Post-op care: should I remove the dressing, and how?

[TheyreMadITellYouMaaaad]

Surgery earlier this week, post-op wound-check at GP on Tuesday.

Should I remove the dressing before I see the nurse? I'm allergic to many plasters but this dressing's been OK so far, just getting a bit itchy. I'm worried that the nurse might just peel it off and hurt the skin - not take the time to soak it off gently.

I think the nurse at the hospital said that I could soak the dressing off on the weekend, if I had a reaction to it. But I was still laa-laa from the GA and meds, so not sure I remember or understood correctly.

Any advice?

What's underneath it, have they told you? If it's staples or stitches they would be fine without a dressing on, they can be left to dry out unless they are in an awkward place where they might catch etc. I work with patients with staples/stitches after brain surgery and we leave them to dry themselves after the first 48 hours or so.

If it's not been stapled/stitched, I wouldn't remove the dressing unless it's obviously dirty (I.e. visible blood staining etc). If it's dry, not smelly, not very itchy it should be OK to left and redressed by the nurse. If you did want to remove it, soaking it off gently with warm salty water should work.

Hope you're recovering well and not too sore xx

Thanks, shouldnthavesaid.

As I understand, there are internal dissolving stitches but no stitches on the outside, just steri-strips. There is dry blood on the dressing and it feels stiff and crusted were the blood is.

It's a clear dressing with a gauze pad, and I can see lots of steri-strip ends sticking out from under the gauze but still covered by the clear adhesive part of the dressing.

Just the thought of someone peeling it all off makes me toe-curlingly, stomach-clenchingly cringe!

Yeah I'd gently soak it off (just wet the sides with warm water so you aren't wetting the underneath too much iyswim) and leave to air dry for just now. If it's a bit bloody, could clean with cotton wool and water but it should be relatively OK.