Bouffant vs. Surgical Caps

[h2oriderz]

What are you guys rockin in the OR?

Anyone else feel a little strange when putting on a bouffant? There's something about it that is a little awkward...

Discuss -- even if you wear a bouffant

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[PMPMD]

What are you guys rockin in the OR?

Anyone else feel a little strange when putting on a bouffant? There's something about it that is a little awkward...

Discuss -- even if you wear a bouffant

As someone who started off with a bouffant and switched to the cap, I've seen both sides of this debate. I used to opt for the bouffant because I didn't want to mess up my hair.

Now I go with a cap. I switched for a number of reasons. I care less about hat hair. I realized that I look slightly ridiculous in the bouffant. Some people can pull it off, but I am not one of them. Finally, the custom scrub caps are one of the few things that I can use to individualize my appearance in the OR.

 

[Gimlet]

My thoughts from a previous thread on the subject:

I have a theory about this that has yet to be proven wrong. Males who wear the bouffant caps will always give you the old line, "it takes a REAL MAN to wear one of these things."

What they actually mean is, "I don't like to mess up my pretty hair with those surgical caps, so I wear the bouffant and cover up my insecurity about it by insulting the manliness of anybody who doesn't wear one."

Honestly, though, I don't know why the bouffant is so prevalent among anesthesiologists. Maybe because it's easier to take on and off if they are going in and out of the OR area all day? I dunno. I never wear the bouffant unless I am just going to walk quickly through the OR as a shortcut from the PACU to the locker room or something.

Some days those surgical caps can be frustrating, though - like when you have a "bad cap day" where it doesn't ever seem like it's fitting right and is all lopsided on your head. That bugs me. I have a pretty large noggin, and once in a while there will be a box of them that are small for some reason, and they just don't fit on my head right. On those days I sometimes consider going with the bouffant, but then I remember how ridiculous men look in them and just go with the poorly fitting cap.

 

[huktonfonix]

bouffant. Who has time to dick around tying the cap every time you leave and come back to the operating room. I sure as hell aint wearing either of them outside of the OR.

 

[periopdoc]

I just love throwing people off so I will wear a bouffant and glasses for three weeks then show up one morning with contacts and a custom cap. It is funny seeing people either trying to figure out who I am or trying to figure out what looks different about me.

Generally I could care less which one I wear. I grab whatever is convenient...

Except for the massively extra large bouffant. Nope not going there.

- pod

 

[Bertelman]

As someone who started off with a bouffant and switched to the cap, I've seen both sides of this debate. I used to opt for the bouffant because I didn't want to mess up my hair.

Now I go with a cap. I switched for a number of reasons. I care less about hat hair. I realized that I look slightly ridiculous in the bouffant. Some people can pull it off, but I am not one of them. Finally, the custom scrub caps are one of the few things that I can use to individualize my appearance in the OR.

I'll vouch for his pride in hair.

 

[MTGas2B]

I like the surgical style caps. Gives me the chance to wear my custom hats, rock out in my Montana State cap and in one a patient gave me as a gift. If I were to wear the hospital issued caps people mistake me for periopdoc.

 

[gasspasser]

I thought I read somewhere way back about the elastic/rubber band in bouffants leading to hair loss...something like that. Having said that, my hair started thinning long before I started wearing the bouffant. Now I think the bouffant helps me appear to have more hair on top. ha.

Here's a question, though... in your ORs out there, do they still make you wear something to cover your head if you are completely bald? As you can see, I am trying to put as positive a spin on my hair loss as I can.

 

[McSnappy]

I thought I read somewhere way back about the elastic/rubber band in bouffants leading to hair loss...something like that. Having said that, my hair started thinning long before I started wearing the bouffant. Now I think the bouffant helps me appear to have more hair on top. ha.

Here's a question, though... in your ORs out there, do they still make you wear something to cover your head if you are completely bald? As you can see, I am trying to put as positive a spin on my hair loss as I can.

Although not in the daily drill yet, I don't have any hair on top, therefore, a cap keeps me warmer! I'm pretty warm blooded, but man, those ortho rooms just sucked the heat right out of me. I went with the cap from then on.

 

[neuroride]

cap all the way for me, the elastic in the bouffant makes my forehead itch/turn red and then when you take it off for the day, you have that damn line across your forehead for hours.

