Monopolar Electrosurgery-Induced Axillary Burns From Aluminum-Containing Antiperspirant Deodorant Use During...

Electrosurgery is a widely utilized and generally safe surgical technique; however, rare cases of iatrogenic skin burns can occur. Here, the authors present a 60-year-old woman with bilateral vision-impairing dermatochalasis and xanthelasma who sustained bilateral axillary burns following monopolar electrosurgery during a blepharoplasty. The burns fully healed after 3 months with no medical intervention. No intraoperative or external risk factors for electrosurgery burns were identified other than the patient's preoperative application of an aluminum-containing antiperspirant deodorant. This case highlights an underrecognized risk of aluminum-containing antiperspirant deodorants as an unintended intraoperative current grounding and underscores the importance of preoperative patient counseling to mitigate such iatrogenic complications in oculoplastic surgery.