Washing Hair Before Surgery?

[MadeiraD]

I'm getting a breast augmentation in a few days and I got sent these instructions:


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PRE-OPERATIVE SHOWERING INSTRUCTIONS:
We are taking steps to reduce the chance of infection after surgery.
Washing with a special soap reduces the number of germs on your skin. Your surgeon has asked that
you follow the instructions below to clean your skin before your surgery.
You will need to shower the night before and the morning of surgery with a special antiseptic
soap called chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). You can purchase this soap at your local drug store. It is
either called “chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) antiseptic soap” or Hibiclens and may come in 2% or 4%
strengths. You may use either.
Do not use CHG soap/Hibiclens:
* on your head, face or vaginal area
* on any skin that is not intact, or on any open wound
* if you have an allergy to chlorhexidine-containing products
SHOWERING PROCEDURE: Complete the night before AND the morning of surgery
* In the shower, wash and rinse your hair first using your normal shampoo.
Make sure you completely rinse the shampoo from your hair and body.
* Wet your entire body. Then turn the water off and move away from the water spray
* Apply the CHG soap to your body, starting under your chin. Do NOT use it near your
eyes, ears, or mouth. If you get this soap into your eyes, rinse thoroughly with warm water
and begin the process again starting from step one.
* Gently wash your entire body from the chin down, staying out of the water spray as you wash. Gently
wash the area(s) where your surgery will be for about 3 minutes. If your surgery is on your face,
head, or vaginal area, do NOT wash these areas with the CHG soap, but do wash the rest of your
body. If possible, have someone help with areas you can’t reach, such as your back.
* If you have difficulty completing the wash because you can’t reach certain areas, or for other
reason, please tell your nurse when you arrive at our facility. The nurse may assist you in
completing the wash before entering the operating room.
* Once you have completed the scrub, rinse the CHG soap off your body completely using
the shower water. DO NOT WASH WITH REGULAR SOAP AFTER YOU HAVE USED THE
ANTISEPTIC CHG SOAP SOLUTION.
* Pat yourself dry with a clean, freshly washed towel. DO NOT apply any powders, deodorants or
lotions. Dress with clean freshly washed clothes.
* DO NOT SHAVE in the area of your surgery.

I was wondering if I have to wash my hair with shampoo twice in two days (that's a lot for me I'm a Co-washer and wash stretcher) if I keep my hair up and out of the way (say in a sleep cap) the whole time?

[Larki]

I'd follow their directions exactly if I were you. It's not going to damage your hair and your health is more important.

[lapushka]

I'd follow their directions exactly if I were you. It's not going to damage your hair and your health is more important.

:agree: Totally agree. It won't kill you to adapt your routine *one time*.

[Mya]

I agree with the previous members. :) Also, good luck for your surgery! :blossom:

[embee]

They are trying to avoid MRSA. You do not want to tangle with MRSA at all, ever, in your whole life. Do exactly as they say. Your hair will likely be just fine. This is more important.

If you have a freshly washed sleep cap, it might be good to offer to use it when you get there. For sure put your hair in a secure bun which will not be in the way when you are lying down. Wet is probably ok, people here bun wet hair often and seem ok.

Best wishes for a very successful and pleasing surgery result. :)

[Lyv]

I would wash twice just in case or call their office, I'm sure they've been asked that before and would be able to tell you exactly what to do. Good luck with your surgery!

[MadeiraD]

Follow up question: Do you think the stress on my body from surgery will cause a lot of shedding (I'm super nervous)

[Katlette]

I'd phone and ask. The way it reads makes it seem like the important bit is not that you shampoo, but rather that you do that first and make sure all shampoo is off your body before you start properly washing yourself with the special soap. A CO-wash might be completely fine.

But unless your hair gets really unmanageable after shampoo, I wouldn't bother with finding out and would stick to their instructions just to be safe.

Best of luck with the surgery!

[Lyv]

I don't think it would cause shedding as long as you're taking it easy afterwards. I've been looking into the surgery for years (haven't gotten up the courage to actually do it though) and I haven't heard of anyone having a lot of shedding afterwards. They do have a pretty good forum that is just for breast augmentation that you could check, the mods there are pretty knowledgeable and there's a place for surgeons to answer questions.

[MadeiraD]

Mine's on the 16th. I'm super terrified and excited. Also I didn't get my pre-op instructions till today and they said no advil or aspirin or similar products for 10 days before, but I took some nyquil last night (whoops) so hopefully that'll be okay.

[twiglet]

I wouldn't think it would cause shedding... but if you take it easy afterwards it should negate any chance that it will. And I absolutely agree with the posters above that you should change your routine just this once and follow their instructions... my dad got MRSA after a shoulder surgery and spent almost 3 months on IV antibiotics :( better not to take the chance.

Good luck to you though!

[Sharysa]

One dose of NyQuil should be fine after a week, but it's always good to ask. And it might not be necessary, but I also echo the "health first" advice. It's only one day, and at least you don't have to use special medical shampoo since you're going in for a breast augmentation. Leave-in oils or other products most likely risk contamination, however small, or the smell of conditioner/oil might just be weird for the surgeons.

Good luck!

[Nadine <3]

I agree, follow the instructions exactly. Better safe than sorry! Good luck!

[spidermom]

Another vote for follow the directions.

And you're safe with the Nyquil. It doesn't contain aspirin or Advil. You should probably list it though. They usually have you list your medications.

[Radiant]

Follow up question: Do you think the stress on my body from surgery will cause a lot of shedding (I'm super nervous)

Everyone reacts differently to surgery, but I wouldn't expect that you would. I had spinal fusion surgery, which is pretty major as far as surgeries go. Barely even took care of my hair afterwards. Think it was a couple weeks post op before my hair even was washed or combed (gross I know, but I wasn't able to move, and wasn't really even conscious the first week). I didn't experience any shedding beyond normal, even with the neglect to my hair. So hopefully it'll be the same for you. Good luck with your surgery.

[Anje]

By my reading, they don't want you to wash the chlorhexidine off your skin with shampoo or normal soap, which is why the instruction is to wash hair first. Confirm with the doctor's office, but I'm sure that covering your hair and not washing it is perfectly acceptable.

Disclaimer: I'm a microbiologist, not a medical doctor.

[mindwiped]

I work in a medical field, and they don't want any 'soap' products used after the pre-op shower, because it inactivates the chlorhexidine. You should be fine to skip one/both shampoos, they just don't want the shampoo to rinse of the chlorhexidine by you shampooing after the chlorhexidine. Likewise, you are highly encouraged to continue your routine hand washing before food prep and after toileting.

For style/containment, a clean cap should be fine post op, and they will give you one of the blue bouffant ones prior to surgery. Make sure that your hair containment devices are metal free, or they will insist you remove them. And make sure your style is comfortable to lie/sleep on.

Hair fall- some people (me) have hair loss just from the anesthesia, it will grow back, it's just annoying in the baby hair fly away length. Since you'd asked, and it's rare, but possible, I felt the need to let you know. Try not to stress about it, as it will only make it worse.

Hope the info helps you prepare, and I wish you well doing your operation and recovery. You're welcome to ask me if you have other questions, but you can also call your hospital's pre-operative people, and they know exactly what they want, and cal explain it easily.


BTW- I am not a doctor or a nurse, I work in the respiratory field, so I don't play Dr. Interwebs, this is more in the nature of a 'Doctor Mom' advice, with just enough experience with chlorhexidine that I could explain the logic in reference to shampooing.