 

[SleepIsGood]

Surgical Cap.

 

[proman]

We don't really have a choice. Hospital policy to wear the bouffant (only the eye place stocks the caps). If you wear a custom cap it has to be covered by a disposable bouffant.

 

[dfk]

Here's a question, though... in your ORs out there, do they still make you wear something to cover your head if you are completely bald?

yes. hospital policy with no founded evidence (probably AORN based).

 

[Masseter Spasm]

My hospital requires bouffants. I have worn one for a long time. (I always thought that the other caps made my head look funny. The bouffant is not much better looking on my head, but it does make my mop of hair look better at the end of the day.) I think the funniest looking arrangement is the custom cloth hat with the bouffant over it. Some people in my institution insist on keeping their custom hats.

The whole situation is ironic. Think about all the education and training we have as anesthesiologists, and we come to work and wear a hairnet.

 

[SexPanther]

yes. hospital policy with no founded evidence (probably AORN based).

Yep, that's how it came about here. Ridiculous.

 

[Hypnus]

I wear the bouffants cuz the paper tie hats always make me sweat and i think it looks kinda gross to always walk around with a band of sweat on the front of your cap. Especially when going out to talk to family after the case, or when doing cases split between the OR and out of OR.

 

[wcostell]

Sexpanther and I are regulated to disposables on top. I started out cap, but have gone bouffant, as the big noggin, small batch problem became a more frequent issue.

 

[pillowhead]

the bouffants make my head itch, esp. my forehead. as a woman with lots of long hair, that's why i sport the pony scrub you from blueskyscrubs. looks like a regular cap but with extra fabric to wrap around long hair in the back.

 

[Green912]

We don't really have a choice. Hospital policy to wear the bouffant (only the eye place stocks the caps). If you wear a custom cap it has to be covered by a disposable bouffant.

Same story here

 

[dfk]

I wear the bouffants cuz the paper tie hats always make me sweat and i think it looks kinda gross to always walk around with a band of sweat on the front of your cap. Especially when going out to talk to family after the case, or when doing cases split between the OR and out of OR.

uh, you COULD change caps as needed, no? i do it 3-4 times a day. of course, we have an "unlimited" supply at hand and are easily at the ready.

 

[UTKB]

As a female, I appreciate a man in a bouffant. I dislike machismo, so I don't like it when men refuse to wear bouffants because it's not manly. That's just me.

 

[dhb]

Ok someone has to say it: the bouffant looks horrible on men or women. In Europe (where we have more a sense of style than in the US) i've never seen anybody wear them although they are available.
Even at McDonald they don't wear them.
So wear it if you want but you'll look stupid.

 

[lobelsteve]

How did it take to 22 posts to get this:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkM3LO_CM4c&NR=1[/YOUTUBE]

 

[UTKB]

haha yeah i was waiting for the todd reference too. my attending had a flame cap and i told him he reminded me of the todd...he didn't get it.

 

[Bertelman]

Ok someone has to say it: the bouffant looks horrible on men or women. In Europe (where we have more a sense of style than in the US) i've never seen anybody wear them although they are available.
Even at McDonald they don't wear them.
So wear it if you want but you'll look stupid.

FWIW, scrubs look horrible, too.

Either way, I look good in spite of my bouffant.

 

[aphistis]

haha yeah i was waiting for the todd reference too. my attending had a flame cap and i told him he reminded me of the todd...he didn't get it.

My circulator had a flame scrub cap on today, and she didn't get the Scrubs reference either. Sigh.

 

[dhb]

Either way, I look good in spite of my bouffant.

That's what you think 😉

 

[Bertelman]

That's what you think 😉

I take that sh.t off as soon as I cross the line leaving the OR. I'm not a big fan of any hats.

 

[coprolalia]

We don't really have a choice. Hospital policy to wear the bouffant (only the eye place stocks the caps). If you wear a custom cap it has to be covered by a disposable bouffant.

What you do is you pull the bouffant really tight on your head, then tie the "left-over" in the back into a little ball. In this way, you've sort of made a surgical cap.

Do this and see how long it takes for an "administrator" to say something to you. When they tell you that you can't do that, tell them that this is the way you prefer to wear it. Then, when they persist, ask them for an evidence-based article that explains why you can't. What's even better is if you can get 20-30 of your peers to do the same thing.

