Vacuum-Assisted Clipper in Preoperative Hair Removal: Effects on Contamination and Skin Integrity

April 1, 2026 updated by: Esma Aydın, Bilecik Seyh Edebali Universitesi

An Evaluation of the Effects of Using a Vacuum-Assisted Electric Shaver for Preoperative Hair Removal on Microbial Environmental Contamination and the Skin

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a vacuum-assisted electric trimmer (VD-ETM) compared with a standard electric trimmer (ETM) for preoperative hair removal. The study will assess microbial and environmental contamination, surgical site infection (SSI), procedure duration, skin integrity, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. Preoperative hair removal is a critical step in preventing SSI; however, conventional ETM devices may contribute to environmental contamination due to dispersed hair particles. VD-ETM systems are designed to reduce this risk by simultaneously removing hair and capturing particles. This study will provide evidence on whether VD-ETM improves operating room hygiene and patient outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a vacuum-assisted electric trimmer (VD-ETM) compared with a standard electric trimmer (ETM) for preoperative hair removal. The primary focus is to assess microbial and environmental contamination associated with each method, as well as their impact on surgical site infection (SSI), skin integrity, procedure duration, and patient-related outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention (VD-ETM) or control (ETM) group using block randomization via an online randomization tool. All procedures will be performed preoperatively in the operating room under standardized conditions to ensure consistency between groups. Data collection will include demographic and clinical characteristics, microbial contamination (measured as colony-forming units [CFU] from settle plates and skin swab samples), environmental contamination, skin irritation (assessed by visual inspection), and patient satisfaction (evaluated using a structured questionnaire). Swab samples will be collected before and after hair removal, and procedure duration will be recorded. All practitioners will receive standardized training. Surgical site infection (SSI) will be assessed prospectively on postoperative days 7 and 30 through clinical evaluation and, when necessary, structured telephone follow-up. This study is expected to provide evidence-based data to improve preoperative hair removal practices, enhance patient and staff safety, and support evidence-based nursing interventions in surgical care.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

120

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Merkez
      • Bilecik, Merkez, Turkey (Türkiye), 11100
        • Bilecik Seyh Edebali Universitesi

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male patients aged 18 years and older
  • Scheduled for elective laparoscopic surgery
  • Require preoperative hair removal at the surgical site
  • Classified as ASA I, ASA II, or ASA III
  • Able and willing to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Female patients
  • Patients who do not require preoperative hair removal
  • ASA IV or higher risk classification
  • Presence of active skin lesions at the surgical site that may affect assessment (e.g., dermatitis, psoriasis, open wounds, prominent scars, recent sunburn)
  • Use of any of the following within the last 7 days:
  • Antimicrobial soap, lotion, or shampoo
  • Topical or systemic antibiotics
  • Steroid therapy
  • Exposure to biocide-containing pools or thermal/spa waters
  • Severe immunosuppression (e.g., absolute neutropenia, high-dose steroid therapy)
  • Requirement for emergency surgery
  • Known allergy to any products or procedures used in the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: müdahale kolu
The study population will consist of patients requiring preoperative hair removal at the surgical site. Participants will be randomly assigned into two groups using block randomization: standard electric trimmer (ETM) or vacuum-assisted electric trimmer (VD-ETM). All procedures will be performed preoperatively in the operating room under standardized conditions, using the same boundaries and clipper head type. Data Collection: Data will include demographic and clinical characteristics, microbial contamination (measured by settle plates and sterile swab samples with CFU counts), skin irritation (assessed visually for redness, dryness, and irritation), and patient satisfaction (structured questionnaire). Swab samples will be collected before and after hair removal, environmental contamination will be assessed using petri dishes, and procedure duration will be recorded. All nurses will receive standardized training. Outcome Assessment: Surgical site infection (SSI) will be prospectively
Device: Vacuum-Assisted Electric Shaver (VD-ETM) Method

The study population will consist of patients requiring preoperative hair removal at the surgical site. Participants will be randomly assigned into two groups using block randomization: standard electric trimmer (ETM) or vacuum-assisted electric trimmer (VD-ETM). All procedures will be performed preoperatively in the operating room under standardized conditions, using the same boundaries and clipper head type.

Data Collection:

Data will include demographic and clinical characteristics, microbial contamination (measured by settle plates and sterile swab samples with CFU counts), skin irritation (assessed visually for redness, dryness, and irritation), and patient satisfaction (structured questionnaire). Swab samples will be collected before and after hair removal, environmental contamination will be assessed using petri dishes, and procedure duration will be recorded. All nurses will receive standardized training.

Outcome Assessment:

Surgical site infection (SSI) will be prospectively
No Intervention: kontrol grubu
No interventions will be performed on the control group by the researcher; the institution's standard protocol will be followed.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Microbial Environmental Contamination
Time Frame: Time Frame: Immediately after completion of the hair removal procedure

Description:

Environmental contamination will be measured using settle plates (Petri dishes containing culture medium) placed at standardized distances during preoperative hair removal. Plates will be exposed for 5-10 minutes, incubated at 37 °C for 24-72 hours, and colony-forming units (CFU) will be counted. Additional microbial contamination will be assessed using sterile swab samples collected from a standardized surface area (25×25 cm) before and after hair removal and cultured on agar plates. Measurement Unit: Colony-forming units (CFU/plate and CFU/cm²)
Time Frame: Immediately after completion of the hair removal procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Bilecik Seyh Edebali Universitesi

Investigators

  • Study Director: Dilek Aygin, Sakarya University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 1, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 8, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 1, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • BilecikSeyhEU-CHH-EA-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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