Shower/bath

[discobec]

I had my laparoscopy on Wednesday and have three ports, one of which had a drain in. Until now I've just had quick washes but I'm desperate for a shower or bath. I've been told not to soak in the bath for long or use bubble bath but i'm unsure of what to do about dressings etc.

My plan is to dry the wounds with the hairdryer on a low setting, as suggested by the nurse and then redress them.

Am I ok to use soap/shower gel etc?

Seems a rediculous dilemma but i'm really not sure what to do!

TIA X

[K87S]

I was told to shower and not to wash the area. Not scrub. I washed above and around letting the Soup work its way over them. Dab dry with a clean towel. NO rubbing. I just had a bath two weeks after mine. As I've heard soaking is bad for scarring whether there is any truth in that, who knows. I ended up being allergic to the dressing adhesive!!! So annoyingly itchy. Soak the dressings off. If you have see through ones I found them hard to get off...

[discobec in reply to K87S]

Thanks. How long until you took the dressings off completely? I redressed mine after my shower earlier but at some point I'll have to go without.

They're not the neatest of wounds so I'm a bit concerned about them catching on my clothes etc.

[K87S in reply to discobec]

5 days, that's when I noticed the itching was a reaction not healing... I think really you only need to keep them on if the wounds are wet or your stitches might rub on something.

[Dollar1414]

I had my wounds glued together not stitched so I didn't have dressings, but I would avoid using any kind of toiletries around the cuts , even I was told to, and not to soak in a bath or get them excessively wet in the shower, and I just used to pat them very gently dry , mine started to really itch a few days after and lasted for about a week, my gp said everything was fine it was healing well, hope all is ok x