Incision Sites and bandages

[Slove]

Ok, so i am 10 days out from surgery and curious how long I am supposed to keep incision sites covered to avoid infection etc. I looked this up but most replies defaulted to the steri strips. My steri strips (most) are still in place. What I want to know is how long you kept those covered with bandaids etc? I have one site ( closest to belly button on left side-not drain site) that has started oozing dark thick blood, no smell or itch so needs to stay covered I think...but the others are healing well. The drain is still not completely closed so not uncovering it either just yet but close.

Thanks for the help.

[RoxFC]

my doctor had me remove my bandages the day I got home from the hospital (day 3 post op). I had the steri strips and was told to wash all my incisions with lots of antibacterial soap and water as soon as I got home. I never had any oozing or anything from my incisions. The last steri strip fell off exactly two weeks after surgery. I'm currently 1 month and 4 days post op and my incisions are fully healed and smooth. You can only see them still because they are slightly pink in color. You should contact your doctor asap. I'm surprised you were released without instructions on how to care for your incisions.

[Peggy D]

My "patient handbook" says:

Leave your bandages on for 3 days. It is okay to shower with the bandages on. Under the bandages, there are steri-strips. These will fall off on their own. If they start to snag on clothing, trim off the loose ends.

My bandages were Telfa/non-stick pads covered with Tegaderm. By the time I took that off I have no problems showering with the steri-strips in place. Always check with your doctor's office if you have any questions.

[Mia Self]

I had steri strips which I was allowed to shower and gently wash within 24 hours. 1 week after surgery the doctor removed the strips and I didn't need bandaids.

[kaygee]

The resident took off my Tegaderm before I left the hospital. He also removed my drain and covered it with a bandage. I was told to remove the bandage before showering and to put a new one on until that had a scab. As for my steristrips, I was instructed to remove them at 10 days and that relieved all my itching.

[AmyInOrlando]

I just had steri-strips. I was able to wash them gently with mild soap and water. They started peeling off within 2 weeks. A few held on till almost 3 weeks. I was told not to take them off, that they'd fall off themselves by week 3, and they did. I'm pretty much healed except for a tiny little scab on the edge of my middle incision. Doesn't look like there will be much of a scar if any. I got some "Target Brand" Scar reducer. (same as Mederma only cheaper)

[Shelly84NZ]

At ten days out - take them off. I was told to keep them on for three days as well, apart from the drain site which was to be left on for a week. They will scab over and heal much faster when exposed to air rather than kept in a little 'plaster sauna'.

I continued to use a regular band-aid for the one at the top (where my bra would rub and stop it from healing over) which I would take off at night, then reapply in the morning. I've just stopped that now, at four weeks out. Everything is healed over now.

For your oozy sore, maybe contact a doctor or see a pharmacist. It's good that it doesn't hurt, but it shouldn't be doing it.