Tips for post op wound care

[Northey]

I have a 15cm cut across the top of my bikini line from an op on Thursday. The consultant said that stroking it gently with lavender oil would aid healing. The nurses recommended bathing it with salt water. Frankly I am a massive wuss and don't even want to take the dressing off to look at it, let alone touch it.

Any tips on good things to do to help recovery? Preferably ones involving minimal touching :)

I had the same cut last year. If the dressing hasn't come off by itself and isn't grubby then don't take it off yet. When you do take it off, take it off in the shower! Re-dress with a sterile non-stick pad.

When you clean the wound site, clean from the wound outwards so that you aren't bringing germs/kin into the wound. Use sterile water or wicth hazel solution. Once the scab has gone would be a good time for lavender oil.

Personally I am a great believer in the healing powers of lavender, I started putting it on my episiotomy stitches as soon as I was back on the ward. It healed very quickly and well. I also think salt baths are very good.

Lot on here think using lavender like that is a bad plan though, so I am not suggesting you do so, just telling my own experience.

TBH using salt water is now thought to be ineffective as the dilution you need to achieve a therapeutic level would make it uncomfortable to sit in!!

I agree with leaving the dressing on for now if it's not manky or peeling off.

Lavender is indeed great for promoting wound healing, good to hear your consultant recommending it! If you are allowed to wet it simply put a few drops of Lavender & tea-tree oil (boots botanics is a good range) in some water & splash on or 4 drops of each in your bath when you are allowed to immerse.

You can also use both oils directly on to your clean dressing if you need to re-dress, just 2 drops of each. They are the 2 oils that CAN be put directly on wounds contrary to popular myth.

They should be in everones medicine cabinet!

Leave it alone as much as you can. Also take zinc supplements as it promotes faster healing. And obviously make sure you wash your hands really well before and after touching /uncovering it.

Bossybritches22 not everyone can use neat tea-tree and it should be used with caution, it can burn and blister sensitive skin. My best friend is a qualified Aromatherapist and she will no longer advise anyone to use neat tea tree after she saw an awful reaction to it.

I quite like the idea of lavender/tea tree, but would it work if I put a few drops in boiled and cooled water and sprayed it on and let it dry?

The sight of the cut just really shocks me for some reason, and the thought of touching is even worse!

I've had a few keyhole ops previously and have been quite calm about those wounds. I think it's the fact that I can see a sort of long blunt edge that is alarming me. It seems so unnatural!

Essential oils do not disperse in water, they need to be in oil or milk, so no, that wouldn't work.

If you are putting a fresh dressing over just do as suggested above and put a couple of drops on your dressing.

Hope you are feeling better soon

Ah, thanks gobbler. I didn't think of the non-dispersing thing. I will try a few drops on the dressing then.

Does neat lavender ever have the same effect as neat tea tree, or am I ok with that?

I would just use lavender it is a powerful antiseptic, it is a really useful oil. Just check that what you have is 100% essential oil.

"Scrapes and wounds. Lavender essential oil has very powerful antiseptic properties. Applying it to wounds can not only increase cell growth causing the wound to heal faster, but it also decreases the appearance of scars. The oils anti-microbial action protects scrapes and wounds from infection, while allowing them heal."