You had your operation in Alicante, and now you are going home. From here on, your wound is in your hands and in those of your local doctor, so it helps to know exactly what to do and what is normal. This is the short version of what I tell my patients before they leave.
Take your discharge instructions with you
When you are discharged we explain how to care for your wound: when and how to shower, whether there are stitches or staples to be removed or an internal suture that stays in, and when your check-up is. Keep those instructions with you and show them to your GP or practice nurse at home. They come before any general advice, including this.
Know how your wound was closed
I often close the skin with an intradermal suture, placed under the skin, so that there are no stitch or staple marks, only the line of the incision. If the skin is under tension, staples or stitches are safer. It matters because it decides when you can shower:
- With staples, you can shower while they are in, as long as you then dry the wound completely, patting rather than rubbing, and apply an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine.
- With an intradermal suture, it is better not to shower for two weeks.
- Baths, swimming pools and the sea: never before one month, and only if no part of the wound is still tender. Tempting as the beach may be, it has to wait.
What is normal in the weeks after
- Bumps along the scar when you stand up. The suture can leave the skin tethered to the layers underneath; lying down in theatre nothing shows, but standing brings it out. It is more common after a fusion. It can look striking, but it does not matter and settles on its own in about three months.
- Numb skin around the scar. Small skin nerves are cut during surgery; the feeling usually improves over the months.
- Pink, itchy, slightly thick. That is how a young scar looks. It takes around a year to mature, sometimes longer.
Sun: the one thing that marks a scar for good
Whether you are going home to grey skies or staying on the Costa Blanca, keep the scar out of the sun while it is still pink, under clothing or with high-factor sunscreen. Sun on a scar that is still maturing can darken it permanently. Gentle massage with a moisturising cream once the wound has closed, and silicone sheets or gels if we recommend them, also help.
When to get in touch
Go to your local doctor or A&E, and let us know, if you notice:
- Redness spreading around the wound, or warmth in the area.
- Pain in the wound that gets worse over the days instead of easing.
- Discharge, a bad smell or fever.
- Wound edges that come apart.
- Clear fluid that keeps leaking, especially with a headache: after spine surgery it can be cerebrospinal fluid.
- Pain, tingling or weakness in the legs (or arms, after neck surgery) that you did not have when you left hospital.
For anything that is not urgent, you can write to us through our contact page.
