Scars after surgery

[EarthyGoalie 253]

I'm 3+ days post op and came home today. 2 out of my 5 wounds/scars are bleeding and I asked about this but my nurse said it's fine, and I can shower with it, and to just pat it dry. I'm a bit scared anyway though, I've never had surgery before so I don't know really what's good or suspecting for wounds after surgery. Any advice? How were your wounds?

[Arts137 1,811]

You'll be fine. It takes a while to heal, but heal they will. You can shower, just don't "scrub".

[ruthie74 101]

Your wounds shouldn't get red, swollen or hot to the touch. Which indicates an infection. Keep it clean and keep your hands off of them as much as possible. Once they start healing most people get itchy. That's normal. I agree with Arts, don't scrub it just let the soaps and Water trickle down on you. Congrats!

[EarthyGoalie 253]

Thanks. This is what they look like. Does the "bloody" one look ok to you?

[CrystalW 35]

Thanks. This is what they look like. Does the "bloody" one look ok to you?

I'm a nurse and a little bit of bleeding and oozing is totally normal post-op. It's hard to see with the bandages and steri- strips but the bloody gauze is normal.

Watch for increased pain, swelling, redness, green discharge (can sometimes look like snot) at the incision sites.

[EarthyGoalie 253]

Thanks! Will do!

[EarthyGoalie 253]

Oh, and another thing: I'm a side sleeper, but have been forcing myself to sleep on my back since the surgery on Friday. Is it ok now to sleep on the side? Or will that be bad for the wounds?

[AvaFern 3,516]

Oh, and another thing: I'm a side sleeper, but have been forcing myself to sleep on my back since the surgery on Friday. Is it ok now to sleep on the side? Or will that be bad for the wounds?

I sleep on my side and on my stomach and after about 10 days postop I was completely comfortable going back to my old sleeping patterns. My doctor told me it wouldn't hurt me to sleep on my side or my stomach, but that if it made me uncomfortable then why would I do it? He had a point, lol, and it just took a bit of patience to wait until I was healed enough to stop sleeping on my back.

[ausmith 374]

I'm 3+ days post op and came home today. 2 out of my 5 wounds/scars are bleeding and I asked about this but my nurse said it's fine' date=' and I can shower with it, and to just pat it dry. I'm a bit scared anyway though, I've never had surgery before so I don't know really what's good or suspecting for wounds after surgery. Any advice? How were your wounds?[/quote']

Hi a good tip I was given was to use my hair dryer to dry my wounds. Just make sure it's not on high heat