The skin preparation for thyroid surgery starts from the patient’s lower lip, down to the level of both nipples, and on both sides to the anterior border of the trapezius muscle bilaterally. In the case of minimally invasive surgery, some of which requires a skin incision from the areola, the skin preparation is extended to the entire chest; in the case of an axillary approach, the skin preparation is extended to the shoulder, axilla, and lateral chest on that side.
Surgical skin preparation is the preoperative process of removing the patient’s hair from the surgical site and cleaning the site. This includes cleaning the patient’s skin and shaving. The purpose of skin preparation is to minimize the number of bacteria in the skin at the surgical site without disrupting the integrity of the patient’s skin, thereby reducing the incision infection rate after surgery.
If you need to prepare the skin before surgery, you can simply remove the beard and other body hair at home and take a shower to clean it, but you need to be careful to prevent damaging the skin and causing bacterial infection. Skin preparation should be performed by a healthcare professional.