Steri Strips

10 days post op now and I am feeling better and better each day

 I was advised by my surgeon to keep my small incisions clean, covered and to change the coverings daily after I showered.  One of my incisions became infected because it became irritated.  I, too thought they needed airing out. But I ended up needing to use a strong antibiotic gel with the band aid.    

So, I guess surgeons don't always give patients the same advice.   

Yes but that was advised because of your particular incisions and what was happening with them. It is not the general rule of thumb. You just have to adapt what you wear so as not to cause irritation in the 1st instance. No ointment should be put onbthem unless advised by a surgeon as you were. You have to remember everybody is unique and you were advised differently to what is the norm because you had problems. If others with no medical knowledge read your post they may think that they should put ointment & coverings on incisions that clearly don't need that. Incisions should be pretty much healed around 10 day mark. Depending on where the incision is, sutures that require removal has them taken out between 10 days to 14 days. Steristrips should be just left totally alone and come off in their own time without any rubbing to make that happen faster. That means picking at them or rubbing with a towel or clothing that's too firm. They should be gently patted dry after showering. 

Hi, well, 

I felt badly about stating my viewpoint.  Of course, I agree that everyone should check with their doctor and follow his or her particular instructions.  I also researched several sites in the U.S. (I understand that you're in the UK, correct?) I found all sorts of different advice, but the botttom line is that patients should follow their sugeon's guidlines.

There was nothing wrong with you stating what you did. It's just that there is nothing wrong with a sutured incision being dry to prevent ideal situation for bug growth. A dry incision during initial 10 days is way more ideal than a moist breeding site for infection. If it gets infected then you will end up with a way more ugly scar than one that was kept dry & aired if all is ticking along normally. 

I had six 1 to 1 1/2 inch incisions, dissolving stitches and lots of surgical glue...the surgical glue was supposed to slough off within a few days.  But some remained and was removed by my doctor at my 2 week check up. In my case, the incisions definitely did not heal within 10 days.  They oozed and wept.  Some of them were closed but irritated at two months. It took the inflammation in the larger incision over my belly button a month and a half to subside. My body was not happy.

I didn't care about the scar...I just wanted them to heal.  Fortunately, I wear cotton underwear 2 sizes too large and cotton knit summer dresses...not exactly haute attire, but they worked for me.    

That's a good thought...perhaps, it was as you suggested, that the glue provided a warm, moist environment.  I ended up swabbing them (after showering daily) with the reddish orange presurgical wash and then used a prescription antibiotic gel on the worst.  I covered them with band-aids, the kind that have no medication in them, and that absorb, but don't stick.

I was more worried about why I had to have the hysterectomy, frankly, and what might happen.  It's been a little over a year now...xx