Should I Stop Taking MSM before Hair Transplant Surgery?

This question, asked by a member of the Hair Loss Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition physician Dr. Bernardino Arocha

I’ve been taking MSM for about a year (2000mg in the morning, 2000mg at night). It’s definitely thickened my hair shafts as well as sped up hair growth. One big question: Does MSM thin the blood? My hair transplant is on May 20th and I certainly don’t want to make the job more difficult by taking any potential blood thinners.

There is one study that suggests that MSM is safe for up to 12 weeks. I do not know how safe it is for longer term use. It presumably works by providing sulfur. With regards to substances that should be avoided prior to your hair restoration surgery to minimize bleeding, here is a list compiled from the textbook by Dr. Walter Unger, Dr. Ron Shapiro and myself:

Herbs, Vitamins and Supplements that Can Potentially Increase Bleeding

Angelica Root	Fenugreek	Pawpaw
Alcohol	Feverfew	Parsley
Anise	Flaxseed	Passion Flower Herb
Arnica Flower	Lucid	Poplar
Asafetida	Ganoderma	Quassia
Bogbean	Garlic	Quinine
Borage Seed Oil	Ginger	Red Clover
Bromelain	Guggul	Saw Palmetto
Capsicum	Ginko Biloba	Rue
Celery	Ginseng	Sweet Clover
Chamomile	Green Tea	Turmeric
Clove	Onion	Umbelliferae
Coenzyme Q10	Horse Chestnut	Vitamin E
Creatine	Lovage Root	Willow Bark
Dan Shen	Papain	Szechuan Pepper
Devil’s Claw	Magnesium	Plant Bark
Dong Quai	Meadowsweet	Rogaine (minoxidil)

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David – aka TakingThePlunge
Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

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