Did anyone removes their bandages all together OR applied fresh ones? I'm afraid my incisions will get an infection; I want to be safe than sorry.

Do what your doctor said to do. My instructions were to leave the steri-strips on my incisions, but not to worry if they came off in the shower, which I was allowed to do as soon as I went home. I had a drain, and when the surgeon removed the drain, he put a band aid over the opening with instructions for me to leave the bandaid in place for 3 days. I had no problems with infection and can barely find any of my incisions now.

My surgeon used the super glue closure method so I've had no problems. Maybe you could convince your doctor to put on the super glue instead? Just a thought.

I removed my drain bandage 3 days after surgery. It was disgusting, so naturally I sent everyone pictures of it. I had 6 incisions that were glued and covered with steri strips. The strips fell off one at a time over the course of two weeks. Now my incisions are kind of a purply color - I have very pale skin - but scars don't bother me. They're kind of itchy, so I just put lotion on them. A nurse told me to try vitamin E oil, so I might try that.

I removed my drain bandage 3 days after surgery. It was disgusting, so naturally I sent everyone pictures of it. I had 6 incisions that were glued and covered with steri strips. The strips fell off one at a time over the course of two weeks. Now my incisions are kind of a purply color - I have very pale skin - but scars don't bother me. They're kind of itchy, so I just put lotion on them. A nurse told me to try Vitamin E oil, so I might try that.

Mab,

Just so you don't go out and buy expensive Vit E oil, you can just use a pin to open up a Vitamin E capsule and use the Vit E straight from there. Much cheaper from what I have seen.

I didnt have a drain