When can I take my steri strips off?!
Question: When can I take my steri strips off!?
I had my gallbladder removed last Thursday, and they put steri-strips over 3 of my 4 incisions (the 4th is in my belly button)!. I was just wondering if anybody could give me a time estimate for them falling off!. They are beginning to itch (because they are healing I would guess), and I get irritated that I can't clean under them to get all the sticky stuff and iodine off!. I know that my doctor said that they would fall off on their own but he never told me how long it would take!. If someone could help me I would GREATLY appreciate it!!!! Thank you in advance! :o)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Hi! When I had the same procedure, they used steri strips on me, too!. It took one day for two to come off and a week for the others to come away!. Remember, steri strips are substitutes for stitches!. You would not want to pull a stitch too early, so do not pull the strip too early!. The itching is a good sign that the skin underneath is healing!. A week is a short time!. You can tough this out after toughing out your procedure!. Hang in there a little longer!. DanWww@Answer-Health@Com
You can slightly dampen the steri strips if they are itchy and drying out!. Most incisions unless infection or other complications are healed in 5-7 days!. Still no straining or lifting!. But by then these strips should be going or gone!.Www@Answer-Health@Com