Cleansing your skin for your surgery
Do not shave your body below your neck one to two days before your surgery.
The night before surgery, take a bath or shower. Wait one to two hours. Wipe your skin well with the Sage cloths. They have a special antiseptic solution. Use both of the cloths in each of the three packages.
Please do not follow the instructions on the Sage packages when cleansing your skin. Follow the instructions below.
Do not use chlorhexidine wipes or liquid if you:
- are sensitive to surgery skin preps
- know you have an allergy to chlorhexidine
If you notice your skin is irritated while using the chlorhexidine wipes or liquid, remove it gently with a wet washcloth.
Tell your pre-surgery nurse you had a reaction so he or she can make a note of your allergy history and tell others on your health care team.
There are rare cases of this product causing a serious allergic reaction. This can occur within minutes of use. Call 911 if you have any of these:
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- swelling of the face
- hives
- severe rash
- shock
Skin cleaning steps
- Gather your supplies: three packages of Sage 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate Cloths, scissors, and clean clothes or sleepwear.
- Open all three packages. Remove the cellophane wrapper and throw it away. Use scissors to cut open the packages. Cut straight across the top of each package.
- Reach into one of the three open packages. Take out two cloths at one time with the foam holder and put them on a clean surface. Repeat for the second and third packages.
- After you start using the cloths, do not touch your eyes, ears or mouth.
- Follow the skin cleansing steps below.
- Gently cleanse your skin using a back-and-forth motion.
- Be sure to completely cover each area. You may need help wiping some areas of your body.
The numbered areas in the illustration show where to cleanse your body using each of the cleansing cloths. The numbers in the text give you more details on how to cleanse your body.
- Using the first cloth, wipe your neck and chest.
- Using the second cloth, wipe both arms. Start at your shoulder and end at the fingertips. Be sure to wipe well under each arm and in the armpit areas.
- Using the third cloth, wipe your right and left hip, then your groin. Be sure to wipe any folds in the stomach and groin areas
- Using the fourth cloth, wipe both legs. Start at the thigh and end at the toes. Be sure to wipe the front and back of each leg
- Using the fifth cloth, wipe your back. Start at the base of your neck and end at the buttocks.
- Using the sixth (last) cloth, rewipe the surgery area (abdomen). Do not use the wipes on your genital or rectal area.
After you gently cleanse each area, let your skin air dry for one to three minutes. It is normal for your skin to feel tacky or sticky for several minutes after you apply the solution.
- Do not rinse or rub off the solution.
- Do not apply deodorant, perfume, lotions, moisturizers, gels, powders or make-up after cleaning your skin.
- Throw away the used cloths.
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap.
- Put on clean clothes or sleepwear.
- Put clean sheets on your bed. Make sure pets stay off your bed to keep it clean.