Caring for Wounds After Surgery
An important aspect of recovery from cosmetic surgery in Gainesville is caring for your wounds. Following cosmetic surgery at Gainesville, you will be given specific care instructions based on your particular procedure. Here are some general guidelines to help you plan for care after your surgery. Your adherence to these will help with the recovery process.
Proper Hygiene: You should always properly wash your hands before changing or otherwise manipulating the dressing or touching the wound.
Changing Dressings: The dressings covering the wound should be kept clean, dry and should be changed as frequently as instructed by Dr. Allison. Before changing the dressing, prepare all the supplies you will need and make sure you are using a clean surface. Carefully remove the tape and then the dressing. Then after cleaning the wound, you should put on new dressings. Old dressings should never be reused.
Wound Management: It is important to avoid wearing tight clothes over the incision that would rub against it. You should also try to refrain from scratching and rubbing the wound as the site of the incision may be itchy for the first few days after surgery.
Follow-Up: It is important to keep your follow-up appointments to have your sutures removed if necessary and to monitor wound healing.
Red flags: To avoid complications, pay attention to some of the following signs and contact our office if you notice any of them:
- Signs of inflammation (increasing redness, swelling, pain)
- Increasing bleeding and drainage
- Opening of the wound due to failure of the sutures
- The wound starts to look dried out and dark
- Changes of the drainage indicating pus (increased thickness, grey, yellow or green color and an unpleasant smell)
- Your temperature is higher than 99 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 4 hours
Properly caring for your wounds is an essential part of a successful cosmetic surgery experience. To learn more, contact David W. Allison, MD at 703-754-8228 or website today.