Which practice is recommended in preoperative skin preparation?

Which practice is recommended in preoperative skin preparation?

• A. Shaving hair with a razor to remove all hair.
• B. Cleansing with antiseptic solution; removal of hair with clippers if needed; maintain sterility.
• C. Reusing antiseptic solution across patients.
• D. Delaying skin prep until after incision.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is to lower the skin’s microbial load and keep the surgical field sterile before cutting. Cleansing the skin with an antiseptic solution is the standard approach, and if hair removal is necessary, using clippers is preferred over a razor to avoid microabrasions that can harbor bacteria. This should be done with sterile technique and kept specific to the patient, without reusing antiseptic across patients, to prevent cross-contamination. Skin prep should occur before incision, not after.

The main idea is to lower the skin’s microbial load and keep the surgical field sterile before cutting. Cleansing the skin with an antiseptic solution is the standard approach, and if hair removal is necessary, using clippers is preferred over a razor to avoid microabrasions that can harbor bacteria. This should be done with sterile technique and kept specific to the patient, without reusing antiseptic across patients, to prevent cross-contamination. Skin prep should occur before incision, not after.