Activity
Do not lift anything weighing more than 10 lbs until sutures/staples are removed. Avoid strenuous activities, such as jogging or aerobics until your stitches are removed. Walking is encouraged, but do not walk so fast that your heart rate greatly increases, or you are breathing hard. This could cause incisional bleeding.
Pain and Discomfort
You may alternate taking Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Advil) for discomfort unless you had been told you should not take these medications or your physician prescribed a different medication. Icing the wound over the bandage can help relieve post-operative pain and swelling. It is recommended to apply the ice pack in a covering (washcloth, etc) for 15 minutes every two hours. If these steps do not relieve your pain, please contact our office.
For wounds closed with stitches, staples or left open to heal (NOT SKIN GRAFTS):
Leave bandage on for 24-48 hours after the surgery (duration per provider)
Avoid heavy lifting, exercise, bending, or straining. Sleeping with your head elevated on a couple of pillows may help with swelling/discomfort if site is on head.
A small amount of bloody drainage is not unusual for the first few days, but it should not be saturating or bleeding through the bandage. (see Bleeding section below)
Remove bandage in 24-48 hours. If dressing tends to stick, pour warm water over/soak dressing to soften crust
Cleanse wound with lukewarm tap water and a mild soap. Dry with clean gauze.
After cleaning, apply thin layer of Vaseline, cover with non-stick gauze (Telfa) and tape or band-aid.
Continue daily cleaning and dressing change until suture removal or area has healed completely.
Showering the wounded area is usually safe after 48 hours but be sure to replace the dressing.
Wounds tend to heal better (faster, with less pain, and a nicer cosmetic outcome) when kept clean and covered with ointment and a bandage as opposed to leaving uncovered with scab formation.
Swelling and bruising are expected after surgery. Occasionally the swelling and bruising (especially around the eyes) can appear later (up to 3 days after the surgery).
Bleeding
Do not take Aspirin or other blood thinning medications unless you have been directed to do so by a physician.
Some minor oozing of blood from the surgical site is normal for a few days after surgery. If your wound bleeds enough that blood soaks through to the outside of your bandage, follow these guidelines:
Apply firm, continuous pressure with a gauze pad directly over the wound for 15-20 minutes. If bleeding continues, apply continuous pressure for another 20 minutes and immediately call our office.
Call the office if any of the following occurs:
Wound develops green or yellow drainage
Surrounding area becomes red and swollen
Red streaks are seen around the wound
Fever develops after procedure
You experience worsening pain at the surgical site after the first 3 days have passed
Contact
-
If you are calling between the normal business hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, please call our main number (479) 876-8550 and press extension “1” for medical and follow the prompts to reach a phone nurse. You can also try reaching the Mohs Coordinator at (479) 876-8493. Please be sure to leave a voicemail or send us a text message on our Klara messaging system if you are unable to reach us directly. Please note, the Mohs Coordinator is not at her desk to check voicemails every day so if your call is time-sensitive, please send a Klara message or leave a voicemail for our phone nurses.
-
If you have questions or concerns after hours, please call our on-call provider at 479-426-4373 for assistance (be sure to leave a message) and you will be called back.