Essential wound care

• Keep the wound and dressing clean.
• Follow your clinician's instructions about when the dressing may be removed.
• Follow your clinician's instructions about when the wound may get wet.
• Pat the area dry rather than rubbing.
• Do not pick at stitches, glue, adhesive strips or scabs.
• Do not apply creams, antiseptics or ointments unless advised.
• Avoid soaking or swimming until advised that it is safe.
• Protect the wound from dirt and unnecessary friction.

Activity

• Avoid stretching, heavy lifting or strenuous activity that pulls on the wound.
• Activity restrictions vary according to the procedure site and how the wound was closed.
• Follow the individual advice given by your clinician.
• Contact the practice if work, sport or exercise may place tension on the wound.

Bleeding

A small amount of spotting may occur. If bleeding occurs, apply continuous firm pressure with clean gauze or a clean folded cloth. Avoid repeatedly lifting the dressing to check, as this may restart bleeding.

Results and follow-up

• Follow the practice's instructions for receiving your pathology result.
• A skin procedure is not complete from a care perspective until the result has been reviewed and communicated.
• Attend any advised wound review, result appointment or stitch-removal appointment.
• Contact the practice if you are unsure how the result will be communicated.

When to contact the practice

• Increasing redness or redness spreading around the wound.
• Increasing swelling, warmth or pain.
• Yellow, green or unpleasant-smelling discharge.
• Fever or feeling significantly unwell.
• The wound opening.
• Persistent bleeding or a dressing repeatedly becoming saturated.

Call 000

Seek urgent assessment for heavy or uncontrolled bleeding, rapidly increasing swelling, collapse or loss of consciousness, severe allergic reaction, or another severe or rapidly worsening problem.

Rochedale Family Practice is not an emergency service.