The care pathway
Wound and dressing care
How to look after your dressing and your scar. If the instructions given at the hospital differ from this page, follow the hospital’s.
The first few days
The first dressing stays on until the date you were given. It protects the wound and limits swelling.
Keep it clean and dry. A small bloodstain on the dressing in the first 24 hours is common; a dressing that becomes soaked should be reported.
- Do not take the dressing off early just to look.
- For showering, cover the hand with a waterproof bag sealed above the dressing.
- Do not soak the hand: no baths, pools, or washing up.
Swelling
Swelling is the main cause of stiffness after hand surgery. Controlling it is therefore treatment, not just comfort.
The rule is simple: keep the hand higher than your heart, and move your fingers regularly within the limits you have been given. That combination does more about swelling than any medication.
- Prop the hand up on pillows, including at night.
- Move your fingers and your shoulder several times a day to prevent stiffness.
- A sling supports the arm, but do not wear it constantly — the shoulder stiffens.
Stitches and scar
Stitches are usually removed at the follow-up appointment. Some are dissolvable and disappear on their own.
Once the wound is fully closed, massaging the scar with a plain cream softens it and reduces tethering of the tissues. It is a simple thing that genuinely changes the long-term result, and your therapist will show you how.
- Only start massage once the wound is fully closed.
- Protect the scar from the sun for a year: it darkens easily and lastingly.
- A scar that is firm, pink and tender for several months is normal.
Urgent
When to call, and who to call
Fingers that are cold, white or bluish, loss of sensation, severe and increasing pain that painkillers do not touch, a dressing that has become too tight, or bleeding that does not stop after ten minutes of pressure: go to the emergency department without waiting for a call back. For a fever, spreading redness or discharge, call the office the same day. If you are unsure, call 811.
Information on this site is general and does not replace a medical consultation. In an emergency, call 911.