Wound Care: Bandaging

CLEAN THE WOUND

Use clean cotton balls soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Your wound can also be cleaned in the shower with a mild soap and water at this point.

Apply a thin layer of Vaseline (unless directed otherwise) over sutures. Fill open wounds entirely with Vaseline.

Regular band-aids will work for smaller wounds. Just be sure that only the nonstick (white) pad is touching the wound.

Fabric band-aids are recommended due to their flexibility.

For larger wounds, non-stick pads can be found at any pharmacy. DO NOT use gauze. Trim the pad to the size of the wound.

Adhere to the skin using paper tape or skin tape. We recommend paper tape for patients with thin or sensitive skin.

Photo credit: msumuh

When changing your bandage, notify the office if your wound has:

Or you develop a fever.

Notify us if you notice these!

Managing pain is essential for quality of care:

You should not experience significant pain after surgery
If wound is painful, take regular or Extra strength Tylenol (as this is not a blood thinner)
In addition, a cold compress (i.e. cool wet towel) can be used over the area.
If these steps do not provide relief, please contact us so we can help!