Hey fellow Bandsters....I have a quick question for you fine folks. In my discharge paperwork it states that my steri strips need to be on for 2 weeks and when the two weeks arrive I can remove them.

So now here is my question, how many people just let them fall off naturally versus who took them off at the two week point.

I'll be two weeks post-op tomorrow and I have no plan to remove them unless there is a chance of the incisions getting infected.

I fiddle with the ends and trim them as they release, but other than that, I don't mess with them.

You thoughts?

G

Mine didn't last two weeks. In about a week the edges started curling up. I took mine off when they were loose enough to pull off comfortably. Most were off in a little over a week one was stubborn and the incision was still tender so I left it on. It finally fell off on its own in the shower probably around the two week mark.

Mine were loosening up but not enough to fall off by my 2 week follow up with the doctor. When he saw them, he said I was healing fine so just pull them off next time I got ready to hop in the shower. So that's what I did. I was nervous, but once I took them off and got the crusty blood off, I looked so much better and felt much cleaner. I'm still having trouble getting the sticky residue off though.... alcohol didn't work, so I just gently rub it when I'm in the shower and it's slowly coming off... but too slow for me. LOL

I thought I was going to have to rip mine off, because I couldn't stand the nasty look they had. I thought, these can't be hygenic... BUT, I did hold out and all of the little ones (4) fell off around day 10, and the larger one I pulled off- very gently and made sure as I went that the incision looked okay. I was worried I would mess up the glue holding it together. I was a little tender after, just because those areas hadn't been exposed to air yet. If you feel like some of the smaller ones can go- it's your choice... just make sure you are healed. hope this helps...

Great...I appreciate the responses.

G

It doesn't hurt to let them fall off on their own either. I had one that came off on its own a little earlier than the rest. This incision did not heal as well as the others and the scar is a little worse, it also stayed pinker longer.

If you really want to take them off but they don't come off easily, baby oil works wonders. It also helps to remove tape residue.