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Wound Care

I am very keen for patients to have an active role in their wound care post-operatively. Wherever possible, I advise early bathing with normal soap and water and the application of either light dressings or, preferably, no dressings at all. Wound massage helps swelling to resolve and also helps scars to settle down and mature. To this end, moisturisers such as E45, Nivea, Bio-Oil or any other non-perfumed moisturiser to lubricate and facilitate massage are recommended.

Arnica is available, either as a cream or a tablet. In my own practice I am a fan of using Arnica to help resolve bruising and swelling and recommend this particularly for those undergoing aesthetic surgery procedures, although there is no reason why it may not benefit other patients too, including those undergoing hand surgery. Usually, tablets are taken from 1-2 days before surgery until bruising and swelling have settled.

For scars that misbehave and thicken up in the healing process, treatments can be offered to settle things down. In addition to massage, I commonly inject scars with steroid and I often recommend the use of a silicone gel product such as Dermatix gel which works very well and when used over long periods.