Wound Care 101

Dear Friends and Family,

Since I've had to do this so many times, here's how I care for my stitches.

1. Go shopping. You'll need hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound, bacitracin to prevent infection, cotton swabs to apply the hydrogen peroxide and the bacitracin, and bandages to protect the wound. Plan on a two week supply of bandages and cotton swabs. The standard size hydrogen peroxide and bacitracin will be more than enough for two weeks.
2. Day 1 (day of surgery): Do nothing.
3. Day 2: Leave all of the dressings on. Shower. Remove the dressing they applied at the hospital. Prepared to be a little grossed out. Gently clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide. Don't scrub. Dab. Let the hydrogen peroxide bubble. Don't double dip, use a clean cotton swab each time. Let the wound air dry. Apply a dab of bacitracin over the wound using a cotton swab. It should thoroughly cover the wound opening. Apply the dab in one direction. Then, cover with a bandage. I like Nexcare waterproof bandages. They work best.
   After you apply the bandage apply gentle pressure on the bandage with the palm of your hand for ~30 seconds to ensure you've got good adhesion.
4. Days 3-14: Very similar to Day 2, but with one additional step. After removing the bandage, before cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, clean very gently with soap and warm water. Be careful to not direct the water directly onto the wound. Pour it on indirectly (i.e. from your other hand, or letting it hit another body part close to the wound and letting it flow down.) Not sure if the doctor recommends this step, but I always do it. Dry. Then clean with hydrogen peroxide, etc.
   
5. Day 15: Remove bandage. Clean with soap and warm water. Dry. Remove stitches. If you have surgery on Friday, then the next next Friday is Day 15, since the day you had surgery was Day 1. Got it? Good.
   

Cheers!
mouse