How to Know Your Surgical Cut Is Healing Right (2024)

FAQs

How to Know Your Surgical Cut Is Healing Right? ›

Signs it's working: During this stage of healing, you may experience swelling, redness or pain while your wound heals. Your skin may also feel hot to the touch, and you may see a clear liquid around your wound. These are all signs that the inflammatory stage of wound healing is well underway.

Wound healing happens in several stages. Your wound may look red, swollen, and watery at the beginning, any may have a red or pink raised scar once it closes. The scar will eventually become duller and flatter. A wound is a cut or opening in the skin.

Wound bed. Healthy granulation tissue is pink in colour and is an indicator of healing. Unhealthy granulation is dark red in colour, often bleeds on contact, and may indicate the presence of wound infection. Such wounds should be cultured and treated in the light of microbiological results.

Depending on your state of health, it can be shorter or longer. An average time length that a lot of people say with an abdominal incision is about one to two months or even just six weeks to where you really want to let it heal and you try not to put too much pressure on your abdomen during that time.

RED: An open wound with predominantly red tissue within the base is likely moving towards healing. The red base means that healing is occurring, and that adequate blood flow and oxygen are being delivered. One caveat is that excessive red color surrounding the wound may be an indication of infection (cellulitis).

Pain is an essential indicator of poor wound healing and should not be underestimated. Pain can occur from the disease process, surgery, trauma, infection or as a result of dressing changes and poor wound management practices.

A wound is considered chronic if it has not healed significantly in four weeks or completely in eight weeks. If you're suffering from a wound or sore that isn't showing any signs of healing, talk to your doctor.

Because the initial 48 hours are the most critical for successful wound healing, postoperative radiation is often administered 3 to 4 weeks after surgery.

How do you tell if a wound is getting better or worse? ›

Discharge - If the wound is discharging small amounts of pus, it is a positive sign of healing. However, if there is continuous drainage and you start noticing bad odor or have discoloration, the wound is likely infected. 4. Pain - Pain is a normal condition after sustaining an injury.

More Pain: Normally, the pain subsides a few days after an injury or wound. Long-lasting or elevated pain even after a few days is a symptom of an infected site. More Swelling: Similar to redness around the wound, swelling in the affected area indicates that the body's immune system is working.

Apply an antibiotic cream or ointment, such as Aquaphor or Vaseline, to your incision site, and keep it covered with appropriate bandaging to prevent dirt, bacteria, and other irritants from entering the wound. A moist environment helps the cells to replicate and properly bond together to close up the incision faster.

Dehiscence can be identified by the feeling of a sudden pulling pain. If you're concerned about possible dehiscence, check how your wound is healing. A clean wound will have minimal space between the edges of the wound and will commonly form a straight line.

A wound may throb or feel warm during the healing process. This is normal and shows that your body is fighting germs or bacteria and repairing the damaged tissue. However, if the throbbing persists for more than a few days or becomes more intense, it may be a sign of infection.

It's best to keep fresh wounds covered for healing, but remember to first clean the wound with water, then apply Bacitraycin Plus antibiotic ointment, and leave the covering somewhat loose. A bandage that is wrapped too-tight can cut off circulation.

Most surgical wounds heal without any problems. Mild swelling and pain at the incision site are normal. It is important to keep the site clean and protected as it heals. Watch the site for signs of infection such as spreading redness or red streaks, pus, and increased pain or swelling.