Changing a bandage after surgery is not difficult. However, it is important that the dressing change be done correctly in order to protect an incision andprevent infection.
Unless your surgeon has given you specific instructions on when to change your bandage, plan to do it daily or more often if it is visibly dirty or wet.If it’s difficult for you to do this on your own, ask for help.
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1Wash Your HandsBefore you even reach for supplies, you will need to wash your hands thoroughly.Most people think they wash their hands properly, but most do not.For example, to get your hands truly clean, you need to lather them with soap for no less than 20 seconds.Consider reviewing proper hand-washing techniques before you begin.How to Wash Your Hands Properly
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Wash Your HandsBefore you even reach for supplies, you will need to wash your hands thoroughly.Most people think they wash their hands properly, but most do not.For example, to get your hands truly clean, you need to lather them with soap for no less than 20 seconds.Consider reviewing proper hand-washing techniques before you begin.How to Wash Your Hands Properly
Wash Your Hands
Before you even reach for supplies, you will need to wash your hands thoroughly.
Most people think they wash their hands properly, but most do not.For example, to get your hands truly clean, you need to lather them with soap for no less than 20 seconds.
Consider reviewing proper hand-washing techniques before you begin.
How to Wash Your Hands Properly
2Put on GlovesIf you are changing a loved one’s bandage, it’s important to wear gloves. This protects both of you.Put on a clean pair of sterile gloves after washing your hands.
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Put on GlovesIf you are changing a loved one’s bandage, it’s important to wear gloves. This protects both of you.Put on a clean pair of sterile gloves after washing your hands.
Put on Gloves
If you are changing a loved one’s bandage, it’s important to wear gloves. This protects both of you.
Put on a clean pair of sterile gloves after washing your hands.
3Remove the Surgical BandagePull the skin away from the bandage instead of pulling the bandage from the skin. This can minimize pain and is gentler on the tender area surrounding the incision.If you notice redness in the area of the skin that was taped, you (or the person you are helping) may have a sensitivity to the tape itself.Paper tape has less adhesive than other types of bandage tapes. While it doesn’t provide as strong a seal, it may be less irritating.If you are wearing gloves, dispose of them once you’re done.
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Remove the Surgical BandagePull the skin away from the bandage instead of pulling the bandage from the skin. This can minimize pain and is gentler on the tender area surrounding the incision.If you notice redness in the area of the skin that was taped, you (or the person you are helping) may have a sensitivity to the tape itself.Paper tape has less adhesive than other types of bandage tapes. While it doesn’t provide as strong a seal, it may be less irritating.If you are wearing gloves, dispose of them once you’re done.
Remove the Surgical Bandage
Pull the skin away from the bandage instead of pulling the bandage from the skin. This can minimize pain and is gentler on the tender area surrounding the incision.
If you notice redness in the area of the skin that was taped, you (or the person you are helping) may have a sensitivity to the tape itself.Paper tape has less adhesive than other types of bandage tapes. While it doesn’t provide as strong a seal, it may be less irritating.
If you are wearing gloves, dispose of them once you’re done.
4Wash Your Hands AgainNow that the dirty bandage has been removed, it’s time to wash your hands again. This helps remove bacteria that may have transferred from the dirty bandage and is extremely important in helping prevent infection.If you are going to shower before replacing the bandages on your own incision, you can wash your hands in the shower before you clean your incision.Put on new gloves once you’re done washing (if needed).
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Wash Your Hands AgainNow that the dirty bandage has been removed, it’s time to wash your hands again. This helps remove bacteria that may have transferred from the dirty bandage and is extremely important in helping prevent infection.If you are going to shower before replacing the bandages on your own incision, you can wash your hands in the shower before you clean your incision.Put on new gloves once you’re done washing (if needed).
Wash Your Hands Again
Now that the dirty bandage has been removed, it’s time to wash your hands again. This helps remove bacteria that may have transferred from the dirty bandage and is extremely important in helping prevent infection.
If you are going to shower before replacing the bandages on your own incision, you can wash your hands in the shower before you clean your incision.
Put on new gloves once you’re done washing (if needed).
