Diversity & Inclusion: Braids Before Surgery

India Marshall underwent surgery on June 9 for the removal of benign bone growths in her forehead at the hands of surgeon Jewel Greywoode, MD, of Charlotte (N.C.) Eye Ear Nose and Throat Associates (CEENTA). As the surgical team prepped Ms. Marshall in the OR, Dr. Greywoode began to braid her thick, curly black hair near the surgical site. He's always careful to braid long hair to improve his access to the skull and reduce post-op infection risks. After surgery, braided hair makes it easier for patients to care for and clean wounds.

"It's what I normally do," says Dr. Greywoode, who does his best to move hair away from the surgical site without shaving it. "If the patient's hair is very thick and curly, as was the case with Ms. Marshall, it's especially important because braids protect the hair and prevent knots and tangles."

When Ms. Marshall removed her bandages two days after the procedure, she discovered more braids in her hair than she had before surgery and assumed they were the work of the nurses on her care team. It wasn't until her follow-up appointment with Dr. Greywoode that she learned he was the one who put in the braids.

"I saw what she had done to her hair to get ready for surgery and understood hair was important to her," says Dr. Greywoode. He had a sense of why he needed to preserve Ms. Marshall's hair because of the "braid nights" he spends with his two daughters, who also have thick, curly hair.

"Having my hair in braids made everything easier for recovery, especially because I have a lot of hair and wear it naturally," Ms. Marshall told CEENTA.

She had consulted with three other surgeons, who didn't discuss ways to preserve her hair, before deciding how to proceed with surgery. She told NBC's Today that she could have received that type of care only from a Black doctor who understood her as a Black woman.

Ms. Marshall's Twitter posts about the experience went viral with many people commenting on her messages that the story highlights the importance of having more diversity and representation in health care.

Dr. Greywoode says he's overwhelmed and appreciative of the attention he's received, but deflects some of the praise by emphasizing that he does the same thing for all of his patients with long hair.