions I received was “should I eat pineapple to reduce bruising from my cosmetic procedure”. This is a good one!
In addition to being delicious, pineapple contains a substance called Bromelain in its leaves, stem and fruit. Apparently, most Bromelain supplements are derived from the stem of the pineapple plant, not the fruit.
Bromelain has been shown to have beneficial cardiovascular effects, anti-inflammatory activity and anti-cancer activity. For the purposes of this article, Bromelain has been shown to be helpful in reducing bruising and swelling post surgically by reducing inflammation and breaking down blood clots. I read several studies to fact check myself for this article. Most of the studies used either 500mg of Bromelain capsules or 350mL of pineapple juice twice a day for 7 days before and after surgery to reduce bruising and swelling. This tells me that you have to eat a WHOLE LOT of pineapple to reduce bruising, so I do not think it is a practical recommendation to tell patients to eat pineapple to reduce bruising.
Other natural substances that have been shown to reduce bruising are Vitamin K and Arnica. These are available in topical preparations and Arnica is available as an oral supplement as well.
In the office we recommend Alastin’s INhance Post-Injection Serum with TriHex Technology® to be used to reduce swelling and bruising after cosmetic injections. This is available online or can be purchased in the Spring Boutique.
Although pineapple/Bromelain can reduce bruising there are a number of foods and supplements that worsen bruising. I often use the list and instructions below from UPMC in the office for surgical procedures.
You will notice that it says to stop things two weeks prior to procedures. This is not arbitrary. Platelets in our blood help us clot and reduce bruising. . Once our platelets are impaired, particularly from NSAIDS and Aspirin, we need to regenerate a new set of platelets that will function properly.
Tips to Minimize Bruising
Bromelain Supplement (pineapple extract) is available at drug and health food stores and greatly reduces bruising and swelling. Take 500 mg twice daily for one week prior to surgery and for two weeks after surgery.
The following should be avoided for two weeks before surgery and two weeks after surgery but you should check with your physician before stopping any of these medications:
- Aspirin
- Coumadin (Warfarin)
- Plavix
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
- Naprosyn/Naproxen (Aleve)
Herbs and supplements
Avoid the following herbs and supplements for two weeks before your surgery and for two weeks after your surgery.
| BilberryCayenne (red pepper)Dong QuaiEchinaceaFeverfewFish oil capsGarlicSt. John’s WortGinkgoGingerGinsengGingerGuarana | HawthorneKava KavaLicorice rootMa HuangMeadowsweetMelatoninNiacinRed cloverTumericValerianVitamin EWhite WillowYorhimbe |
Foods
The following foods contain aspirin properties and you should decrease your intake before and after surgery.
| AvocadosApplesApricotsBlackberriesCherriesCurrantsCucumbersDewberriesFish (all types)GarlicGooseberriesGrapefruitGrapesLemonsMelonsNectarinesOranges | OnionsPeachesPlumsPeppers (bell/green)PotatoesPrunesRaisinsRaspberriesRootbeerShellfish (all types)Spicy foodsStrawberriesSunflower seedsSoybeansSweet potatoesTomatoesWheat Germ Oil |
