Which pre-treatment practice reduces the risk of infection?

• A. Avoid cleansing skin before treatment
• B. Proper skin cleansing, sterile technique, and avoiding treatment over infected or compromised skin
• C. Use shared towels
• D. Skip disinfection to save time

Answer: (B)

Proper pre-treatment skin prep reduces infection risk by removing surface microbes and protecting the skin’s barrier before the procedure. The best approach combines thorough skin cleansing, sterile technique, and avoiding treatment on skin that is infected or compromised. Cleaning the skin lowers the microbial load, decreasing the chance of introducing bacteria during the procedure. Using sterile technique—adequate hand hygiene, sterile gloves, and sterile instruments or disposables—prevents cross-contamination and avoids introducing pathogens. Avoiding treatment over infected or compromised skin stops giving bacteria a route into deeper tissues and prevents worsening infection. Together, these practices minimize infection risk and support safer outcomes. Choosing options that skip cleansing, use shared towels, or skip disinfection would raise the infection risk by leaving surfaces and skin-contaminated and increasing the chance of cross-contamination.