Incision panic….can they rip open?

I am 11 days post op and at my 1 week post op appointment the nurse said for me to remove the strips today from my incisions and that I was ok to shower using my anti bacterial wash letting water drip over the incisions.

Well, I took the strips off and my incisions seem ok (pics below) however now I daren’t move at all for fear they may open up. I am a really queasy person when it comes to the site of cuts or blood etc and it took all my courage to check them out (advised by nurse to do this twice daily now). Did anyone else worry so much about the vulnerability of their incisions and what helped, if anything…

I am starting to think I should have asked if I could just leave the strips on but there must be a reason why we remove them.

I have rung MYA and I am waiting on a call back but just wondered if anyone else had the same experience and what did you do? Did you use an antiseptic formula like the nurse uses on your 1 week post op check, did you recover them or did u just leave them and carry on as normal?

Any help is appreciated x

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I’m worrying about them too! At my 5 day po with nurse she put cotton pads in them an said take them off in two days an put these waterproof plasters on while showering even tho they should be healed I’m now 10days po an still have those plasters on should I take them off? And should I be using a different soap an stuff do I clean the insitions with something?? Lol x

@katrina84 your insitions look really nicely heeled look more closed than mine! X

@adeleava Thanks for replying….its so worrying and it’s the one thing I forgot to ask about. It’s strange how different nurses advise different things. I was just told to remove the strips….take a shower but only use anti bacterial wash and let the water run down the incisions.

I was told to pat the incision dry with a clean towel and to make sure I wear a clean sports bra every day.

I wasn’t given or told to use any waterproof plasters. In some ways, I would feel better with them but I would pain when taking them off.

I am quite pleased with how my incision has healed so far but worried now that I have no protection in case I overdo it or stretch to high getting something etc. I knew my limits with the strips on….now I feel lost. X

Don’t worry hun, they look nicely closed. It just feels weird in the beginning but it will soon pass. They look lovely and neat! Xx

Thank you @lisalili I am just such a panicked when it comes to wounds. We’re you ever told to use antiseptic solution or anything with your incisions or do you just leave them to heal? X

@katrina84 I just took those plasters off now I feel wierd an unprotected too! Lol I even noticed some yellow fluid on plaster so I rang nurse an she said it can be normal just wash as normal an put some pads on them to see if leak anymore x

@adeleava It’s strange how having little plasters/strips taken away can make you feel so unprotected….my shoulders keep tensing up like they were just after surgery lol x

That’s strange that your nurse told you to take them off yourself. Mine did it every time, always booked the app before the op, she takes the plasters off, cleans the incision and checks if they are ok. If not she’d replace them and book another app.with her.

Hey chick, Im a nurse. I would just use the wash she suggested but don’t over do as the wound being too clean is also bad. Yours doesn’t look much of wound though, it is closed so don’t worry too much. Just keep a close eye on it to check it isn’t dehisced. It wont do it no harm though if you want to put a dressing over the top for short periods. I would only put one on which is easy to remove though so it isn’t going to cause trauma when you take it off xx

I would imagine each nurse will advise something different as they will have their own preference. Aslong as your hands are clean if you touch the site and also cleaning it properly it should be fine x

Hey @katrina

At my one week appointment the nurse took my dressings off but replaced them with steri strips which I’ve to change every 2-3 days. I’ve just been washing as normal not putting shower gel directly over my incisions though.

Please don’t worry about then bursting open though as this is VERY unlikely to happen. When they stitch you they stitch in layers – muscle, fat and skin so it’s highly unlikely that you would suddenly burst open!!

Just be sensible about your healing – don’t overdo it! Happy healing xx

@ariel Thank you for your reply. The nurse did say they had healed nicely at my one week check so I think she was happy that 4 days later they would be ok to remove.

