Cleaning my wounds - advice?

[Komodo19]

Hi all. I was just wondering what’s the best way to clean my belly button incision? There’s still dry blood around the area and I don’t want it to get infected. Any tips? My lower incision is fine. Thanks in advance!

[Sarah_Meriel]

Clean it with salt water and dab dry - that will help to dry it out. I was recently told this by my nurse . It's normal for the belly button one to take a bit longer to heal. If you're not sure at all, it's always best to seek medical advice.

[Komodo19 in reply to Sarah_Meriel]

Thank you! I’ll give that a try tonight and hopefully it will look a lot cleaner! X

[IndigoMoon1234 in reply to Sarah_Meriel]

Exactly this. A silver plaster may also help with the healing.

[Hidden]

Leave well alone it will come off on its own, going near a fresh wound could cause infection, as you are allowed to shower or bathe it will loosen itself..IF it bleeds go A&E.

[Komodo19 in reply to Hidden]

Oh right okay! I’m just worried that the dried blood not being cleaned will also put me at risk of infection? Thanks for the advice! X

[Hidden in reply to Komodo19]

dried blood is protecting your wound from infection, bit like when you used to cut your knees falling a big "scab formed" it protected the wound..

[Komodo19 in reply to Hidden]

Ahh I see! Am I safe to clean around the area, and not directly the wound? X

[Hidden in reply to Komodo19]

I wouldn,t go near as you might make the dried blood split and a small bleed occur.. Have you not got a district nurse calling? if not make G.P appt. tell them why.

[Komodo19 in reply to Hidden]

No I haven’t, thanks for your advice x

[Sarah_Meriel]

sorry didn't realise it was a fresh wound - after two weeks I was told to bathe it gently in salt water to help dry it out.

[Komodo19 in reply to Sarah_Meriel]

It will be 2 weeks on Wednesday since my lap x

[luthien]

Hi. I used a tried and tested method! If it's an innie; get some non adhesive dressing - stuff from the inside of a plaster ususually separate in a first aid box, cut to about 1 cm by 1/2 cm and roll up. dab with colloidal silver (from amazon) / diluted tea tree oil / diluted witch hazel or aloe vera gel. Then roll up and place in belly button - so it just goes in, not all the way; this helps keep bacteria at bay while letting the incision air. Replace twice a day, if it doesn't come out add a bit of what you've used above and wait 5 mins. Don't clean or poke anything in. Keep replacing until the rolled up dressing comes out clean and dry. It took mine about a week and a bit.

If it's an outie; cut just enough of the non adhesive dressing to cover the incision - dab with any of the above and place on incision, cover with micropore dressing or any similar non woven plaster - put on in the morning and remove at night. Leave to air overnight with no dressing / plaster - if it's healing then just leave to air completely.

If there's any scabbing and you're worried about catching it - moisturise with a little coconut oil or argan oil, but let it heal first so it's not weepy.

If any incisions get really warm to the touch (they will be a little warm while healing) or weep yellow white stringy stuff / bleed again / fever, achey "bones" go to a GP or local walk in centre as that's signs of an infection.

[Komodo19 in reply to luthien]

Interesting! Thanks! I do get a bit squeamish placing stuff in my belly button but I’ll definitely give it a try! X

[luthien in reply to Komodo19]

you don't need to put it all the way in! use a tweezer just to place it if you're really not wanting to touch it at all. x

The idea is to open up the belly button just enough to allow the incision to air and dry, while it still gets some natural antibacterial gel / oil to help it heal. If you don't like it or it isn't working or hurts then don't try - you can book in to your GP surgery ask to see a nurse - they'll go through what you can do for safe cleaning of your incisions.

As a side note I found savlon didn't work; it broke down the scabs on my incisions and made them revert back to being open and weepy.

Medical grade manuka honey is supposed to be amazing for "wet healing" but I've never tried it.

[Komodo19 in reply to luthien]

Thank you so much! x

[Theodora2016]

I used cotton wool and warm water. I just dabbed it really carefully! X

[Komodo19 in reply to Theodora2016]

Thank you for your reply! X

[Lulububs]

Always leave well alone, the blood around the area is clotted which is there to protect the incision and heal it will just fall of once it done it job ...

Then clean with salt water and cotton bud

[Komodo19 in reply to Lulububs]

Thank you! X

[Lulububs in reply to Komodo19]

It so easy to slip into the mindset of cleaning it but ur more likely to get infection cleaning ( ie infection on the wipe or bud or in water) then u are to have the natural blood clot over it.

Just let it b, try not to even get it wet in shower as the longer it stays on the better as it is protecting the cut skin.

If like a scab on a cut finger it protecting it to heal underneath.

Unfortunately in this day and age were so “ clean it up and dont get infection “ that sometimes we foget the fundamental rules of healing our body does it for us it needs no help.

[Amelie8]

Clean with salt water, dab dry. Do not put any creams on it , it will get infected and start opening up. Drying up means it's healing xx

[Komodo19 in reply to Amelie8]

Thanks for your reply! X

[Krithika]

Hi, cotton swab it with hydrogen peroxide a couple times a day until it’s a little more healed but be gentle

[Komodo19 in reply to Krithika]

Thank you for your advice! X

[EndoBattle]

Same as A lot of reply’s. Salt water solution, dry with something that’s not going to leave any fibres. A hair dryer is good to dry out your belly button xx

[EndoBattle in reply to EndoBattle]

Ps it’s normal for your wound to feel tight when it’s drying

[Komodo19 in reply to EndoBattle]

Thanks for your reply! Would never have thought of a hair dryer but that’s a good idea! 👍🏼 X

[Tinks2]

I have a very shallow innie belly button. I was advised to leave it well alone. Shower, not bathe. It didn't completely heal until i had the dissolvable stitches removed by a nurse.

Once the wounds have healed and you can touch them, rosehip oil with a bit of lavendar is good for reducing scarring. Also be sure to rub the whole area once it's healed to stop the inner layers from sticking.

If in doubt, talk to the nurse or your GP.

[Komodo19 in reply to Tinks2]

Thanks for your advice! I don’t have a shower, only a bath which makes it kinda tricky for me 😬 x