My incisions are sore. Especially the one on the belt line.

I would love to put some bacitracin on them.

Did anyone take off their gauze and steri strips before going back for a post op appointment?

I asked my surgeon about putting something on them and he told me not to

I didnt take my bandages off. I rub a little antibiotic cream on my incisions, against my doctors advice. They said not to put anything on them. They also told me not to drink coffee.:frown:

I would call your doc and ask just to be safe. Oddly enough, they took the bandages off of me after surgery and I haven't had to wear any bandages over my incisions at all. I was told just to wash with soap and water everyday. I've been doing that, and they are healing great!

Mine only had the Dermabond on them (superglue) and it flaked off in about a week. Then I started putting that Mederma on them because I have a friend who had some PS and really swears it keeps the scars minimal.I guess Bio-Oil is good too.

my doctors have me change my bandages everyday and put neosporine on the gauze before I put it back on the incisions. Im ony 4 days out but the incisions look great! I was told not to put maderma on till the wounds were closed due to risks of infections. hope this helps

The steristrips are supposed to stay on until they start falling off on their own. Once they are halfway off, you can peel them off. But in the meantime, just remove the gauze over top of them so you can clean. You can shower and use soap and Water to clean the steristrips and incisions.

Hope that helps! :frown:

My steri-strips are still stuck firmly in place, and I wash with soap when I'm in the shower and air-dry. One thing that seems odd about my port incision is that it's a slightly raised line. I'm not sure if it's from dried blood or if the would itself has a raised "lip." Is anyone else's a little more distinct than the incisions that my recovery nurse delightfully referred to as "stab wounds?"

Mine are..not all, though. It is from the dried blood in mine.

My steristrips started falling off last night. I went to the store and got some waterproof bandages..cushy ones for the belt and bra line. I am putting bacitracin on them after showering and washing them with hibiclens. At the end of the day, they hurt and are sore.

That particular stab wound is longer and more distinct for me. The port pushes it up, I believe. That's how I remember my stab wound from my chemo port.

One of my incions (lower left side) got infected from the plastic seal over the steri-strips. My port incision is still the most painful one especially wearing a bra (reguardless whether it's underwire or not) and I still have swelling around the port site. My doc Strongly suggested against Neosporin, And gave me a few packets of bacitracin.

One thing that seems odd about my port incision is that it's a slightly raised line. I'm not sure if it's from dried blood or if the would itself has a raised "lip." Is anyone else's a little more distinct than the incisions that my recovery nurse delightfully referred to as "stab wounds?"

Mine is raised as well. I took the bandage off for the 1st time today and it was the steri strips creased in the middle pushing up right along the cut line. I pulled off 2 strips by mistake from pulling up the bandage and it no longer raises at that part of the wound. GB

Mine have healed great but I think I'm lucky in terms of the placement...all are well above the belt and well below the bra. The row of four including the port is just more than half way from bra to belt and closer to the belt. Then there is a small high one but its not in underwire zone at all. My port is about 2 or 3 inches left of center and about three inches above my waist but I still feel it if I bump something! I was leaning over the deck rail to paint the back side and the next day it was sore and pretty bruised. I am a little worried about being belly down on the surfboard but the doc said he has lots of people who surf...we live in the central coast so the water isnt warm like in LA so maybe the wetsuit will provide some padding...I hope to look less like a fat seal when I try the suit on again!!! No, I prob wont be posting a picture!

My port incision is raised. I think it is the dissolveable incisions in there just under the skin. I am 4 weeks out and still have 2 scabs waiting to heal. HOW frustrating, I really want to go swimming.

My steri-strips are still stuck firmly in place, and I wash with soap when I'm in the shower and air-dry. One thing that seems odd about my port incision is that it's a slightly raised line. "

bkmom, my surgeon never told me not to go swimming, and I had never heard of any restrictions (nor did it cross my mind) and I went swimming 3 weeks after surgery! I put a waterproof bandage over the one incision that was still healing. I've been swimming since the pool opened on Mem. Day weekend, and have had no problems whatsoever.

Now, of course, you didn't hear that from me.... :thumbup:

I was specifically told not to submerge the incisions in water; bath or pool water. I even asked at my two week follow up if I can go swimming yet and she said no. To give it at least another couple of weeks for the wounds to heal. I only had glue on them. and one scab is gone already. a couple others have very big ugly scabs that just don't want to fall off. The incision below my bra line is so annoying...because my bra sometimes rubs up against it. It's the longest and looks funny to me. But I guess they are all healing okay.