Wearing makeup during surgery is discouraged primarily because it can interfere with the medical team's ability to accurately monitor your health and can pose potential risks.
Here's a breakdown of the reasons:
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Monitoring Circulation and Skin Condition: The anesthesia team needs to closely observe your skin color and condition to assess your circulation throughout the surgery. Makeup can mask subtle changes in skin tone that indicate a problem, such as:
- Cyanosis (bluish discoloration): This can signal low oxygen levels in the blood.
- Pallor (paleness): This can indicate low blood pressure or blood loss.
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Eye Safety: During anesthesia, your blink reflex is suppressed. Makeup particles, particularly eyeshadow or mascara, can flake off and irritate or even scratch your cornea, potentially leading to infection or injury.
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Infection Risk: Makeup can harbor bacteria, which increases the risk of infection at the surgical site or in the surrounding areas. Although rare, any measure to mitigate this risk is important.
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Interference with Monitoring Equipment: Certain types of makeup might interfere with the accurate readings of monitoring equipment attached to your skin.
In summary, while seemingly insignificant, abstaining from makeup before surgery allows the medical team to best monitor your condition, prevent potential eye injuries, and minimize the risk of infection, ensuring a safer surgical experience.
