Steri-strips...how long?

[Kimgrif]

Hi all,

I do not remember what the horrid assistant said as she was ever so NOT gently applying the steri-strips to my incision. I don't remember how long she said to keep them on.

I'm still very bitter over the treatment I received when the staples were removed and the steri-strips were applied, can you tell? I do intend to let my OS know how UN-happy I am with that first post-op visit and my treatment.

My question is this: The steri-strips were applied on 09/02/08. At what point is it safe to remove them? Something about "Saturday" keeps ringing a bell, but I'm not sure.

Thanks!

BTW, my ROM yesterday at PT was 85 flexion, 10.5 extension. Got those numbers combined with tears, but I got them!

 

[Josephine]

5-7 days would be fine.

 

[jessie]

My steri strips lasted 24 hours. I had horrendously large water blisters from the tape. Never before had anything like that happen. I don't have allergies, eat like a billy goat and pretty much nothing affects me. The tape was awful tho. Took days for the blisters to heal. I'm all healed up now.

 

[DaveW]

Most steri-strips fall off by them selves and should not be removed. Let them fall off. That is generally accepted practice.

Dave

 

[1jt@atime]

Like Dave, I have always been told to leave them on until they fall off. I always cut the edges away as they start peeling. I've had doctors and physical therapists tell me that leaving tape over the incision is supposed to make the scar appear thinner after it heals. I know there are silicon sheets that are supposed to help with the healing but I've never tried them. Here's a website with information on them in case you are interested. Karen

https://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product/scar_reduction/sheet/index.vm?procid=42&catid=544

 

[Josephine]

My steri strips lasted 24 hours. I had horrendously large water blisters from the tape. Never before had anything like that happen. I don't have allergies, eat like a billy goat and pretty much nothing affects me. The tape was awful tho. Took days for the blisters to heal. I'm all healed up now.

Most steri-strips fall off by them selves and should not be removed. Let them fall off. That is generally accepted practice.

Dave

I would never advise a patient to do that for the very reason that Jessie stated. I have seen many, many patients react the same.

It's happened to me too - I had blisters and scars for ages after Steristrips were put on a ganglionectomy wound on my wrist and then a stab wound on my abdomen for an HRT implant. Now I always tell people I am allergic to surgical tape as it happens to me with Micropore as well.

I'd never leave Steristrips on longer than a week - there's no need for them to be on longer anyway. There's actually little need for them period! If the staples are ready to come out then the wound should be healed - why the belt and braces?

 

[beachcomber]

I didn't have steri-strips on my knees--- but did on my back. They just fell off in about 7-10 days by themselves(as per Dr. orders). I think the showers I took loosened them up. I don't have tape allergies, tho.

 

[Kimgrif]

Thank you, Josephine! I've been removing the strips that are looking so tattered, and will continue to do so over the next few days. I'd like to get some lotion on this scar!

Thankfully, my skin doesn't react to Steri-Strips or to Micropore.

 

[Rowdy66]

I remember the posts about the blisters and how horrible it was. My doctor didn't use staples, just had stitches and on the outside steri-strips. First day at physical therapy the therapist put me face down on a plastic covered table and told me to scoot to the edge. There went the steri-strips on one leg and most on the other one. Scared me witless kept thinking my scar was going to pop open but, of course, it didn't. I am just glad I didn't have the blisters they seem to commonly cause. My scar is barely noticable and healed nicely with no bumps or lumps or puckered places. What looks bad is where they had the drains. Both sides are funny looking, but they are healed and who cares. At my age I am more interested in walking on my legs than showing them off. Rowdy