What are the different skin preparation areas, before a surgical procedure?

Answer 1

Your question doesn't make a whole lot of sense....

Generally, patients are asked to wash the surgical site with antibacterial soap before coming in for surgery. If the site is hairy, it might get shaved in the pre-op area, or it might get shaved in the OR. (Legs and bellies might get done ahead of time. Heads, not so much) Some surgeons order another scrub in the pre-op area, especially for total joint replacements.

Then it's off to the OR, and you're anesthetized. Then the REAL prep begins. Further shaving, if needed, then the prep.

There are different preps. The old way is a betadine scrub followed by betadine paint. Newer preps are alcohol based, and are just swabbed on. Betadine isn't flammable, but the newer preps are (because of the alcohol) so they have to dry thoroughly so they don't catch the patient on fire. There is also a prep called Duraprep which is swabbed on and has to wear off. I've also seen surgeons use chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol as preps.

Each surgeon has his or her own preference. There are also bowel preps, vaginal preps, and others, but that's probably more than you want to know.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Iodine: thick sticky dark yellow brown - used extensively in the past but fading out now as it has been know to be flammable on the skin when using electrical instruments in the operating room. Generally has to wear off the skin as it does not wash off with soap or water.

Betadine: most common - a non flammable type of iodine. Less sticky and washes off with water.

Oops sorry I didnt read your quetion properly.
What do you mean areas? Depends on what/where you are having the surgery done.


If a patient is allergic to these then Surgical Alcohol is used.

Answer 3

Usually before a surgical procedure it is Betadine

Sometimes Chlorhexidine is used

Answer 4

Not sure if these answers are what you are asking for:
1) alcoholic swab on IV area if needed
2) shave off hair, if any on area of surgery & disinfect area
3) local anaesthetic injection of area if just a day procedure
or 4)some type of masking of blood color? of area of incision

that is all I can think of...

Answer 5

i do not know what you mean by areas....depends on the operation. I would imagine the most common place would be the stomach just below the ribcage or in the hip or thigh.