Incision Care

Caring for your incisions after surgery

1. Your incisions may be covered with a clear glue. You may shower 24 hours after surgery and continue to use soap and water as you normally do.
2. Your incisions may be covered with a dressing and clear plastic (tegaderm) or tape. A little blood/red tinged fluid on the dressing is normal. You may shower 24 hours after surgery and continue to use soap and water as you normally do. Remove the tegaderm/tape 48 hours after surgery.
   a. If you see staples, shower as normal. The staples will not rust.
   b. If you see small, white bandages (steri-strips), do NOT remove them. Shower as normal letting soap and water run over them but do not scrub. Steri-strips will fall off on their own or your surgeon will remove them.
3. If you notice a fluid that keeps runnings out of your wound after holding pressure for 15 minutes, contact the office.
4. Do not apply creams, vaseline, or bacitracin to wounds as it will impair healing.
5. Take pain medicine as prescribed. You may feel knots or as if someone is pulling from the inside but this is normal as you heal. Pain and these sensations will decrease over time.
6. Do no lift anything greater than 25 lbs or do sit ups or squats until cleared by your surgeon. These activities could pop stitches holding your skin together on the inside and cause you to develop a hernia in the future.
7. You may have a drain after your procedure. It is important that you write down the amount of fluid in the drain and bring recordings to your next follow up appointment with your surgeon so we can decide when the drain can be removed.

Please call the office if you have any concerns during your recovery. We at Southeastern Surgical Center are here to serve you.