Post Lap. Scabs - when can I have a bath?

[Zoelizabeth]

I had my first diagnostic lap for endo, which resulted in ablation of endo etc, i had a small infected in the belly button incision, which I noticed 6 days after op, which GP washed, dressed and was happy with after a further 7 days of antibiotics.

I have been nervous since the infection and have steered clear of touching the scab which has remained there since, but it has been almost 4 weeks. With no signs of it coming off.

I had heard mixed feedback on taking a bath. Some have reassured me bathing is fine after 3-4 weeks. If anything, my endo friend told me to get straight in the bath when I got home from work on the weekend...

Others saying, to leave it until it naturally falls off.

Id be grateful of any more feedback on what I should do? To bathe/soften scabs to get them to fall off, or leave them as dry as possible and keep my fingers crossed.

[luthien]

I'm not a medical expert so it may be best to call your GP / specialist and ask; they may want to take a look.

I would say though most of the healing has happened under the scabs especially if there's no infection anymore. Sometimes the new skin forms underneath and kind of holds onto the scab.

Having a bath should be fine, but I wouldn't rub the scabs or try to get them off, just soak, the usual time you spend in the bath, and pat dry your scabs after; they'll be whiter and possibly gooey but that's fine. You may need to wait about 30 mins before dressing as the scabs have softened; you'll want those to harden again so they're less likely to catch. If there's some that have peeled a little you can trim the sticky out bits with small sterile scissors (nail or eyebrow ones) or put a plaster on for a few days. Hopefully that'll prompt the body into letting go of the scab!

xx

[Zoelizabeth in reply to luthien]

Thank you for replying.

Update - this week I have been having epsom salt baths for 10 mins, just enough to get the scabs loosened and soggy. And with a bit of luck, after tonight, it looks like I should have 95% of it off completely.

These pesky 'dissolvable' stitches have been a right nuisanse. But fingers crossed Ill be able to live normally again very very soon, after feeling paranoid for the last 4 weeks