Should I change this dressing? Warning that photo is not pleasant!

[Hyssops]

Had day surgery on my toe 7 days ago. Hospital said to remove bandage after 7 days but leave the dressing on unless it's loose or I accidentally get it wet. They gave me spare dressings. Then in another 7 days to return to have stitches out.

It's totally dry and doesn't smell. It looks horrible obviously due to the dried blood. Leave it?

Will wait for the photo!

It's up!

Anyone? 🤣

I would change that. It looks grim. Somebody bett has qualified might come along with a different opinion though!

I dunno what the right answer is, honestly. #helpful It looks utterly grim, but the instruction was to leave it unless it came off by itself right, and it hasn't? Is it a hydrocolloid dressing? I think those really need to come off of their own accord as otherwise they can bind to the skin.

My nurse said change it if soaked through. I'd definitely change that

This. It’s not like a regular plastic bandage, if it was post surgery - you can’t just rip it off. In another seven days, if it still hasnt loosened, they may soak the bandage in something to remove it so they can remove the stitches, but your flesh underneath still needs time to heal, even if it’s not actively bleeding. That’s (probably?) why they said to NFW it? Impossible to know unless we know the surgery itself and whether the dressing is hydrocolloid. Wear cute socks to cover it???? Sorry! 😬

Goodness. It looks... mouldy

Nah, OP said no smell. It’s just dried blood looking manky like it always does.

Crikey - get it seen and dressed by a nurse either at the hospital or GP surgery.

It's pretty wild to be doing that yourself

Is it loose or did you get it accidentally wet?

If those were the instructions and the answers are no, why do you want to change it?

If it doesn't smell and there is no other reason to suspect a problem (e.g. increased pain, high temperature etc) then I would follow the original advice from the hospital. Or email the picture to the hospital for their latest advice. I wouldn't remove it on the basis of mumsnetters thinking it looks a bit manky.

No medical training whatsoever here, but I'd change that. I'd want to see what's going on underneath and maybe give it a very gentle clean.

I would contact the surgery and ask

I'd call the surgery to see the nurse (that's how it works at my GP). Although it doesn't smell I'd be reluctant to do it myself in case it did get infected. The location would be tricky unless you've got someone to help.

That's just dried blood. If it's not hot, wet, oozing or sore, I'd leave that as per instructions.

Thanks. It's just dried blood from the surgery. Nurse definitely said to leave it unless it got wet. It's says this in my discharge notes. I'm not about to pull it off as the stitches could well be attached to it 😨.

Obviously if it starts to hurts, smells or looks dodgy I'll phone the hospital.

Thanks for the reassurance.

If it's dry, leave it. If it isn't hurting, leave it. If the dried blood is sticking hairs together and giving you hell, I sympathise. I once thought all sorts of things were happening under a dressing but when I saw it it was as clean as a whistle except for bits of dried blood.

Former nurse, that looks absolutely fine. Toe looks healthy and no signs of infection. It’s just old dried blood on the dressing. Personally I would want to change it but if your instructions were to keep it on I would follow those. All looks good.

'Hospital says to remove the bandage after 7 days'
There's your instruction and they gave you a spare.
Wash your foot with soap, remove that nasty bandage, rinse your toe with water and put a fresh bandage on.

OP has already removed the bandage and is wondering whether to change the dressing, which she's been told to leave in place for another 7 days.

Yep I'd say while foul and grim, that actually looks ok. I'd just leave it unless it starts to stink or hurt.

She HAS removed the bandage.

Leave it alone it's fine.

You’d change it, directly contravening advice from the people with the medical training you don’t have?

It looks like a hydrocolloid dressing which is meant to be left on as it promotes healing. OP was told to leave it on unless it got wet or became loose. Not clear at all why she’s soliciting advice from internet randoms.