--- title: "Medicines and Supplements Before Surgery | APS" url: "https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/medicines-and-supplements-what-to-tell-your-surgical-team" type: "Blog article" section: "Blog > Treatment Guides" summary: "Prepare a medicines and supplements list before cosmetic surgery and learn what to ask without changing your treatment yourself." published: "2026-11-09" updated: "2026-11-09" article_section: - "Treatment Guides" audience: "Adults considering cosmetic plastic surgery or non-surgical treatments, in Cheshire, Manchester and Barbados." language: "en-GB" publisher: "Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons" --- # Medicines and supplements: What to tell your surgical team [Treatment Guides](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/treatment-guides) Prepare a medicines and supplements list before cosmetic surgery and learn what to ask without changing your treatment yourself. 9 November 2026 A clear medicine list gives your surgical team useful information before cosmetic surgery. Include what you actually use, not just what appears on an old prescription record. That means occasional products and supplements as well as regular treatment. This guide helps you organise that information. It does not tell you to stop, start or change any medicine. Those decisions need advice from the clinicians responsible for your care. ## Build one current list Begin with prescribed medicines, then add products you buy yourself. Include tablets, liquids, inhalers, creams, injections, patches and other forms you use. Also note vitamins, herbal products and supplements. For each item, record its name, strength, usual amount and how often you use it, where known. Say whether you take it regularly or only when needed. If someone prescribes or supervises it, include that detail too. If you cannot identify a product, avoid guessing. Keep its packaging or ask a pharmacist how to describe it accurately. Check with the surgical team whether it wants you to bring packaging or a current prescription record to assessment. ## Include products that seem minor It is easy to leave out a medicine taken only occasionally, a skin product or a supplement sold as natural. Put them on the list so the responsible clinician can decide whether they matter to the plan. You do not have to judge interactions yourself. Nor should you replace a product because an online checklist describes another one as safer. The purpose of disclosure is to support an individual assessment. ## Ask for clear instructions Before the operation, find out who will give any medication instructions and how you will receive them. Ask the team to make clear which product each instruction concerns. If two clinicians appear to give different advice, explain exactly what each said and ask them to resolve it. Do not select one instruction based on convenience. Likewise, do not make a treatment change simply because a surgery date is close. ## Keep the list up to date Date your list. If a prescription changes or you begin using another product after assessment, tell the surgical team and ask whether the plan needs review. An updated list can also help you spot a missing item when you receive written instructions. If something does not match, ask for clarification. Keep the latest version somewhere you can find it at the next appointment. ## Share through the right route Use the provider's approved clinical channel. Ask how it wants the list supplied if this is unclear. Avoid posting it in a public website form or social media comment. You can prepare your questions privately, then share the relevant details with the team. Accurate information is more helpful than trying to present a perfect-looking medical history. ## Frequently asked questions ### What belongs on the medicine list I give to my surgical team? Include prescribed and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, herbal products and supplements. Note regular and occasional use, including products that are not tablets. The team can then decide what matters to your assessment rather than relying on an incomplete prescription record. ### Do occasional painkillers or over-the-counter products need to be listed? Yes. Include products you use when needed as well as daily treatment. Give their names and explain how you use them. A medicine does not become irrelevant to surgical planning simply because you can buy it without a prescription. ### Should herbal or natural products be disclosed before surgery? Yes. Include them with your other products. A natural label does not establish that a product has no relevance to surgery or anaesthesia. Ask the responsible clinician for individual advice rather than starting, stopping or replacing it from an online list. ### What details help the team identify a medicine accurately? Record the name, strength, amount and frequency where known, plus who prescribes it. Ask whether the team wants packaging or a current medication record. If a name or detail is uncertain, say so rather than confusing it with a similar product. ### Should I stop any medicine myself to prepare for surgery? Do not independently change treatment on the basis of this article. Ask the clinician responsible for your care for clear instructions. Different medicines and health conditions need different decisions, including how any advice fits with your existing treatment plan. ### What if two clinicians give me different medication instructions? Contact the responsible teams and explain what each clinician said. Ask them to resolve the conflict before acting on it. Do not choose whichever instruction seems easier or use a general FAQ to settle a decision about your treatment. ### How should I report a medicine change after preoperative assessment? Update your list and tell the surgical team through its clinical contact route. Include new prescriptions, dose changes and new supplements. Ask whether the preparation instructions need review; do not assume an earlier list still represents your current treatment. ### How can I share my medication information without exposing it publicly? Ask for the provider's approved clinical route and use that to supply the list. Keep a copy with your own care information. Avoid public comments and social media posts, which may expose health details to people outside your care team. ## Further information For more information, read [APS risks and recovery information](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/resources/risks-recovery), the [APS patient journey](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/resources/patient-journey), or [contact APS](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/contact) with questions about a consultation. This is general information. Your treating team should provide advice for your circumstances. Share this article - Share via Email - Copy Link - Share on Facebook - Share on X - Share on LinkedIn - Share on Pinterest ## You may also like [View all articles ](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog) - [](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/anaesthesia-for-cosmetic-surgery-questions-for-your-care-team) Treatment Guides[Anaesthesia for cosmetic surgery: Questions for your care team](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/anaesthesia-for-cosmetic-surgery-questions-for-your-care-team)9 November 2026[Read article ](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/anaesthesia-for-cosmetic-surgery-questions-for-your-care-team) - [](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/adult-ear-correction-discussing-asymmetry-and-expectations) Treatment Guides[Adult ear correction: Discussing asymmetry and expectations](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/adult-ear-correction-discussing-asymmetry-and-expectations)9 November 2026[Read article ](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/adult-ear-correction-discussing-asymmetry-and-expectations) - [](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/a-private-labiaplasty-consultation-what-you-can-ask) Treatment Guides[A private labiaplasty consultation: What you can ask](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/a-private-labiaplasty-consultation-what-you-can-ask)9 November 2026[Read article ](https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/a-private-labiaplasty-consultation-what-you-can-ask) ## About this source Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons is a team of consultant plastic surgeons offering breast, body, facial and non-surgical treatments, with locations in Cheshire, Manchester and Barbados. All care is provided by consultant plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register, operating in CQC-registered facilities. Members of BAAPS and BAPRAS. - Website: https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org - Phone: 0808 129 2000 - Email: sian@aestheticplasticsurgeons.org Cite as: Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, "Medicines and Supplements Before Surgery | APS", https://www.aestheticplasticsurgeons.org/blog/medicines-and-supplements-what-to-tell-your-surgical-team (updated 2026-11-09). _This page is for general information only and does not replace personalised medical advice._