Incision Care After Surgery

After surgery, you will need to take care of the incision as it heals. Caring for your incision may help lower the risk of problems like infection.

Your doctor may have used stitches, staples, skin glue, or tape strips to close the incision. You'll need to follow your doctor's instructions about caring for the incision.

If you did not get instructions from your doctor, follow this general advice.

• Wash the area with clean water 2 times a day. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. They can slow healing.
• You may cover the area with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a nonstick bandage.
  • Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.
  • Avoid using an antibiotic ointment unless your doctor recommends it.
• Change the bandage every day.

You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery. Pat the incision dry. Don't swim or take a bath until your doctor tells you it's okay. Do not use lotion or powder on incisions.

You may notice some soreness, tenderness, tingling, numbness, and itching around the incision. There may also be mild oozing of fluid and bruising, and a small lump may form. This is normal and not a cause for concern.

Don't expose your incision to direct sun for 3 to 9 months after surgery. As an incision heals, the new skin that is formed over the cut is very sensitive to sunlight and will burn more easily than normal skin. Worse scarring may occur if the new skin is exposed to the sun or you get a sunburn.

Caring for stitches, staples, skin glue, or tape strips

• Stitches or staples normally cause some redness and swelling where they enter the skin, along with mild irritation and itching. Your stitches may dissolve over time. Or your doctor will tell you when to come back to have stitches or staples removed.
• The incisions may be protected with skin glue or small tape strips instead of a bandage. If glue was used, be sure to dry the incision area right away if it gets wet. The glue will fall off on its own after a bit of time. If tape strips were used, leave them in place until they become loose and fall off on their own.

Watching for infection

Look at the incision every day. Check for symptoms of infection. These may include having a fever or seeing any changes at the incision site, such as:

• Yellow or green pus that is increasing.
• Bright red blood or bleeding that has soaked through the bandage.
• A change in the odor of the discharge.
• A change in the size of the incision.
• Redness or hardening of the skin around the incision.
• The incision feeling warm to the touch.
• Increasing or unusual pain.

If your pain has increased or you think you may have an infection, contact your doctor right away.

• If the office is closed, leave a message with the answering service (or leave a voice message).
• If you have not heard back from your doctor and you are feeling worse, such as you have a high fever or shaking chills, go to the emergency room for care.

If you are confused by any of the doctor's instructions or if you have a question, contact your doctor's office.

How to change a bandage

Before you start, make sure you have gauze pads, medical gloves, bandage tape, a plastic bag, and scissors.

1. Prepare supplies by opening the gauze packages and cutting new tape strips.
2. Wash and dry your hands. Put on medical gloves.
3. Loosen the tape around the old bandage.
4. Remove the old bandage and tape, and put them in the plastic bag.
5. If your doctor told you to do so, clean the incision. Use these steps.
   • Gently wash it with soap and water to remove the crust.
   • Do not scrub or soak the wound.
   • Do not use rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine, which can harm the tissue and slow wound healing.
   • Air-dry the incision or pat it dry with a clean, fresh towel before putting on a new gauze pad.
6. Check the incision for symptoms of infection, such as swelling, warmth, redness, pus, or red streaks from the area.
7. Hold a clean, sterile gauze pad by the corner and place over the incision.
8. Use a few strips of tape to hold the gauze pad in place.
9. Remove your gloves last. Put all trash in the plastic bag.
10. Seal the plastic bag and throw it away.
11. Wash your hands.

When to call for help

Contact your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• You have loose stitches, or your incision comes open.
• Bright red blood soaks through the bandage over your incision.
• You have pain that does not get better after you take pain medicine.
• You have nausea or vomiting that gets worse and you cannot keep down fluids.
• You have symptoms of infection, such as:
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
  • Red streaks leading from the incision.
  • Pus draining from the incision.
  • A fever.