taking care of your incision?

[rlm869]

i have not had surgery yet, i am scheduled for march 24th. it seems i have read differing accounts on incision sites and i am just curious to get input about taking care of it. i know i am going to have a scar, but i want to try to keep it from being to frankenstein looking 

any suggestions would be great!

rebecca

[Pat Walter]

Hi Rebecca

There really isn't much to do with the incision.  I was lucky and had only disolvable stitches which makes for a really nice incision and eventually scar.   Many people have a lot of staples which I don't think gives as nice of scar eventually.

Maybe you should talk to your doctor about what he/she likes to use and see if you have any choice. I have always had strange skin and scared very easily. So I has happy to have just the stitches.

Some people have had their incision glued and some have had steri strips.  Only the people going overseas usually get waterproof bandages.  In Belgium they put waterproof bandages on so you can get into the pool for therapy a few days after surgery. 

So there are many options and you need to ask what they are from your doctor.

After the incision starts to heal in a few weeks, you can rub vitamine E oil on it.  That is recommended by many PTs and doctors to help it heal.  You can't do it right away though, you need to wait a few weeks.  Again it is always good to ask your doctor.

My incision itched a lot.  It still itches some and I am 1 month short of 2 years post op.  It is still a little tender if I sit on a hard bench or chair.  You really get sliced and diced and it takes your body a long time to heal.

Some people get adhesions and get some massage therapy to break it up months after surgery.  During my first year, I would walk without any pain or incisoin problem, but after a long walk when I sat down - it felt like my incision was pulling apart.  Of course it has healed over, but I am guessing I had some adhesions.  It eventually got better. 

Almost everything gets better if you give it time.

Pat

[john]

Hi Rebecca,

I'm 2 months post surgery. After I got the staples out I used Emu oil on the scar and it has healed up very nice with a non-Frankenstein looking red line and nothing jagged.
Good luck with your surgery. I know you will be happy with the elimination of arthritis pain, I am. Now I can't wait to get the other hip done.
John

[pilgeram]

Hi Rebecca,
I have about a 12 inch incision (01/19/2008) with staples.  As soon as I got the staples out, I started treating the incision with a salve that I made from camelina oil which contains very high levels of omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin E.  I had very little problem with itching.  As soon as I felt a slight twitching, I would slather on the salve.  The incision looks great (the staple holes are still visible) and is similiar to another incision from a surgery about 3 years ago.  Let me know if you want to try to the camelina and I will send it.  Otherwise try to find a salve claiming high levels of omega-3.   I think that the omega-3 and vitamin E work together.
Alice

[Pat Walter]

I used vitamin E oil on my incission after about 3 weeks post op. I only had stitches that healed quickly, but was told to hold off a little while on the vitamin E.

My incision itched a lot - even now at 2 years post op I have placed that will still itch.  It takes a long time to heal I guess.

I had a very smooth, nice looking incision becasue in Belgium they don't use staples for women - only stitches.  If you wanted something similar, I would imagine you could request it from your doctor.  Don't know too much about what doctors will do special in that area. Never heard anyone say they asked for only stitches in the US.  some doctors have used glue and some steri-strips.  There are all sorts of combinations as you read peoples stories.

Pat

[takilasunrise]

I haven't put anything on mine yet.  I was told to buy vitamin E pills and cut them open and rub the liquid into my scar.  I know there are other products on the market geared towards minimize scarring.  I had 29 staples (I counted them from the photo my husband took of me).  I can still see the spots where the staples were.  My husband says to think of it as a battle scar to be proud of!  Since I don't wear bikinis or short-shorts anymore, I'm not going to be too self-conscious about it.  Mine only itched when I still had the staples in. 

Speaking of itching, since I've had my surgery, I've had one silver-dollar sized spot on my backside directly on top of my hip that always itches.  Right after surgery, I scratched it so much that I broke the skin (I didn't realize I was doing it) and it really hasn't stopped since.  I wonder what that's from?

[Ardnas]

Hi Rebecca,

Just noticed your request for care of incision.  My incision is 11 inch long.  I had dissolving stiches.  6 weeks post op it is red and itchy (try not to scratch) but have been told to rubbio oil on it (we are in the UK so maybe you will call it something else).  Mine is really neat and I am sure that in time it will heal over.

Sandra