Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS), MS - General Surgery, MBBS
General Surgeon, Mohali
•
31 years experience
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You correctly answered out of 5 questions
Which of these are crucial factors in healing the incision post-surgery?
1 of 5
When you have recently undergone a surgery, the last thing you would want is to deal with any complications of the incision. The removal of the bandage is the first step when it comes to caring for the incision. In some cases, it is removed the following day of the surgery while in some cases, it is kept for a few days. For the first 24 hours, you should avoid bathing or taking shower even though you can take a shower after that. Avoid lifting heavy objects, workout and playing sports.
Which of these should you do for helping the stitches to heal?
2 of 5
You must refrain from doing anything that aggravates the stitches such as rubbing or scratching. You may feel that the area is itchy and red but you should not remove the bandage before your doctor asks you to do so. Moreover, exposing the area to the sun must also be avoided as it can have a negative effect on the stitches and delay in healing. You should have a close look at the incision and check whether there is any redness, swelling and fluid drainage and report the doctor immediately.
You can remove the stitches yourself.
3 of 5
The stitches are removed by the expert and you should never try to do it yourself. Only the stitches that do not disappear into your skin would be removed. It may take 3 days to 3 weeks for your incision to be removed. Your doctor may use skin tape after the removal of stitches for supporting the wound which can be removed after a week or so. If you have dissolvable sutures, there is no need to remove the stitches as they can get absorbed into the skin gradually.
You should call your doctor if your incision becomes reddish and swelled.
4 of 5
When your stitches become red and swelled, it could be a sign of infection. Even though sometimes reddishness is normal, you must call your doctor to check whether you need to apply any antibiotic cream in the area. Also, watch out whether the redness is spreading at a fast rate or if there is pus formation within.
Tip: Change the bandage from time to time so that the wound can heal faster.
Cleaning the incision must be done to help in healing.
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For cleaning the incision, you should gently wash the area with mild cleanser and water for removing the crust. Then, air-dry or pat dry with a clean cotton towel in place of rubbing the area thoroughly. You should not scrub or soak the area. Also, avoid using elements such as hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and iodine as they can make the area warm and tender.
Tip: Gentle care is the key.
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