An Efficient Method for Hair Containment During Head and Neck Surgery

Abstract

The authors present a simple technique for operations around hair-bearing areas such as during a rhytidectomy. Hair surrounding the surgical field is twisted into bundles and clipped with duckbill clips. The authors repeat the procedure for each strand of hair. Between 5 and 7 duckbill clips may be required per surgery.The clippers are faster, easily applicable, and well performing. They can be used with different hair lengths, and they do not require any additional trimming or shaving; clips also keep the hair firmly in place, and they do not loosen up in the process.This technical note explains a very simple, economical, and less time-consuming method to control hair located around the surgical site. It may be applied to all procedures within the field of the hair-bearing scalp, including craniofacial and maxillofacial surgery.

The Efficacy of Local Flaps in the Treatment of Traumatic Scalp Defects

“…Therefore, many authors recommend not removing head hair since diverse methods of intraoperative hair containment exist. [15][16][17] Furthermore, hair sparing or only minimal shaving along planned incisions improves the immediate aesthetical outcome of the surgery. 14 Scalp hair removal should not be considered as a tool of improved antisepsis.…”

An easy way to tidy up long hair with rubber bands during scalp surgery

“…But it is difficult to fasten long hair with a movable surgical drape or a moist gauze swab and to painlessly remove an adhesive drape or tape postoperatively 2‐4 . The duckbill clip method needs a lot of clips, which are sometimes unavailable in the clinic, in order to secure long and thick hairs 5 . Although sterile gel or paraffin gauze dressing materials were recently introduced to hold down the hairs effectively, a slippery and sticky substance on the surgeon's gloves can interfere with the operation 3,6 …”

“…[2][3][4] The duckbill clip method needs a lot of clips, which are sometimes unavailable in the clinic, in order to secure long and thick hairs. 5 Although sterile gel or paraffin gauze dressing materials were recently introduced to hold down the hairs effectively, a slippery and sticky substance on the surgeon's gloves can interfere with the operation. 3,6…”