steri strips

hello once again. I went to the dr. on Thursday to have the staples removed. My doctor put on steri stips and said if they fall off don't worry. But I take a shower everyday and they feel as though they are permanetly glued on. They are not coming off at all. I'm not sure if thats good or not, should I remove them. I don't know if its better to have the wound dry out or just leave them. Can someone help me? thanks

From my past experiences, you're supposed to leave the steri strips on until they fall off on their own. You don't need to worry about them...they will come off on their own, just don't rub the area when drying off to vigorously. And when the edges start lifting, just trim them down.

:dragon:

Hi, I'll answer this one too!

I've had steri strips from the day of surgery and they are still attached. My doctor said I could remove them after 2 wks, but others here said they just let them fall off.

I have elected to let them fall off and they are starting to curl on the edges now. I blow them dry after a shower and "air them out" whenever I am in my bed (a tip that my surgical nurse told me).

Good luck.

Hello! I, too left the tape to come off on it's on. I used a hairdryer as well! Except for the very last one at the bottom----I gently urged it off (with permission from the Dr) because the hair was starting to grow back under it! It'll peel off before you know it-there kinda timed with the healing of the scar tissue.
Love,
Ladybug

Hi. My Doctor had advised me to keep them on until the come off on their own. It took about 4.5 weeks. Once they started to peel up on the ends I took them off. I did it after a shower. I did not take them off all at once, just as they became loose. And suprise to me, I found a staple still in! So at 5 weeks the Dr removed it.

I also had steri strips on-they put them on at the hospital after they took out every other staple. Then I got an infection on the incision and went in at 6 days post op and they took out the rest of the staples, and the visible stitches at the T part of the incision. Then the nurse put one long steri strip up the whole vertical incision. Which of course, promptly became weepy and infected underneath.

I called the doc again at 9 days post op about that, and he said to take off the steri strips, wash with antibiotic soap and dry the area carefully. And he changed my antibiotics also. I actually think in my case I was sensitive to the adhesive on the steri strips because wherever they were it was weepy and red and pus was under there.
It got a whole lot better when the strips were off.

But I think they are usually supposed to fall off on their own. As usual we are all different, so it helps to have doctors doesn't it?

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where do you get the strength to shower everyday? is it me??????????

My staples were taken out on day 2 at the hospital. Steri-strips were applied & I was told they could come off in 2 wks. The nurse told me as the ends loosen up just cut the loose piece off. At about 2 wks I took them off. The hardest part is the adhesive it leaves behind on your skin! Dr also told me to apply Vitamin E oil to the scar.

The tape residue comes off very easily with a bit of rubbing alcohol on a washcloth! And remember ---do not put your vit E on the wound, only after you get the scar!
Ladybug

Dear BB152:

Don't feel lonely, I too am too tired to take a shower everyday. I have been taking one every other day. But, I have only been home three days now. I am hoping that each day I will get a little stronger, the showers just wipe me out! i guess we just have to be patient and let our bodies tell us what is right for us! Good luck with your recovery!

Smoothie