The answer to whether you can shave your legs before surgery is generally no, and medical guidelines strongly discourage it. Proper preparation of the skin is a major factor in preventing complications. The priority of your surgical team is to minimize the risk of infection, and following specific instructions regarding personal hygiene and body hair is a simple way to protect your health.
Why Self-Shaving Increases Infection Risk
Using a razor blade to shave before a procedure significantly increases the risk of a Surgical Site Infection (SSI). Razors, even new ones, create microscopic cuts and abrasions on the skin’s surface, which compromise the skin’s natural barrier function and open entry points for bacteria. Bacteria that normally live on your skin, such as Staphylococcus aureus, can colonize these micro-abrasions. Once the skin is broken, these microorganisms can then easily be carried into the incision site during or after surgery. This mechanism is why major health organizations advise against using razors near the surgical site.
Approved Methods for Pre-Surgical Hair Removal
Hair removal is not always necessary; current guidelines recommend avoiding it unless the hair actively interferes with the operation or wound dressing. When hair must be removed, the method used must preserve the integrity of the skin and avoid the microscopic trauma associated with razor blades.
The preferred and safest method is the use of electric surgical clippers. These clippers feature a single-use head to prevent cross-contamination. They trim the hair just above the skin’s surface without making contact, avoiding nicks and abrasions, and resulting in fewer infections compared to shaving.
Depilatory creams are a less common but sometimes acceptable alternative, as they dissolve the hair chemically without causing skin trauma. However, these creams carry a risk of allergic reactions or irritation and are typically only used after a patch test or when clipping is impractical.
Timing and Who Performs the Procedure
If hair removal is required, it must be performed by trained healthcare staff, such as a nurse or surgical technician. Patients should never attempt hair removal themselves in the days or hours leading up to the procedure. This ensures the method is safe and performed under controlled, hygienic conditions.
The timing of hair removal is also important for infection prevention. To minimize the time for bacteria to multiply on exposed skin, necessary hair removal should occur as close to the surgery as possible. Guidelines recommend this be done immediately before the operation, ideally in the pre-operative holding area, as performing the removal too far in advance is associated with a higher risk of infection.