Unfortunately, sometimes civil disobedience is the only way to point out the ridiculousness of the decisions made by higher-ups... none of whom were elected by a cohort of their peers and probably got to where they are gliding on the lofty upward drafts of the Peter Principle.

-copro

 

[coprolalia]

yes. hospital policy with no founded evidence (probably AORN based).

Yep, that's how it came about here. Ridiculous.

I'd love to see that article, if (in fact) this is truly an "AORN" mandate. If so, why don't we have it universally adopted?

Good evidence? Bad evidence? Irrelevant evidence? No evidence?

In the meantime, smells like more completely f**king stupid bullsh*t that nurses seem to worry about and think is important, though.

-copro

 

[SexPanther]

I'd love to see that article, if (in fact) this is truly an "AORN" mandate. If so, why don't we have it universally adopted?

Good evidence? Bad evidence? Irrelevant evidence? No evidence?

In the meantime, smells like more completely f**king stupid bullsh*t that nurses seem to worry about and think is important, though.

-copro

That is the part I agree with, no idea if it is a AORN "mandate." I'm post so maybe after a nap I'll do a quick lit search - but we all know none exists (or it is weak if it does).

 

[dfk]

I'd love to see that article, if (in fact) this is truly an "AORN" mandate. If so, why don't we have it universally adopted?

Good evidence? Bad evidence? Irrelevant evidence? No evidence?

In the meantime, smells like more completely f**king stupid bullsh*t that nurses seem to worry about and think is important, though.

-copro

the only thing i could find on the AORN site was "recommendations", and nothing was specific to caps. perhaps something about baldys shedding skin cells causing massive infections, but i highly doubt it. especially since they (skin cells) don't typically "jump" forward over the drapes. unless of course headbanging is involved.

 

[coprolalia]

the only thing i could find on the AORN site was "recommendations", and nothing was specific to caps.

Post whatever you got. I'd love to shred anything published by AORN on this subject.

perhaps something about baldys shedding skin cells causing massive infections, but i highly doubt it. especially since they (skin cells) don't typically "jump" forward over the drapes. unless of course headbanging is involved.

I might have told this story before...

There is a male circulator at our hospital, bald as a cue ball, who is forced to wear a cap on his head. He also goes "commando" under his scrubs (don't ask me how I know this... I have not personally confirmed that to be fact). What is missing on top of his head is proudly and copiously displayed at the top of his v-neck in his scrubs. That's right, he's got so much friggin' salt-and-pepper chest hair hanging out over his scrub top that it make's Jay Leno's head look like Mr. Clean.

No one says a goddamn thing to him about it.

Among many other things, this is a huge problem we have today in modern American healthcare. Someone gets a bug up their ass about something, and has no basis other than their own fetish and prediliction, and the "mandate" that everyone should behave how they see fit.

If they can prove to me that this increases infection rate, so be it! Let's all wear bouffants. If dude's chest hairs are soaked in MRSA and he's killing off the weak, make him wax his chest and bath in chlorhexidine daily.

Point is, this is an example of the "zero-risk bias" and policy wonks love to focus on these mostly irrelevant things because they're easy to fix, and they then don't have to tackle bigger issues.

It's a complete fallacy, whomever dreamed it up, to think that wearing a bouffant makes a damn bit of difference over wearing a cap 99.9999% of the time. But, in our f-ed up medical culture, if we perceive that we can eliminate any and all risk, however small and real or not, then we should automatically implement changes... whether they cost an exorbitant amount of money... and whether or not they ultimately affect the population as a whole... and whether or not we create a extra work for people and/or a large potential for non-compliance, which won't meaningfully impact patient care in the long run anyway.

Just more leverage the tattle-tales will have with which to write people up.

-copro

 

[excalibur]

We have an ortho attending, who when he's in a hurry will just grab a shoe cover and put it on his head...and not those bouffant like shoe covers, but the firmer paper like shoe covers with the sneaker like treads on the bottom. Hilarious!

 

[Code Brown]

We have an ortho attending, who when he's in a hurry will just grab a shoe cover and put it on his head...and not those bouffant like shoe covers, but the firmer paper like shoe covers with the sneaker like treads on the bottom. Hilarious!

That's awesome...

On another note, bouffant here... hate the cap hair...