5Clean the IncisionCleaning your incision can be done with soap and water. This can be done in the shower or at a sink. You do not have to use antibacterial soap.Pat the incision dry or allow it to air dry. Do not put a bandage on a damp incision unless you are changing a “wet to dry” dressing, which has its own method not discussed here.If you are providing this care for a surgery patient who cannot move to the bathroom, be sure to use a fresh and clean washcloth to gently clean the incision and another clean cloth to pat the incision dry.Do not scrub the area,remove scabs, or attempt to clean thesuturesor staples.
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Clean the IncisionCleaning your incision can be done with soap and water. This can be done in the shower or at a sink. You do not have to use antibacterial soap.Pat the incision dry or allow it to air dry. Do not put a bandage on a damp incision unless you are changing a “wet to dry” dressing, which has its own method not discussed here.If you are providing this care for a surgery patient who cannot move to the bathroom, be sure to use a fresh and clean washcloth to gently clean the incision and another clean cloth to pat the incision dry.Do not scrub the area,remove scabs, or attempt to clean thesuturesor staples.
Clean the Incision
Cleaning your incision can be done with soap and water. This can be done in the shower or at a sink. You do not have to use antibacterial soap.
Pat the incision dry or allow it to air dry. Do not put a bandage on a damp incision unless you are changing a “wet to dry” dressing, which has its own method not discussed here.
If you are providing this care for a surgery patient who cannot move to the bathroom, be sure to use a fresh and clean washcloth to gently clean the incision and another clean cloth to pat the incision dry.
Do not scrub the area,remove scabs, or attempt to clean thesuturesor staples.
6Check the IncisionAfter you’ve cleaned the incision and allowed it to dry, it’s time to check forsigns of infectionand to make sure the incision is staying closed.An incision may be red, but it should become less so as it heals. It should also be “well approximated,” meaning that the sides join together neatly without gaps. It should not look as though it isbeginning to pull apart.At this time, check for any blood,pus, or other fluid draining from the incision. Contact your healthcare provider if you notice changes to your incision, you are concerned about drainage, or the wound is not showing signs of improvement.If you are wearing gloves, throw them away once you are done with this step.Serosanguineous Drainage From a Wound
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Check the IncisionAfter you’ve cleaned the incision and allowed it to dry, it’s time to check forsigns of infectionand to make sure the incision is staying closed.An incision may be red, but it should become less so as it heals. It should also be “well approximated,” meaning that the sides join together neatly without gaps. It should not look as though it isbeginning to pull apart.At this time, check for any blood,pus, or other fluid draining from the incision. Contact your healthcare provider if you notice changes to your incision, you are concerned about drainage, or the wound is not showing signs of improvement.If you are wearing gloves, throw them away once you are done with this step.Serosanguineous Drainage From a Wound
Check the Incision
After you’ve cleaned the incision and allowed it to dry, it’s time to check forsigns of infectionand to make sure the incision is staying closed.
An incision may be red, but it should become less so as it heals. It should also be “well approximated,” meaning that the sides join together neatly without gaps. It should not look as though it isbeginning to pull apart.
At this time, check for any blood,pus, or other fluid draining from the incision. Contact your healthcare provider if you notice changes to your incision, you are concerned about drainage, or the wound is not showing signs of improvement.
If you are wearing gloves, throw them away once you are done with this step.
Serosanguineous Drainage From a Wound
7Wash Your Hands a Third TimeBefore you begin applying a new bandage, wash your hands again.Another round of washing your hands helps prevent any material that was cleansed from the incision from being reintroduced into the area. This is especially important if an incision is showing any signs of infection.If you are assisting someone, put on a new pair of gloves before moving on.
7
Wash Your Hands a Third TimeBefore you begin applying a new bandage, wash your hands again.Another round of washing your hands helps prevent any material that was cleansed from the incision from being reintroduced into the area. This is especially important if an incision is showing any signs of infection.If you are assisting someone, put on a new pair of gloves before moving on.
Wash Your Hands a Third Time
Before you begin applying a new bandage, wash your hands again.
Another round of washing your hands helps prevent any material that was cleansed from the incision from being reintroduced into the area. This is especially important if an incision is showing any signs of infection.
If you are assisting someone, put on a new pair of gloves before moving on.
8
Put on a New Bandage
Open the sterile bandage and place it directly on the incision. If possible, avoid setting the bandage on another surface like the sink or a table. This will help prevent contaminating the dressings.
If you must set the bandage aside after opening the sterile wrapper, try to use the clean inside of the paper wrapper to keep the bandage from touching other surfaces.
