One of the most common questions that we get regarding any surgery we do is how to maintain/clean the incisions from the patient’s surgery. The answer is really simple. We ask that you clean the incisions from your surgery 2-3 times daily while emphasizing in the morning and the evening before heading to sleep. All you need to do is mix a solution of Hydrogen Peroxide and tap water (50/50), just a few teaspoons of each. You will then have the solution and have a few Q-Tips or gause soaking for a short amount of time. You will then use the Q-Tips/gause and run it over where the incisions are. This helps break up any dried blood and to soften any scabbing that is present along the incision lines. Using the Hydrogen Peroxide also helps keep the incisions clean by lysing bacteria that may be present. Once the incisions have been cleaned, we like patients to place Vaseline along the same areas that were just cleaned. We always recommend Vaseline or Aquaphor instead of Neosporin because some antibiotic ointments can cause irritation due to allergy for patients after continued use. This helps keep a moist environment for the skin to regenerate and heal together. By keeping the incisions clean, it allows for the skin to remain healthy and to heal appropriately and the stitches remain clean and thus easier to remove for the patient and surgical team.
