Care of Skin Incisions

Immediately after an injury or operation involving the skin, it is often a good idea to apply an antibiotic ointment, such as Bacitracin, Neosporin or Triple antibiotic ointment.

But, if the wound is healing normally, an antibiotic ointment may not be needed or appropriate after the first few days or week. In fact, the antibiotic ingredient (neomycin) is a common source of an allergic skin reaction which looks red and wet, like an infection.

Therefore, it is usually a good idea to switch to a simple moisturizer, such as Vaseline or K-Y jelly. This protective layer will help the new skin grow more quickly.

Since the sun has destructive ultraviolet rays, it is also smart to use a moisturizer that contains some sunscreen. Any product with an SPF 15 or greater is adequate.

For detailed post-op instructions for skin incisions, please download here.

 

Commercial Scar Care Products

Mederma Cream plus SPF 30

This is essentially a skin moisturizer with a sunscreen. Any sunscreen product should work with equal efficiency. The bottom line is that it is very important to protect new scars from the sun’s radiation. It is smart to cover any scar with a sunscreen for at least a year. website: http://www.mederma.com/

Vitamin E ointment

Vitamin E ointment has been popularized because its potential antioxidant (anti-aging) property. Unfortunately, vitamin E cannot penetrate the skin when applied to its surface. There has been scientific evidence suggesting that application of topical vitamin E does not appear to reduce surgical wound scarring. Furthermore, vitamin E can cause an allergic reaction or contact dermatitis. We recommend against the use of vitamin E ointment.