Bathing after op???

Hi girls,
It's been mentioned to me that i may not be able to shower or bath for a few days after my, until the incision has started to hell, to prevent soap etc getting in the wound and causing infection, is this right????

Yes it is hunnie.
Up until the third day I just washed myself and used a flannel and just wiped across the top of my boobies.
I had a shallow bath on Day 3 and then washed my hair afterwards. I also washed with a dampish cloth over the top of my boobs, just to keep them clean and used a fresh clean towel to gently dab them dry afterwards. Didn't allow any water near the dressings.
The clinic I went to said that I could shower from Day 8, but not get any shower gel near my boobies, just to let clean water run over them.
I was finally allowed to have a proper bath after my 4 week post op check up, once my scars had healed over and the scabs had fallen off - OMG, that was sheer bliss
xx

4 weeks??? That seems like soooo long!!!!

I had to have shallow baths for 14 days until I had my stitches and dressings removed and then I was allowed to have a shower. I was not allowed a bath until after my 6 week check up

I'm glad i asked now!!!! I was imagining maybe a week!!!! How long do the incisions take to heel completely??
xx

Jolene1984 wrote:4 weeks??? That seems like soooo long!!!!

i know, but as misf1 said, it can be even longer. I thought I smelt like a farmyard in the middle of summer after just a couple of days - but I knew I didn't really, it was me just missing my baths.
xx

About 4 weeks (for me) for them to be completely closed. I suppose a deep cut on your hand will take a week or two to scab over and be fine and a insicion as it is deeper has a lot more to heal, but skin is quite amazing and heals quite quickly. My scar looked completely healed by about 6 months and it was a year before it was completely healed and I was able to expose it to sunlight

Carol i know what you mean i'll be obsessing about how i smell lol!!!
misf1....OMG!!! I'm learning so much, 6 months to look completely heeled!!!!
I'm glad i have you girls or i wouldnt know what was going on after my op!!!!
xxxx

Hi hun, I was told not to get the dressings wet for the first 10 days, so I just wiped my boobs with a flannel and used the shower head for everything else (obviously directing the spray away from my wound) I got my hubby to wash my hair from day 3, whilst I knelt over the bath...my god, I had to put LOADS of conditioning spray on afterwards because he had 'ruffled' my hair up so much - haha

My dressings came off and sutures were trimmed on day 10 and I was allowed to shower but not get any soap etc on my scar - which was easier said than done....

The first 'proper shower' was 2 weeks in, which was pure bliss!!!! But I still had to be careful around my scar and when drying off I had to 'pat' not 'rub' - not that I could have rubbed my boobs at that point anway....Ouch

Everyone is dfferent though hun, and you should take the advice of your own PS/clinic, I think I was just lucky with my scars though because the nurse was surprised at 10 days post op as to how well they were healing. How long it takes for them to heal completely is again, a personal thing I think. I'm more than 2 months post op now and they continue to look good, although I've not put any creams or oil on the scars yet, I go back for a 10week check on the 24th, so I'll ask then if I can start using Bio oil.....as this is supposed to be great in helping scars to heal and fade!!!

BTW....nice to have you with us babe.... :wavey:

I couldn't shower until 10 days post op when I had my dressings removed. Up until then I washed with babywipes or had shallow baths that were just warm. Washed my hair over the bath a couple of times and used dry shampoo in between. The first shower was absolute bliss!

Angbaby I don't think I'll let my partner near my hair, it's a dangerous idea!!!! Ha ha. Thanks for the welcome xxxx
Kittie thanks for advice, everyone is sayIng how much bliss the first shower is, I can't wait already xxxx

Oh no!!! I didn't realise it was THAT long either!!! I thought it would be about 4 days!!!! Duh!

Does it really hurt to even lean over the bath and wash your hair after a couple of days? I literally have to wash my hair every day because it gets so greasy otherwise!!

LL
x

No, that is OK LL. I washed my hair on Day 3 doing it that way - just make sure you don't get the dressings wet - and most surgeons will allow you to have shallow baths, which was OK'ish - just couldn't lie back and have a good wallow and soak.
xx

I'm exactly the same with my hair I think I'll stock up on dry shampoo xx

I've been told I'll have water proof dressings on and dissolvable stitches.

I asked about bathing and showering and was told I can shower straightaway, just to try to keep the water away from my boobs (rather than directly on) and to have a bath was fine too, but not so high as to immerse the dressings.

Your PS will have advice specifically for you x

for the 1st 12 days i had to leave the scars well alone not even peek at them so thats what i did.........
I had shallow baths for the 1st 6 weeks as i didnt have a shower! & once given the all clear at my 6 week check up i was aloud to have my 1st deep bath but i was still advised not tho 'soak' the scars to long

x

Does it really hurt to even lean over the bath and wash your hair after a couple of days?

No it's ok hun, I just positioned myself over the bath as if I was putting my head on a guillitine....haha
My boobies didn't come into contact with the bath at all, but as I said my hubby actually washed it for me because your not supposed to lift you arms above your head for the first week. x

I'm having dissolvable stiches as well, I'll ask my surgeon on the day what I should be doing.
Thanks girls xx

hi
I`m 6 weeks and had dissolvable stitches and was able to shower straight away because i had a thin water proof dressing on that went from just under my nipple to about 2 inches lower than my scars and 2 inches either side. the nusre changed my dressing and put a new water proof one on at my week check and said leave it on for about another 10 days so stayed fresh as a daisy from day 1. Still washed my hair over the bath thought not so far to lift your arms. I could bath in it if i wanted to but found lifting my self out of the water difficult. xxx

Really hope that's the case with me!!!! Xx

'Does it really hurt to even lean over the bath and wash your hair after a couple of days?'

Im afraid it hurt for me to wash my hair a few days after my op but then so did any kind of upper body movement! lol ...im such a whimp.
I tried it myself when my parents were around & ended up in tears so my good old dad washed my hair for me in the kitchen sink :teehee: ..bless him, he even came back a few days later & washed it again for me!..


x

Ah bless xx