We have an anes guy who wears a bouffant over a cap... no idea why, looks kinda odd though...

 

[fakin' the funk]

Do this and see how long it takes for an "administrator" to say something to you. When they tell you that you can't do that, tell them that this is the way you prefer to wear it. Then, when they persist, ask them for an evidence-based article that explains why you can't. What's even better is if you can get 20-30 of your peers to do the same thing.

Aren't you residents and attendings out there the ones always telling us to bow our heads, keep a low profile, work hard, don't complain? 🙄

 

[guitarguy09]

Post whatever you got. I'd love to shred anything published by AORN on this subject.



I might have told this story before...

There is a male circulator at our hospital, bald as a cue ball, who is forced to wear a cap on his head. He also goes "commando" under his scrubs (don't ask me how I know this... I have not personally confirmed that to be fact). What is missing on top of his head is proudly and copiously displayed at the top of his v-neck in his scrubs. That's right, he's got so much friggin' salt-and-pepper chest hair hanging out over his scrub top that it make's Jay Leno's head look like Mr. Clean.

No one says a goddamn thing to him about it.

I've noticed this in the past many times before. I've always wondered who thought that a v-neck scrub top was a good idea?? 😕

 

[hoyden]

My thoughts from a previous thread on the subject:

😆
What about tons of bold guys wearing bouffant hats just because it is easier - you just throw them away at the end of the day ?

Personally - I hate all the hats

 

[Tenesma]

there was an orthopedic attending who had the HAIRIEST nostrils ever, and he would wear his face mask to cover his mouth, but his hairy nose would overhang the mask --- i swear every time he took a breath through his nose, a few nostril hairs would fly into the surgical field....

did an RN EVER say anything to him....nope...

i take my surgical cap off for 2 seconds when i am leaning against the wall (far from the surgical field) to re-arrange it (it is all about making the crease at the right level so it doesn't look to goofy), and I get scolded... what the???

 

[lobelsteve]

there was an orthopedic attending who had the HAIRIEST nostrils ever, and he would wear his face mask to cover his mouth, but his hairy nose would overhang the mask --- i swear every time he took a breath through his nose, a few nostril hairs would fly into the surgical field....

did an RN EVER say anything to him....nope...

i take my surgical cap off for 2 seconds when i am leaning against the wall (far from the surgical field) to re-arrange it (it is all about making the crease at the right level so it doesn't look to goofy), and I get scolded... what the???

Pain guys in the OR? The only reason for being there is when you're the cutter. Unless this is just some old memory?

 

[narcusprince]

I wish I could choose between bouffants and surgical caps. My head is so large that even with folding the surgical cap all the way down my hair still sticks out. So I go with the bouffant.

 

[dhb]

My head is so large that even with folding the surgical cap all the way down my hair still sticks out.

You must be a militant CRNA


sorry too easy...

 

[Tenesma]

lobel... old memories... old memories... sigh.

 

[coprolalia]

Everyone at your hospital that mandates bouffants should wear this...

-copro

 

[UTKB]

those "hats" remind me of Terrance and Philip.

 

[JustSomePreMed]

This might be a silly question, but for med students on a surgical rotation, are we "expected" to wear one over the other? I've done some OR shadowing this summer (between M1 and M2) and noticed that many of the residents have blue surgical caps of some sort, and the attendings all do as well. The nurses tend to wear the bouffants, and I was handed one my first day so I went with that since then.

 

[Gimlet]

This might be a silly question, but for med students on a surgical rotation, are we "expected" to wear one over the other? I've done some OR shadowing this summer (between M1 and M2) and noticed that many of the residents have blue surgical caps of some sort, and the attendings all do as well. The nurses tend to wear the bouffants, and I was handed one my first day so I went with that since then.

As a student, I think as long as you don't show up with a cloth Zemuron-branded scrub cap with a custom flame pattern a la The Todd, you'll be alright. Use whatever they stock in the garb area - if they stock both then they're both fair game. If you have longer hair that doesn't all fit under the scrub caps, then wear the bouffant.

 

[beavis]

those "hats" remind me of Terrance and Philip.

ummmmmmmmm Terrance....what color is the wiiiiind?

 

[psychforme]

If I was an anesthesiologist I'd wear a bouffant because I look crazy hot in it.