Notify your general practitioner if you are about to undergo treatment, even if you made the appointment on your own initiative. He may point out certain medical information which needs to be passed on prior to treatment. It is useful to consult your general practitioner for wound care after treatment. If sudden problems should arise, you may not be able to reach your specialist straight away. Your general practitioner can assess the gravity of any healing problems, in particular if he has been informed beforehand of your treatment. He may either help you directly, or in case of bigger problems, ensure emergency after-care while avoiding panic.
Cleanse your skin in the usual manner (soap is only necessary on those parts of your body where you would ordinarily use soap). At the most, use a moisturiser, and only if your skin would otherwise dry out. Do not use any make-up. Even for minor procedures, no make-up is to be used on the face. Remove all jewellery from parts of the body to be treated. Do not forget earrings during procedures involving the face. During procedures on the upper arm, no rings may be worn on the hands. For surgery in the operating theatre, the nail of at least one finger needs to be free of press-on nail or varnish, so that the clip of the device, which measures the concentration of oxygen in the blood, can be applied.
The hair of the head need not be cut away, neither prior to, nor during the procedure (except when serious injuries, due to an accident, are treated). Men shave their faces as usual; after all, the skin is used to this. Short downy hair (e.g. in a woman’s face) is completely harmless. All other parts of the body need to be depilated, and in the correct manner at that.
Shaving should take place at least two, preferably three days prior to the procedure. Stubble is harmless.
Depilatory cream can also be used a few days before the procedure, but only if this method was used before (see page on depilation).
Warm wax depilation, epilation and such, are irritating to the skin. If so desired, this technique should be implemented one week prior to the procedure. This is only possible if you have used the technique before and are confident that your skin will quickly recover.
If you are having trouble depilating certain parts of your body, this can be done by a hospital nurse just prior to the procedure.
Only if your doctor considers it necessary should you cleanse your skin with disinfectant soap. This may be the case in poor health, infected skin or parts of the body which are hard to keep clean.
These compounds inhibit or kill bacteria; they may, however, carry side effects. They are only prescribed in exceptional circumstances.
