Will a technician shave or clip my hair before I undergo surgery?

If hair is in the immediate field of incision, there is a good possibility that it will be clipped. Shaving the hair the night before surgery has been associated with increased incidence of surgical site infections when compared to shaving immediately before surgery by the technician. It is therefore recommended that you do not do this (even if it is an area habitually shaved such as the armpit, pubic area, or legs). Clipping immediately before surgery (rather than shaving) will likely have an even lower incidence of surgical site infection than shaving. Clipping of some hair-bearing areas should be avoided (such as the eyebrows), while other areas (such as the pubic regions) are very commonly clipped.  If this is a concern for you (particularly with facial or scalp hair), it is always fine to discuss this with your surgeon and the surgical nurse (with whom you may meet prior to surgery).