How to take care of your incision
General care
You can get your incision wet the day after surgery. Please do not soak your incision (e.g. baths, washing dishes, pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, oceans).
Your incision should be kept clean. Regular washing with soap and water is enough.
If you have had hand surgery, you should avoid lifting anything more than 5 pounds for 2 weeks.
If you have a wrap or “Hollywood” dressing,you should remove it to shower, but put it back on and wear it during the day for about a week or two. This is to remind you and others around you to leave your hand alone.
Your dressing
If you have steri-strips:
Leave the steri-strips in place.
You can shower with them on. They will stay on for about 10-14 days.
Pat them dry or blow dry them dry after your shower.
If the edges start to peel, just trim the edges with a pair of scissors
If you do not have steri-strips:
Make sure you wash off any old Polysporin on the wound
Apply a thin layer of Polysporin ointment (not cream) to the incision every day for 2 weeks.
Cover the incision with a band-aid if the wound isn’t close to your hair.
If the incision is in or close to your hair, a band-aid won’t stick, so you can leave it open to the air.
Pain control
It is normal to have some pain after surgery. When you feel the anesthetic starting to wear off, you can begin taking medication for your pain:
Take 2 regular strength Acetominophen (325mg x 2) every 4 hours. You should not take more than 4000mg in 24 hours from any pills that have Acetominophen in them.
Take 2 regular strength Ibuprofen (200mg x 2) every 4-6 hours. You can take up to 600mg if you need the pain control and your stomach will tolerate it.
Please do not take these medications if you have an allergy or have been told by your family doctor not to take them.
Most of your pain will come from swelling after surgery.
Keep the part of your body we operated on elevated at all times for 24-72 hours to keep this from happening.
Things to look out for:
Watch your incision every day for any separation, bleeding, or signs of infection.
Signs of infection may include redness, tenderness, swelling, drainage, unusual odor, or if the area feels warmer than the rest of your body. You may also have a fever, which is usually a temperature of 38C (101F) or higher. Check your temperature as needed.
If you have any problems after surgery, please call the office at 905-273-4888. Someone is in the office to speak to you betwen 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays.
For EMERGENCIES ONLY (e.g. a hematoma) there is a nurse on call. The Emergency number is your post-operative package.
Please notify the clinic if you are admitted to a hospital within 10 days of your procedure.