Position the bandage over the incision with at least a half inch of extra bandage on each side. Tape all four sides to seal it in place. You may need to use a few extra pieces of tape if the bandage is thick.
If your incision has drainage, you may need to place several layers of bandages and plan on changing it more often. This is also true if you have asurgical drainin place.
9Dispose of Old Bandage ProperlyThrow away the old bandage. If it is bloody or there is infectious drainage seeping from the wound, you may want to wrap the bandage in a plastic bag before disposing of it.Pets can be drawn to soiled bandages. If you have a pet, you may want to dispose of the bandage outside or in a container with a lid.Do not flush bandages; it could clog the plumbing.Once you’re done, throw away your gloves if you are wearing any.
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Dispose of Old Bandage ProperlyThrow away the old bandage. If it is bloody or there is infectious drainage seeping from the wound, you may want to wrap the bandage in a plastic bag before disposing of it.Pets can be drawn to soiled bandages. If you have a pet, you may want to dispose of the bandage outside or in a container with a lid.Do not flush bandages; it could clog the plumbing.Once you’re done, throw away your gloves if you are wearing any.
Dispose of Old Bandage Properly
Throw away the old bandage. If it is bloody or there is infectious drainage seeping from the wound, you may want to wrap the bandage in a plastic bag before disposing of it.
Pets can be drawn to soiled bandages. If you have a pet, you may want to dispose of the bandage outside or in a container with a lid.
Do not flush bandages; it could clog the plumbing.
Once you’re done, throw away your gloves if you are wearing any.
10Wash Your Hands One Final TimeNow that your incision is covered with a new bandage and the dirty one thrown away, wash your hands one last time.This last wash ensures you can go about your day without spreading any germs to things you come in contact with.
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Wash Your Hands One Final TimeNow that your incision is covered with a new bandage and the dirty one thrown away, wash your hands one last time.This last wash ensures you can go about your day without spreading any germs to things you come in contact with.
Wash Your Hands One Final Time
Now that your incision is covered with a new bandage and the dirty one thrown away, wash your hands one last time.
This last wash ensures you can go about your day without spreading any germs to things you come in contact with.
SummaryChanging your bandages after surgery is an important part of the healing process. It’s important to do it properly in order to avoid infection.By performing tasks in the right order and washing your hands throughout the process, you can help your incision stay clean and reduce risks of infection.
Summary
Changing your bandages after surgery is an important part of the healing process. It’s important to do it properly in order to avoid infection.
By performing tasks in the right order and washing your hands throughout the process, you can help your incision stay clean and reduce risks of infection.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Surgical wound care - closed.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Study shows most people are spreading dangerous bacteria around the kitchen and don’t even realize it.Smith SM, Zirwas MJ.Nonallergic reactions to medical tapes.Dermatitis. 2015;26(1):38-43. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000098Draelos ZD, Rizer RL, Trookman NS.A comparison of postprocedural wound care treatments: do antibiotic-based ointments improve outcomes?. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;64(3 Suppl):S23-9. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2010.11.010
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Surgical wound care - closed.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Study shows most people are spreading dangerous bacteria around the kitchen and don’t even realize it.Smith SM, Zirwas MJ.Nonallergic reactions to medical tapes.Dermatitis. 2015;26(1):38-43. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000098Draelos ZD, Rizer RL, Trookman NS.A comparison of postprocedural wound care treatments: do antibiotic-based ointments improve outcomes?. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;64(3 Suppl):S23-9. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2010.11.010
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Surgical wound care - closed.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Study shows most people are spreading dangerous bacteria around the kitchen and don’t even realize it.Smith SM, Zirwas MJ.Nonallergic reactions to medical tapes.Dermatitis. 2015;26(1):38-43. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000098Draelos ZD, Rizer RL, Trookman NS.A comparison of postprocedural wound care treatments: do antibiotic-based ointments improve outcomes?. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;64(3 Suppl):S23-9. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2010.11.010
MedlinePlus.Surgical wound care - closed.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Study shows most people are spreading dangerous bacteria around the kitchen and don’t even realize it.
Smith SM, Zirwas MJ.Nonallergic reactions to medical tapes.Dermatitis. 2015;26(1):38-43. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000098
Draelos ZD, Rizer RL, Trookman NS.A comparison of postprocedural wound care treatments: do antibiotic-based ointments improve outcomes?. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;64(3 Suppl):S23-9. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2010.11.010
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