I don't know how to post on this board, I am a real greenhorn. I am 10 days post op and I am having some redness on my incision, no fever, no pain, no pus, no swelling just a little itchy.  It started yesterday and since that was Christmas I decided to just keep an eye on it, so far no change, but still red.  I'm worried that it could be infection.  My home RN is coming on Monday so do you think it's ok to just wait until she can look at it?

Hi

Welcome to Hip Talk.  I am not a doctor so I can't give you medical advice.

I gave you your own topic.

Normally, unless the incision is swollen, very red and hot - with a lot of pressure and pain, it is normally.  My incision itched for years.  Mine is still red after almost 4 years.  We all have different kind of skin that heals differently.

Did you have stitches or staples?  Are they all out?

Just have your RN check your incision on Monday.  If it gets really red, hurts and you are running a temperature - then go to the ER.  If it doesn't seem critical, then it sounds pretty normal. You just had surgery and it takes time to heal.  Most people have tender incisions and many have itchy incisions. THat is very normal, especially so early in your recovery.

Good Luck.

Pat

Thanks for confirming what I was thinking.  I have staples and I think mostly the itching is the healing.  There is some redness at the incision, but it hasn't changed for the last couple of days.  I'll let you know what the RN says tomorrow.  I just don't want to screw anything up.  There are some horror stories out there and some amazing recoveries and I am somewhere in the middle and trying to make sure that everything heals well and without complications.

Thanks again,

Connie

I also had staples and they itched like crazy.  One drove so me crazy that i just pulled it out myself.  Boy was my wife pissed.  I had some redness too but it all got better within a few days of the staples coming out.

Connie,
I too just had the technique done a week ago.  The doctors had used staples on me to close the incision.  The redness around the wound was due from the staples.  As long as it doesn't have a foul smell or changes color in discharge towards green or a bright red, the redness around the incision should be normal. At least that is what my doc told me. Wish you all the best in your recovery.
Duane

Thanks everyone,

The home RN looked at it today and said it looks perfectly normal, that the itching is most likely due to healing.  She also said that the staples are probably ready to come out and put in a call to my surgeon about getting them removed.  I'm just really glad that everything is healthy and normal.  As long as I know that, I can stand a little itching.