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Removing Gauze after Circumcision

babyblue1 profile image
35 Replies

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I had my circumcision yesterday morning and I was instructed to remove my gauze today but I’m having trouble! I’m currently in the bathtub filled with warm water & epson salt for the 2nd time today.

1. I’ve cut part of the top layer with scissors but the bottom layer of the gauze is stuck to my skin so when I pull on it it’s painful.

2. The gauze feels like it’s too tight on my penis and I just noticed a new bruise that wasn’t there before so I’m starting to get worried.

Anyone else experience this? Any tips? Could I use baby oil to loosen up the stickiness of the bandage? (Sort of how baby oil removes the stickiness of a bandaid so that it doesn’t hurt when removing it)

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Jayjodi profile image
Jayjodi

Allow it to get wet

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to Jayjodi

It’s been in the water for about 30 minutes now. And a couple hours ago I did the same thing

Nznznajaj727272 profile image
Nznznajaj727272

Let it get moist first, also just bathe!

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to Nznznajaj727272

What do you mean by just bathe? I showered earlier and sat in the bathtub for about 30min. Doing it again right now to try to loosen it up more

Nznznajaj727272 profile image
Nznznajaj727272 in reply to babyblue1

Don’t let it get soak just moist it & there

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to Nznznajaj727272

Ah ok thanks I’ll try that

S2BC profile image
S2BC in reply to babyblue1

Bathtub is not very "clean" when your wound is so recent. Shower is better now. You can just boil water and pour it in to tea mug and put some table salt (NaCl) on it. Do not use epsom salt ( MgSO4). Epsom salt is fine for treating sore muscles after your wound is totally healed.

health.clevelandclinic.org/...

woundsource.com/blog/four-s...

healthline.com/health/skin/...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

S2BC profile image
S2BC

Does it? "No one with an open wound or a severe burn should use Epsom salt. If you have an open wound, consult your dermatologist before use."

S2BC profile image
S2BC

Different country/continent, different recommendations. Epsom salt is not a thing here in Finland, Europe. Circinfo might be US-based or just bias? Table salt water emulates 0,9% saline solution.

Recent wound like 1st post-op is like open wound still.

nhs.uk/common-health-questi...

advancedtissue.com/2015/11/...

intermountainhealthcare.org...

summitmedicalgroup.com/libr...

S2BC profile image
S2BC

I don't work either in UK or US. We normally use saline solution or just tap water. I can understand universally tap water could be polluted in some parts of Earth.

Ps. Sorry, I couldn't find any evidence-based data of using Epsom salt with open wound.

I have had a look at SB2C’s links and cannot find one that advocates using Epsom Salts on open wounds. Epsom Salts and common salt are not interchangeable!! The first link says it should never be done!! I have removed all of apeters posts as they are potentially dangerous.

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to

The first thing that comes up when I googled how to remove my gauze is taking a warm bath w/ epsom salt. I already did this twice yesterday! Should I stop then? The original gauze is still on because I had no luck yesterday other than snipping a few pieces off. It’s still stuck to my skin and painful when I try to remove it. What else can I do?

I called and left my doctor a message so I’m waiting on that...

in reply to babyblue1

I googled removing a stuck wound dressing and no mention of Epsom Salts. The choices given in the top two results were plain water or saline (sodium chloride solution). Can you point me in the directions of results that mentioned Epsom salts?

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to

towerurology.com/services-t... “Bandage” section

S2BC profile image
S2BC in reply to babyblue1

All my respects to Cedar Sinai, but no evidence-based data can be found on that leaflet.

It’s not among the best practices here, but hundreds years ago in Dead Sea, Middle East. No one died either. ;)

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to S2BC

circinfo.com/post-op_care/p... They also recommend Epsom salt in this article. When I do remove my gauze and replace it with a new one, would I need to change it every day? After I pee do I need to clean my glans? And if so, how? I haven’t been cleaning it after peeing because it’s sensitive but I imagine I’m supposed to

in reply to babyblue1

I have to say that even they put saline first! I am not sure what they think Epsom Salts do. The general use, when bathing with them, is to ease muscle pain. However if you want to take the risk that is up to you.

S2BC profile image
S2BC in reply to babyblue1

Maybe you can take a painkiller one hours before the wound care if it would help to tolerate the pain. There is no must to use any salt. You just need to wet the old bandage to get it off. You can use that baby-oil you mentioned earlier to loosen up the stickiness of glue on gauze.

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to S2BC

Thank you, I will try this and update later

You shouldn’t use Epsom salt, it’s really bad advice.

Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is entirely different to ordinary salt (sodium chloride) and doesn’t provide any benefit for wounds. However ordinary (table/cooking/sea) salt is known to assist with healing,

Epsom salts are for putting in your bath and giving you soft skin, increasing your body’s magnesium level and maybe a good night’s sleep.

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to

Thank you I’m not going to use them anymore

enricoflorin profile image
enricoflorin

My doctor said to leave it on 3 days then shower and it may come off easier. You just want to be careful about getting the new would very wet. Actually any time I've had stitches they have said not to get it wet for 3 days.

In terms of bruising, it's normal for bruising to appear the day after the op, you probably don't need to worry about that. There is a good chance that the surgeon didn't put the bandage on too tight, but it may just feel it due to swelling (for which compression is good).

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to enricoflorin

My doctor instructed me to take the gauze off the day after the surgery (which was the 6th of may) so I tried unwrapping it and cutting it off in the shower, twice. No luck so I tried again last night. I was able to snip a tiny bit more off but I mostly just wet it more and more and ended up blow drying it after my attempt.

I don’t know where my foreskin ends or even what it looks like under the bandage so I don’t wanna snip anymore and cut something I’m not supposed to. I should be getting a call back from my doctor in the morning so hopefully I can get some instructions on what to do.

enricoflorin profile image
enricoflorin

Sometimes surgeons aren't great at aftercare instructions. Hopefully the gauze comes off tomorrow. It's always a bit nerve wrecking waiting to see the outcome! By the way, it will probably look like a train wreck at first but will improve dramatically over the first couple of weeks.

Good luck

CuriousQ profile image
CuriousQ in reply to enricoflorin

They never are unless you go to a private hospital that specializes in circumcisions. They told me to walk home after my procedure. And no instructions on how to care for anything.

Nigel5975 profile image
Nigel5975

You can safely choose to use the Epsom Salts AFTER the wound is completely closed and healed. This will take at least 10-14 days. You don’t want those Epsom chemicals getting into your wound.

As far as the new bruise. That’s normal. You will be black and blue in places the scalpel didn’t even touch.

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to Nigel5975

Good to hear the bruising is normal.

Will I be fine after already taking 2 epsom salt baths the day after the surgery? I won’t do it again obviously but all these people telling me not to use them after I already did is worrying.

in reply to babyblue1

Just to be clear, Epsom salts probably won’t do any harm, neither will it help the wound heal any better than doing nothing.

Nigel5975 profile image
Nigel5975

Just keep an eye out for infection (which you should be doing anyway)... Fever, Redness at wound site, smelly drainage are signs. Go to doctor immediately if you have any of those things.

You will probably be ok. Don’t use any isopropyl alcohol either to clean the wound. Only use gentle soap and water for now. Using a sterile petroleum jelly based ointment will keep the wound site moist and help with healing. Small & Individually sealed packets are safer at this early stage than a tub you stick your finger in. Also, if you re-wrap with gauze, the petroleum jelly helps the bandage to not stick to the wound.

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to Nigel5975

I bought Vaseline today, and have been using neosporin as instructed by my doctor. Since only my glans is showing right now, should I use both of these or only one?

The main scar is on the bottom of the glans (I think it’s called the frenulum) and I’ve been putting only neosporin on the majority of the glans and mainly in that bottom area. It’s still extremely sensitive so I’m not rubbing it on that well but it’s on there regardless.

Also (sorry) one last question, after I pee do I need to clean the glans? And if so, what’s the best way while still being very sensitive?

S2BC profile image
S2BC

Neosporin is triple antibiotic ointment. Basically petroleum jelly with antibiotics. You can spread it like base layer on wound. After this spread petroleum jelly for to prevent bandage not to stuck in wound and discharge.

Do remember wash you hand before and after!

You can wipe off tip of your head with a piece of toilet paper. You can moist it with tap water too.

drew15401 profile image
drew15401

It would be best to call your doctor and tell him you’re having problems removing the bandages. There might have been multiple bandages applied to your wound. When I was circumcised, the discharge nurse emphasized keeping the area DRY. I was to keep the bandages on for two days and after that wrap the penis in gauze, applying antibiotic cream to the cut. Also was told to wrap my penis is plastic kitchen wrap when I showered.

babyblue1 profile image
babyblue1 in reply to drew15401

I finally removed it yesterday by just putting a bunch of neosporin on it and pulling it off forcefully. It took hours and was painful as hell. I still have 1 little piece of the gauze stuck to the frenulum area but I think it’s stuck on one of the stitches so I didn’t wanna pull it off. My doctor told me not to re gauze it and just apply neosporin 3 times a day.

drew15401 profile image
drew15401

Great! Follow what your doctor told you to do.

rajeevrajeev123 profile image
rajeevrajeev123

Hi, Is everything be ok after you not apply bandages

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