Hair on the stomach and surgery?

Hey my fellow gentlemen,

I have a question that I feel comfortable asking here! :) If you have abdominal hair (are there any of us that don't), do they shave the entire abdomen or just little areas for the incisions (LAP procedure)? What have your experiences been?

Thanks,

Doug

Hi Doug,

They shave it all. Might as well just wait for them to do it for you, as they have just the right equipment for it. It took about three months for mine to come back.

Dave

Hey Doug, I've seen this question asked before, for me they pretty much shaved my whole stomach. Not so much the sides but all around the top where they were gonna be working. Good luck to you.

Doug Great question.  They did mine during my prep for the LAP surgery. There is one interesting point regarding belly hair that I noticed.  After loosing several pounds it seems like I have more hair now on the stomach and legs then I did before.  One explanation I got is the skin is stretched out as much so the hairs are really just closer together making it look like more growth. Dan

I think it varies by surgeon.  They just shaved the areas where they used the LAP tools on my abdomen. Ken

I had Lap RNY and they shaved it all.  I am with Dan, though, it seems as though it came back much thicker.  I thought it might be the extra protein.  Doesn't really matter, just glad it came back, my wife likes it.  Like the line in the movie, "You only live twice", "Bird no make nest in empty tree." Bob

It itches pretty good for a about week, once it starts growing back, too. JP

They only shaved the six spots where I had small incisions for my Lap RNY...   It's a good thing, cuz it would have taken some industrial strength clippers to shave this boy.

Yeah, once they see my stomach, they might want to consider just doing the lap spots because it'll take a long time to shave this mess. I am even thinking of calling the nurse/MA assigned to my OR and advising she/he call in sick! LOL.

Thanks for all the input guys and I'll have to look forward to all of the itching that'll certainly come with it.

Cheers!

For me, they just shaved the areas where they used the lap tools (both times; they went back in a year later to check for internal hernias and also to re-fix an umbilical hernia). But it sounds like, based on the posts, that this is the minority; ask your surgeon what they have folks do, sounds like the 'best' answer... ...N