Make up in C Section?

[McOrange]

I’m booked in for an elective section on Monday and had the final call with the midwife today. She said that no nail varnish is allowed as the anaesthetist needs to see your blood flow / true colour and also “no make up for same reason”. I asked her if it’s just skin make up ie foundation or can I wear light make up like mascara, she had never been asked that before and wasn’t sure of the answer.

It’s not a big deal but I’d marginally prefer not to look like an absolute trog in first photos with the baby so would like to wear a bit of mascara / brows if that’s ok, anyone know either way?

My first birth was an emergency section and I had a full face of make up then but appreciate the need to get the baby out would have overridden the need to remove make up.

Im sure I’ll get some salty responses so just to head those off - no it’s not a huge deal, no I’m not shallow / vain, yes the baby’s health is my priority, no this isn’t the biggest worry I have right now etc etc.

TIA

Hi, I had shellac toes at my emergency section. Also had on mascara and drawn eyebrows. No one even mentioned it.
Dunno if that's because it was an emergency mind you 🤷🏻‍♀️

I had two electives. I wore (waterproof) mascara for both and had brows enhanced with powder and gel for the second. Nobody said a thing, I was warned against nail polish\acrylics etc but wasnt an issue for me

Hope all goes well

I had a planned and was told no varnish or make up. I would think foundation was a bad idea as they can't monitor you natural skin colour. You can always put make up on afterwards for photos.

It’s not a great idea. Hopefully it will all go smoothly, and you and baby will be fine, but if things were to go seriously pear shaped and you needed a general anaesthetic then eye make up can flake and irritate or scratch your eye. Lipstick again means it’s not easy to check your actual colouring. The other thing to consider is flammability. Things that might not normally be considered a fire risk may well become so in the presence of high volumes of oxygen (which would be pumped at your face if you needed it in theatre).

My friend did her eyebrows before her planned section.

I think as long as your skin is clear that should be ok.

I’m with you on this one! I had an emergency CS with DC1 and had no make up on, greasy hair, I look awful in the first pics of baby.

Of course I was just happy she was delivered safely but I do wish the photos were nicer!

I have a planned c-section happening soon for DC2 and actually asked the midwife about make up as I’d really like nicer pictures to remember. She said nail varnish and jewellery would be no-no’s, but she said make up would be fine (inc skin make up), so I’ll be going in looking hopefully nicer than first time round!

Good luck for Monday!

I tinted my eyebrows before mine.

I had a full face of make up on for my ELCS, eyelash extensions and all. I was told about the no nail varnish but no one said anything to me about make up. My midwife also made it very clear to me that I shouldn’t wax or shave my bikini line as it was an infection risk but then the midwife prepping me for the c section looked horrified that I hadn’t 😳. She had to consult with the surgeon about what to do and ended up dry shaving me with the most awful razor. I don’t know if my pubes go up higher than expected but I still don’t understand what I did wrong.

I'm an anaesthetist who does a fair bit of obstetrics. I really don't care about make up! Nails yes - our modern sats probes work through simple varnish but not so well on acrylics or dark colours. But face make up - there might be a policy somewhere but I've never seen anyone asked to remove it! Let us know if you're wearing contact lenses though.

I’ve been specifically asked to remove pubes “if I can reach safely without cutting myself” which made me laugh

Another anaesthetist here …also not at all bothered about make-up! Would recommend waterproof mascara though!

I thought current guidelines were NOT to shave ?

I was told in my letter to stop shaving 3 days before and that they would shave me with a special sterile razor if necessary. I don’t know why your midwife was so horrified, I imagine it’s fairly normal to ease off on the grooming at 9 months pregnant!

I asked about make up OP (for the photos, same as you!) and was told it wasn’t an issue. I think I just wore a bit of concealer, mascara and eyebrow pencil in the end. Good luck!

I had my c section pre op call today. I realllly want to leave the (normal not gel) nail varnish on my toes. I feel and look awful atm thanks to excess swelling on my legs/ ankles/ face.

You’ll be wearing surgical stockings, no one will see your toes! So not a doctor but I can’t see how that would cause a problem and I’m pretty sure I had polish on for my 2, which no one ever saw as I put my own stockings on. I also wore make up in an attempt to look half decent in photos and that was fine. I was given no advice on what to do hair removal wise but I opted for had a bikini wax about a week before.

I had no makeup or nail varnish, as per instructions.
I put on makeup after it was all over and before any photos were taken and remember thinking I looked ok. I had had a massive dose of morphine though.
When I look back at the photos I looked aweful, even a makeup artist couldn’t have improved things. I was severely anaemia and had swollen up like a Michelin man due to high blood pressure.
The photos 48hrs later looked so much better, in fact I look like a different person.

Really interesting, thanks to the anaesthetists in particular for their insight!

I have definitely been told to shave and the booklet on c sections I’ve been given mentions it too so that’s correct, it seems like there’s lots of different advice between trusts

@Eek3under3 that’s exciting, when is yours booked for?

@McOrange next Thursday although I have pre eclampsia so will be a miracle if I get that far! What about you?

I've had two ELCS and was advised to remove hair prior to the ops because if I didn't, they would do it for me and it would be a basic bic. The thought of that re growth was horrible. I got waxed.

ive had 3 c sections. Full face of makeup all 3 times. 1 was crash/emergency and other 2 planned but urgent/pre term. I don’t remember if I had nail varnish/nails on, but probably not as I’m not a massive fan of colouring nails.
Good luck with your section.

Same. Wasn’t an issue as I wax anyway, but was told to shave if I had hair down there for section.

Odd. Normal practice is for the hospital to use clippers if hair needs to be removed for a surgery as there is an infection risk from shaving (or waxing).

Regardless of who wields the razor, the nature of shaving is the infection risk. Hence clippers.

Why the need to shave? Is the section not a good inch of so above anyway? Just danger of loose hairs?

I got rushed in for an emcs at 30 weeks, mask going on my face when I shouted I needed to push, a lovely twin forceps instead. Trust me! But they DID take out a hood piercing in 5 seconds flat. bastards 😂

2 x ELCS here. Full face of make up, shellac hands, normal varnish on toes both times - no issues at all x