Blood Thinners and hair removal

[KneedyinNJ]

Since I know I will be on blood thinners for awhile after surgery, I was wondering if anybody still used regular razors for shaving or switched to electric. I am concerned that I could nick my self, then bleed like crazy.

Thoughts? Ideas? Expericences?

Thanks,
Kathleen

 

[rerodriguez]

Hi, Kathleen,

I used an electric razor. The first couple of times my husband had to shave my legs, and I felt more comfortable with him using the electric razor. Once I was able to do it myself, I was on pain meds and thought it was safer to use the electric razor.

I use a nasal spray for allergies, and I did have a little bit of bleeding from my nose while I was injecting the Lovenox.

 

[Jamie]

I think you misunderstand what happens when you take these blood "thinners." There are a number of components in blood that work to enable clotting. Each of the medications works on one aspect of the process to slow down the clotting process. Granted medical personnel need to know if you are taking these meds if you had a major bleeding event like an accident or surgery. But people just don't bleed to death or even for extended periods of time from a cut or nick. You might find it takes a few minutes more for the clotting process to work while you are on these meds, but your blood does still clot.

So do what is most comfortable for you in terms of shaving. Don't worry over small wounds that you might get. You'll be fine.

 

[KneedyinNJ]

Thank you Jamie - I wasn't afraid of bleeding to death, just more bleeding than I care to deal with.

 

[Jamie]

That's good. I think you would be surprised at how little a difference it makes with small cuts and nicks. I was on Coumadin for several years and found in my case the drug only caused slightly greater time that I put a tissue or paper towel against a small wound. I was scared at first, but learned it was really no big deal.

 

[Josephine]

You didn't seriously expect your doctor to send you home on a med that would be that much of a problem or hazard, did you? :DOH:

 

[KneedyinNJ]

It's not the meds I'm worried about it is the rat poison :rolleyespink::rolleyespink:

 

[referee54]

I had several DVT's and I was on Lovenox; I still used a regular razor to shave---I had no problems.