How to care for a wound after surgery

• Keep the wound clean and dry.
• Use simple pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen as needed.
• Avoid swimming while the wound heals.

Three days after surgery:

• You can have a short shower.
• Avoid spraying the shower head directly at the wound.
• Make sure to pat the wound fully dry.

Seven days after surgery:

• If the wound is fully healed, you can go back to your usual bathing routine.

Signs that a wound may be infected include:

• Redness around the wound. This may be harder to spot on brown or black skin tones.
• The wound is oozing – either bleeding or has a yellow or green discharge.
• Increased pain or tenderness in the wound or surrounding skin.
• The wound feeling hotter than the surrounding skin.
• Swelling or a firmness around the wound.
• The wound smelling unpleasant.
• Having a temperature or feeling feverish.

If you think you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact the surgical nurse specialist team:

• Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 5092 or 5093
• The team are available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

If you cannot get through or need advice out of these hours:

• Call NHS 111 by dialling 111.
• Or attend your local Accident & Emergency (A&E).

Dissolvable stitches don’t need to be removed – they are dissolvable and will be absorbed by the body over time.

Occasionally dissolvable stitches aren’t fully absorbed and will make their way up to the surface of the wound. This can cause a small amount of irritation – you might notice redness or a small pimple forming under the skin.

This usually resolves on its own. However, if the surrounding area becomes red or swollen, contact your surgical team. Please note – redness can be harder to spot on brown or black skin tones.

Some wounds are closed with surgical glue. This looks like a shiny, see-through (transparent) covering over the wound.

Wound glue will gradually peel and fall off by itself when the wound has healed – usually arond 10 days after surgery.

• Do not pick or scratch the glue
• Do not apply any creams, plasters or dressings over the glue.

Some wounds have small paper adhesive strips (steri-strips) applied to them.

Steri-strips should remain in place for two weeks.

After two weeks, you can gently remove them after bathing. Bathing helps dissolve the glue that keeps them in place.

Once the wound has healed:

Suncream

Apply suncream to the scar, if the area is exposed the sun. Applying suncream to the scar for can help reduce uneven skin tone around the scar from sun exposure. You should apply suncream whenever you are out in the sun and be especially mindful to apply suncream to the scar for at least one year after surgery.

Scar massage

Massaging the scar for 10 minutes, two times a day, can help to improve the appearance of the scar and reduce scar sensitivity. You can use an unperfumed cream. It can take up to two years for a scar to fully heal so you can continue for as long as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s wound, please contact the surgical nurse specialist team:

Email: surgical.outreachteam@gosh.nhs.uk

Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 5092/5093

The team are available Monday–Friday, 8am–6pm.

If you need medical advice out of hours, please call NHS 111 by dialling 111.