Foreign Object Under the Skin (Removed)

Home care

Wound care

• Keep the wound clean and dry.

• If there is a dressing or bandage, change it when it gets wet or dirty. Otherwise, leave it on for the first 24 hours, then change it once a day or as often as you were instructed.

• If stitches or staples were used, clean the wound every day:

  • Always wash your hands before and after cleaning the wound and changing the dressing.

  • After taking off the dressing, wash the area gently with a mild soap and water. Do not touch the healing wound with your fingers.

  • Gently pat the area dry using a clean towel or pad of tissues. Don't use something fluffy such as a cotton ball. Strands of material can get stuck to the wound.

  • Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the cut. This will keep the wound clean and make it easier to remove the stitches. If it is oozing a lot, you can put a nonstick dressing over it. Then reapply the bandage as you were instructed. Avoid touching the side of the bandage that will be next to the wound.

• You can get it wet, just like when you clean it. This means you can shower as usual for the first 24 hours. But don't soak the area in water (no baths or swimming) until the stitches or staples are taken out. Do not apply any body lotion, talcum powder, or other bathing products directly onto the healing wound.

• If surgical tape or strips were used, keep the area clean and dry. If these get wet, they can fall off too soon. If it becomes wet, blot it dry with a towel.  

Medicine

• You can take over-the-counter medicine for pain, unless you were given a different pain medicine to use. Talk with your doctor before taking these medicines if you have chronic liver or kidney disease, ever had a stomach ulcer or digestive bleeding, or are taking blood-thinner medicines.

• If you were given antibiotics, take them until they are used up. It's important to finish them even if the wound looks better to make sure the infection clears. Finishing the antibiotics also helps prevent future infections that are resistant to antibiotics.

Follow-up care

Follow up your doctor as advised. Keep in mind the following:

• Watch for any signs of infection, such as increasing pain, redness, swelling, or pus drainage. If this happens, don’t wait for your scheduled visit. See your doctor sooner.

• Dissolvable stitches usually disappear in 7 to 10 days. Stitches or staples are often taken out in 5 to 14 days. This varies depending on what part of your body they are on and the type of wound. The doctor will tell you how long they should be left in.

• If surgical tape or strips were used, they're often left on for 7 to 10 days. You can remove them after that unless you were told otherwise. If you try to remove them and it's too hard to do, soaking can help. If the edges of the cut pull apart, stop removing the tape. Follow up with your doctor.

• If X-rays were taken, you'll be told of any new findings that may affect your care.

When to get medical care

Contact your doctor right away if:

• The closed wound reopens.

• You have a fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, or as advised by your doctor.

• You have chills.

• Increasing pain in the wound

• Redness, swelling, or pus coming from the wound

• The area around the wound is very warm.

• An unpleasant smell is coming from the wound.