@jessy6067 Thank you for your reply and reassurance…coming from a nurse..I do feel much more assured it will be ok. My nurse did say not to wash the incision area specifically and just to let the water drip over the area so what you say makes sense.i am going to get in the shower now and try relax lol x

Thank you all x

@emmadd Thank you….I know it sounds silly but once something gets in my head, it’s hard to shake it off but all you lovely ladies have helped me shake this one off and I really appreciate it. I would be lost without these forums. 🙂 x

Just don’t use any of your normal shower gel on that area but if it happens to end up there by accident just rinse it thoroughly which you would probably do anyways. One of my friends used some silicone scar sheets to place over the incisions once they were closed. They are meant to help with scarring but I suppose it gives you peace of mind knowing they are covered over. xxx

Your incisions look amazing! One of mine is awful!!!! I’m really upset about It. They look like they are healing perfect. I did panic though with mine I felt like I couldn’t straighten my shoulders for a few days xxx

@jessy6067 I will just be using hibiscrub (anti bacterial wash). I will continue washing my hair separately to be on the safe side as I have long hair and would worry too much about shampoo, dirty water and conditioner going near my incision (see…I am borderline obsessive with my worrying lol). I ha e just looked at those silicone sheets and they seem ideal for me to stop me panicking during the day especially when at work even if I just use them until I am comfortable without. I may just invest in some x

Hey Hun, i wouldnt worry too much hun as your incisions look great, i have had issues with my incision on the right hand side while the one on the left has been healed fully since one week post op, I have an openeing in my incision ill attach a photo, it has come undone twice now and the nurse found a wandering stitch which could be causing the problems which she did inform me that sometimes the body will try and expel them which can happen anytime up to 3 months after surgery as the body chooses to expel instead of dissolve so do still check your incisions but they will mature day by day, dont be scared of your boobs enjoy them 🙂 xxx

heres the pic, and im 3 weeks post op so i think you have nothing to worry about 🙂 x

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@leylamanyera @ladybabiedoll88 Thank you both and I am sorry to hear you are having issues with your incisions. You both seem to be dealing with them well though….I would be afraid to move unless they put something over it to make it feel held together. What is MYA doing to sort the incisions out for you? X

Yes I was hun, on my one week appointment my nurse changed dressings and put clean ones on. She also gave me some spares and some oily wipes to be able to get plasters off and change myself after showers. On my 2 week appointment the nurse removed my plasters and said that I shouldn’t wear them anymore but gave me some medical gauze to put over them in my bra so they weren’t uncomfortable, I did that for about a week but now I don’t bother anymore as they are fine xx

@lisalili After yesterday, I seem to have become more comfortable without the strips being on. I get a bit paranoid and check them after nearly everything I do just to make sure I haven’t damaged them by moving but they are fine. Once again, thank you all ladies x

Aww that’s good hun 🙂 x

Mya have been really accomadating and lovely which i have been so grateful for, they fit me in at short notice and take my concerns seriously which is so nice, they swabbed and cleaned my incisions and dressed them, the last time i went they noticed a stitch causing issues so they removed it and redressed and i just took it off to replace with a fresh one and things look good 🙂 i think i am going to spit a stitch on the other side too as i can feel a sharp point through my skin on the left side too xxx

Thanks @lisalili Aww…that’s great to hear @ladybabiedoll88. It’s nice to know that if anything goes wrong, MYA are there to rectify and reassure. I have had a few u returned phone calls but nothing major and that is easily done I guess. Other than that, I have been really happy with them x

Hii hun only just seen this!
i had to take my own strips off 12 days PO and spent the hour following trying not to be sick, drip white and shaking.
i was so queasy! and yes convicned they were gonna fall out.
i eventually got a shower and washed my legs arms, back, tummy and upper chest with hibiscrub we still arent allowed to clean the incisions only allow the water to flow over them!

i am fine now though! hope you are too!xxxx

@ness318 That’s exactly how I felt but feeling much better now. However whenever I am bra less or if I touch the areas that are still numb I get a bit of a queasy feeling still. Glad to hear you are fine now too….x

I am panicking I am 6 weeks post op and my scars feel open!!! Please help? Do they look ok?

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