Helping you to prevent infection.

After a surgical procedure, there is always a risk of infection. We're here to help you prevent that from happening. Below, read our tips to avoid a surgical infection.

Tips for showering.

Be sure you do not shave the surgical site for one week before your surgery.

We recommend you use chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) skin prep, also known as Hibiclens, to help kill any germs on your skin. CHG can be found at most major drugstore.

The night before and the morning of your surgery, follow these steps to clean your skin with CHG.

• Clean the body with soap and water
• Turn off the water and open the bottle of CHG
• Using half the contents of the bottle, pour CHG onto hands and wash body from the neck down
• Wash the neck, chest, abdomen and groin (in this order)
• Wash both shoulders, arms, hands and under the arms
• Wash both hips, legs and feet
• Wash your back and buttocks
• If there are areas that are hard for you to reach, ask someone to assist you
• Leave CHG on your skin for about 2 minutes
• Turn on water and rinse
• Pat dry with a clean towel

Read our pre-operative bathing instructions (PDF) or download our Spanish version (PDF).

The night before your surgery.

Follow these tips the night before your surgery to help prevent an infection.

• Do not use any deodorant, perfumes, powder, cream or lotions
• Wear clean pajamas
• Sleep on clean sheets