Ideas on how to take care of daughter's hair after her surgery

[heatherainsley]

My daughter is having surgery on friday, it is outpatient but she wont be able to walk for atleast a week and then it will be months before her foot is well enough to get a shower. I need some ideas on how to keep her hair clean it is not long enough yet to put up after i had to trim some damage off. I was thinking the bottles of no rinse shampoo. I am also trying to think off ways to keep it out of her way. Thank you for any Ideas you may have.

[amaiaisabella]

What about pigtails? That should keep the hair out of her face, but you can do them on fairly short hair, and it will be easier to tie back with less-than-clean hair.

[manderly]

Is it possible to just wash it in the bathroom/kitchen sink if necessary? If just her foot needs to stay out could she just lean over the tub too? Otherwise I like the idea of braided pigtails too.

[steph in tx]

How about a bandana or scarf. It will help keep it off her face too. My recollection of those shampoos is that they dry the hair pretty good, so maybe having her lean over the sink is a good idea.

[heatherainsley]

Im just worried about her trying to stand up that much, They are putting implants in her foot and cutting the calf muscle and shaving bones down in her foot. I just dont know how she is going to feel to do it in the sink. Maybe i could pull a chair up? They have warned me that the meds they will give her will probably make her very sick to the stomach. I like the pig tail option I did not think of that.

[Carolyn]

How old is she? If she's a smaller child you could do what my mom did to wash my hair when I was little. Put the square end of your ironing board up to your kitchen sink. Lay her on her back on the ironing board with the back of her head at the edge of the sink. You can wash her hair like that. It's sort of like the way they lay you back to wash your hair in a salon. If you have a spray hose thingie that would help but it's not essential. She might think it's great fun.

[manderly]

There's always something like this so she won't have to lean. Just bring a chair up to the sink.

http://www.amazon.com/Hair-Washing-Shoulder-Mounted-Shampoo/dp/B000JTWYA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1239675182&sr=1-1

[goodluckcharm]

I had two broken wrists at one point as a teenager and couldn't wash my own hair. Our washing machine was right next to the sink in our washroom, and i would lie back on the machines and she would wash my hair in the sink for me. This also worked on the kitchen counter. also maybe try having her lie down in the bath tub with her feet in the air towards the ceiling? Not ideal, but with some help it might work!

[Rebel_Dream]

I think the Kitchen sink seems the best for this.

[Islandgrrl]

My daughter had surgery on her legs a few years ago and came home in two full-leg casts: (http://www.iwgd.com/marissa/marissa3.html) no showers!

We brought a chaise lounge (from the deck) into the bathroom and reclined it back so that her head was over the tub and she was lying on her back. And I washed her hair that way until her casts came off a couple months later. Awkward as all hell, but it worked.

[Mabel Grey]

I know it might cost some, but what about taking her to a salon for a weekly wash. I had abdominal surgery and no one to wash my hair and I couldn't lean over, so I paid the 10 dollars for a treat once a week. Especially if she might be house bound?
I like the idea of pigtails, also. And maybe get her a few cheap bandanas. Hope her surgery goes well.

[jojo]

On the ward where I work we use these http://www.synergyonlinestore.com/personal_care/RSC905.html to wash patients hair, they are fantastic. to maintain I find braids the most practical.

[myotislucifugus]

Maybe now is a good time to try a no wash method?
That sounds like a very complicated procedure for a child, and I wish her the best.
Lying on the counter while her hair is washed in the sink sounds like the best idea. Maybe try some bath pillows for the elderly for head support. I wish her luck and a speedy recovery.

[Teacherbear]

I'm sorry your daughter is having to have surgery. I hope all goes well!

Perhaps a headscarf. It will help keep her hair cleaner, less tangled (I'd think), and it might be stylish. Maybe you can get some cute scarves that she'd like wearing. I would think a place like Afterthoughts or Claire's at the mall might have something she'd like.

eta: To add to Carolyn's idea, my friend's grandmother use to wash her (the girl's) hair at the kitchen sink. She had the girl lay down on the kitchen counter. The g'ma was able to use the sprayer hose to help rinse the hair.

[banglaminerva]

I had spinal surgery followed by 9 months in a body cast that went from my arm pits to just above my knees. Pretty much all I could do was roll side to side.

My hair was in 2 braids most all of the time and we washed it by my lying on the bed so my head hung over the side, a plastic sheet under me with lots of stuffing to make sure that the water didn't go into the cast, a large bucket/tub under my head, and a smaller pail to pour water over my hair. Was quite a production, but it did the job.

good luck and a speedy recovery wish for your daughter!

[heatherainsley]

Thank you everyone. She came out just fine, though today she is a sobbing mess, poor thing even her pain meds arent helping that much. Just wanted to let everyone know thank you for all your ideas. I must go and take care of my baby.

[SimplyLonghair]

I am sorry that she is in pain now, but I understand that orthopedic surgery is some of the most painful, bones hurt more than people realize. I would use what they do in nursing homes when a patient cannot go to a shower.

Take all of the pillows away and take towels and roll them into logs making a square pond shape around her head. Take a thick trash bag, a very large one, and line this area like you are making a pool and this is its liner. You make the area where her neck will come a little lower but not too much. This is now the sink and wash her hair in this by pouring small amounts of water over it.

When you go to empty it you use a small basin and Carefully move part of the towel, (keep the trash bag in place so water doesn't go everywhere) and allow the water to pour into the basin.

It is a hassle, but until she is well enough to move around much it will work. Later the sink thing if she is small enough will work. I would just not move her too much at first.

Blessings on you and your family!

[Forever_Sophie]

I know it might cost some, but what about taking her to a salon for a weekly wash. I had abdominal surgery and no one to wash my hair and I couldn't lean over, so I paid the 10 dollars for a treat once a week. Especially if she might be house bound?
I like the idea of pigtails, also. And maybe get her a few cheap bandanas. Hope her surgery goes well.

Salon washing is what I was thinking, too.

[Darkhorse1]

Depending on the age of your daughter, you can also buy these special hair washing tubs that they use in hospitals. It holds the water and you can put it under her neck and use water to pour over her head and this basin collects it. We can get them here in some pharmacies. Pricey, but if you are looking at a long term healing process, it might work. Alternatively, if you can manage to have her lean back into a sink or tub, that's a cheaper solution.

Wish your daughter the best and tell her not to be scared! It's very quick when you have surgery and they have meds for pain :)

[Darkhorse1]

Oh! Poor little sweetie--she had it yesterday!
I wouldn't worry about hair washing until she really needs it. She's probably not going to care much--I'd use two braids on either side of the face, though if she's throwing up, that may get in the way. Maybe pin them up on top of her head?

Hugs to you and your little one!

[Iylivarae]

I just had foot surgery two weeks ago, and I showered as follows:

1. Put a chair (metal or plastic) into the shower, so it is possible to sit on it from outside the shower.
2. Sit on the chair, with the healthy foot, push the chair slowly, until you sit where the water comes down.
3. Put the healing leg on another chair (or the toilet, or whatever is close) and wrap a towel around it.
4. Shower.
5. Dry with a towel as good as possible.
6. Push the chair to the core of the shower again.
7. Stand up, dry and dress - done!

It has worked fine for me, I could even do it alone, but it would be even easier with the help of someone.