How to Care For a Surgical Incision

You're home from the hospital, all stitched up after your surgery. You got all your instructions from your doctor about medications, but you forgot to ask how to care for this unsightly bandage and what lies beneath it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bandages/sterile gauze
• Tape

1. Keep the bandage on for at least the first few days. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, most surgical wounds don't need to be covered for more than a few days after the initial procedure, but you may opt to keep a bandage on to protect the cut.
2. Change your wound covering if blood starts seeping through it. Apply pressure to the wound for a few minutes to try and stop bleeding. When bleeding is under control, replace the covering with another bandage or sterile gauze and tape. If the wound continues to bleed, call your doctor.
3. Stay dry. Your bandage should remain dry for at least a day, so steer clear of the shower. Take a sponge bath instead.
4. Take it easy. Avoid exercise, heavy lifting, sometimes even driving (depending on where the incision was made) until you get the okay from your doctor. Staying immobile helps the wound heal properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Call your doctor immediately if you develop a fever, notice any redness extending past the edges of the wound, see a discharge emanating from the cut or feel like it's tender or painful. All could be the signs of an infection.