I have 4 incisions, 2 of them the steri strips finally after a week feel off. They look a little red, do i need to keep them covered or is it good to let them get some air?
Hi Cara
I had a abdominal surgery so have an eight inch wound with internal stitches. I kept the dressing on for seven days and it was okay. I was informed that once that dressing was taken off no further cover was needed.
keep it clean and dry and it should be okay.
I hope you're doing okay and feeling a little stronger each day
x
I would suggest that you keep them covered, changing the bandaids every day, so you can check on how they're healing. You don't want the wound to dry out. Also, they can become irritated due to contact with your clothing.
I let my mine stay uncovered . I alternate between putting neosporin or vitamin E oil on my incisions to try to lessen the scarring.
NOOOOOO don't cover them. That's just creating a lovely moisture bed at just the right temperature to breed infection. Keep them clean and dry. Even some sun on them is good if it's summer where you are.
I was advised by my surgeon to keep my small incisions clean, covered and to change the coverings daily after I showered. One of my incisions became infected because it became irritated. I, too thought they needed airing out. But I ended up needing to use a strong antibiotic gel with the band aid.
So, I guess surgeons don't always give patients the same advice.
Yes but that was advised because of your particular incisions and what was happening with them. It is not the general rule of thumb. You just have to adapt what you wear so as not to cause irritation in the 1st instance. No ointment should be put onbthem unless advised by a surgeon as you were. You have to remember everybody is unique and you were advised differently to what is the norm because you had problems. If others with no medical knowledge read your post they may think that they should put ointment & coverings on incisions that clearly don't need that. Incisions should be pretty much healed around 10 day mark. Depending on where the incision is, sutures that require removal has them taken out between 10 days to 14 days. Steristrips should be just left totally alone and come off in their own time without any rubbing to make that happen faster. That means picking at them or rubbing with a towel or clothing that's too firm. They should be gently patted dry after showering.
I saw the nurse today who removed my remaining strips (4 wks abdominal ) and advised after washing gently, just to pat dry with a towel, and then to use a hairdryer on low just to keep the moisture away.
Perfect and exactly how it should be.
Thats kinf of what I was thinking, keeping them uncovered and clean to let them heal.
10 days post op now and I am feeling better and better each day
They seem to be doing very well!
I have so many scars, a few more do not bother me LOL
Thank you so much!
Hi, well,
I felt badly about stating my viewpoint. Of course, I agree that everyone should check with their doctor and follow his or her particular instructions. I also researched several sites in the U.S. (I understand that you're in the UK, correct?) I found all sorts of different advice, but the botttom line is that patients should follow their sugeon's guidlines.
There was nothing wrong with you stating what you did. It's just that there is nothing wrong with a sutured incision being dry to prevent ideal situation for bug growth. A dry incision during initial 10 days is way more ideal than a moist breeding site for infection. If it gets infected then you will end up with a way more ugly scar than one that was kept dry & aired if all is ticking along normally.
I had six 1 to 1 1/2 inch incisions, dissolving stitches and lots of surgical glue...the surgical glue was supposed to slough off within a few days. But some remained and was removed by my doctor at my 2 week check up. In my case, the incisions definitely did not heal within 10 days. They oozed and wept. Some of them were closed but irritated at two months. It took the inflammation in the larger incision over my belly button a month and a half to subside. My body was not happy.
I didn't care about the scar...I just wanted them to heal. Fortunately, I wear cotton underwear 2 sizes too large and cotton knit summer dresses...not exactly haute attire, but they worked for me.
All steri strips have come off and they all look like they are healing fairly well! I see the nurse on Wednesday and will have everything checked out
Maybe you reacted to the glue?
That's a good thought...perhaps, it was as you suggested, that the glue provided a warm, moist environment. I ended up swabbing them (after showering daily) with the reddish orange presurgical wash and then used a prescription antibiotic gel on the worst. I covered them with band-aids, the kind that have no medication in them, and that absorb, but don't stick.
I was more worried about why I had to have the hysterectomy, frankly, and what might happen. It's been a little over a year now...xx