Preoperative Skin Preparation
To help us minimize the risk of surgical site infections, please:
Notify the office if…
- You are prescribed an antibiotic and will not be finished with it 2 weeks prior to surgery
- Notice cuts, scrapes, blemishes, bug bites on operative extremity
- Become ill or develop any change in your health prior to your surgery. This includes minor conditions such as a cold, cough, or scrape on the operative extremity.
Use the antiseptic skin wipes given to you in the office
- You will be or were given antiseptic wipes to be used on your skin the night before and the morning of surgery. Please see the “preparing your skin before your surgery” section below for more information.
Do not shave or clip hair around the surgical site, or apply any hair removal lotions or creams to this area
- Hair around the surgical area will be shaved with clippers at the surgery center the morning of surgery
Do not apply lotions or creams around the surgical site for 24 hours prior to the surgery
Preparing or “prepping” skin before your surgery can reduce the risk of infection at the surgical site. To make the process easier for you, Cleveland Clinic has chosen disposable cloths moistened with a special rinse-free 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) antiseptic solution. The steps below outline the prepping process that you should follow carefully.
Information before using the antiseptic skin wipes:
Showering or bathing before using the wipes is not necessary unless your skin is visibly soiled or dirty. If you need to shower or bathe, do so at least 2 hours before using the disposable clothes.
Open one pack of wipes, which contains 6 individual wipes.
- Wipe down your entire body with the wipes, excluding your face and genitals.
- In this order, use one wipe each for your:
- Neck
- Chest and abdomen
- Arms
- Legs
- Back
- The surgical area. Use all cloths in the package.
- Use the wipes in the same way that you would use a washcloth
- When wiping the surgical site, move back and forth for about 3 minutes making sure to wet the whole area
- Allow the area to air dry for one minute.
- Do not rinse off or shower
- It is normal for the skin to have a temporary “tacky” feel for several minutes after the antiseptic solution has been applied.
- Do not apply any powders, deodorants, creams or lotions
- Put on clean clothing.
Do not bathe or shower the morning of your surgery, as the antiseptic should remain on the skin from the previous night application.
- Repeat the process from the night before using the second pack of wipes
At a Glance
Dr. Jose Vega
- Board-certified orthopedic surgeon
- Fellowship-trained sports medicine specialist
- Author of industry leading peer reviewed publications
- Learn more
