Washing your hands is one of the best ways to prevent infection.

• Always wash your hands before and after touching your incision or bandage. Hands carry germs that can cause infections.
• Try not to touch your incision.

Keep the Incision Clean

• Wear clean, loose-fitting clothes to prevent clothes from rubbing on the incision. Change into clean clothes every day to keep your incision area as clean as possible.
• Put clean sheets on your bed when you get home.
• Do not let other people or animals touch the incision.

Showering

• Use a clean washcloth and towel on your incision before you use it on any other area of your body.
• Adjust the shower spray to gentle and use warm water.
• Gently wash over your incision using antibacterial soap and water and pat it dry. Do not rub the incision.
• Do not soak or submerge in the bathtub or hot tub until your surgeon says it is OK.

Wound care

• Follow your instructions from the hospital or surgeon. Depending on the bandage, you will have different instructions.
• If you have thin white tape strips (Steri-Strips) over your incision, keep them dry. Do not remove them unless they begin curling up at the sides and are almost falling off.
• Skin glue will fall off on its own. Do not pull or pick at the skin glue. Keep the skin glue clean, dry and open to the air.

Incision Care Video

Click here to watch.