For years I have heard different opinions from my patients regarding Arnica Montana. This herbal supplement has been touted to help minimize bruising and swelling. It can be used in topical or oral forms in a variety of manners.
A new systematic review article (or study of all previous studies) in Dermatologic Surgery looks at the supposed benefits of arnica. They reviewed studies from a variety of field including facial plastic surgery. Then, they combined the results to see if there was any real scientific value. Studies in my field, facial plastic surgery, have shown some potential value, although fairly minimal. Most surgeons in facial plastic surgery do not have strong opinions regarding arnica and typically do not regularly recommend. This new systemic review article came to a similar conclusion. Although, there have been some benefits seen in the past, overall it is hard to prove real benefit from arnica montana.
If patients do want to use arnica, I think it is important to use in the maximal dose and right where you need it. That is why I like the Ocumend gel pads. These provide 50x the dose you would get taking the oral medication. These can be directly applied to the area of injection (or surgery) and provide therapeutic benefit 6 cm beyond the pad. These are applied for 6 hours after injection and then a second pad is placed that night. Our patients have stated they have seen a real reduction in bruising and swelling and an overall quicker recovery.
While more studies are needed to fully prove arnica’s role for the future, Ocumend gel pads are a great option for those who firmly believe in its benefits.
