Time it takes for steri-strips to fall off?

Good morning lovely ladies of the world! Happy Monday!

I had my BA on the 13th of September...not a long time, I know, but I had the inframammary incision (incision in crease of my breasts) and so I have the steri-strips 'taped' on me underneath there. I was told by my PS to just let them fall off as they may, like an old bandaid, but to not soak, or immerse them in water, and I cannot peel them off.

Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since my BA. These ster-strips do not even look any close to coming off. If any of you ladies had them, how long was it for you before they started to peel themselves off? Also, if or when they did fall off, how did your incision look? Was it healed pretty much or did it look like a new incision? When my fall off, whenever they decide to, I'm pretty nervous to see what the incisions look like (weak stomach) lol.

Thanks for any opinions you may have!

Have a great day!

alymomma

i'm only 1 day but i'm already thinking thank god there all covered at min got my post op next thur so they'll remove my plasters then (scary) desperate for a bath or shower already and only been a day lol x

Mine stayed on for 3 weeks and then the nurse actually had to remove them - I was showering, but they were still totally stuck on!!

Ask your PS, he may have you come in for a nurse to remove them?

xx

ali

mine were taken off and changed today, exactly one week post BA, not sure if it depends on the type of stitches they have used. I've got disolvable ones and i've also been given new steristrips and dressings to change myself on Thursday and then revisit with the nurse next Tuesday. I did take a peek today when the dressings had been removed and it was very very neat and not at all gruesome. Hope that helps?

I have my next checkup appointment with my PS on 5 October so I'll let you guys know what happens then, maybe they'll have fallen off already, maybe they'll take them off and inspect the incisions.

I wish I would have thought to ask to see if they could have changed mine out on week 2 post-op...they're looking a little 'used' I should say...I know some of it is 'old blood' from the incisions and maybe some of that nice blue sharpie marker he used to stencil me up lol.

hey hun i had mine taken off at 2 weeks post op by the nurse and then cleaned, i was scared but it didnt hurt. May be give your surgeon a quick ring if your worried.

I was told to leave them too, but I was also told that it would usually be around 7 days..... BUT I was ALSO told (haha) that if they stay ed on longer, for 10 days or more, just to leave them as it wouldn't hurt having them there, but it might if I go pulling at them!

So, I would just leave them, but as Alexandra suggested, maybe call the PS and see if it might be worth having a nurse remove them for you, or something?

xx

Mine took about 9 days and were looking nasty so I went in and they removed them for me:) that way I didnt harm anything. If you notice that your rashing or getting sores go in because sone people have a reaction to the tape!!!

My surgeon was vaque about when to remove the steri strips too. One week post op the nurse checked the incisions and changed my dressings. At almost 3 weeks post op they hadn't moved so my boyfriend removed them very gently and we replaced them with a small piece of dressing just to be cautious with the bra sitting over them. My scars look very near and healing really well, it wasn't gruesome at all actually, I had been nervous to look as have a fairly weak stomach with things like that!X