• What can I expect after surgery?
• Call the Office promptly if you notice any of the following
• How do I care for myself after surgery?
• Recovery timetable

What can I expect after surgery?

There may be mild to moderate amounts of pain and discomfort associated with the surgery.

This should be easily controlled with oral medications.

The discomfort and pain should begin to decrease within 48 hours after surgery. A significant increase in pain after this period should prompt you to call the office.

All incisions that are made in the skin will heal by forming an almost imperceptible white line.

Dr.Siegel will always make your incision as hidden as possible. Secondary procedures on scars (dermabrasion, laser resurfacing or scar revision) may be suggested by your surgeon to further camouflage it.

Initially after surgery incisions will often appear to be raised and redder than is desirable. Don’t worry, they will eventually flatten, and the redness will generally fade. However, your incision will not be completely healed for about 6 months to one year after surgery.

Call the office promptly if you notice any of the following:

• Significant increase in pain after the first 48 hours following surgery.
• Development of a temperature exceeding 101.0 degrees.
• The area of the incision becomes red, has purulent drainage, or is very warm to the touch.

If any of the above should occur after regular office hours, do not hesitate to reach Dr. Siegel directly on his cell phone at 832-265-1935. For whatever reason if you notice one of the above changes and cannot reach us at our office or through the answering service, present yourself to the emergency department for evaluation.

How do I care for myself after surgery?

Be sure to fill your prescriptions before your surgery since it means one less thing for you to worry about afterward.

Take the antibiotics and pain medication only as prescribed by the office.

Do not take any aspirin or any anti-inflammatory compounds for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your surgery unless you first discuss it with your surgeon.

If you notice some bleeding from the incision simply apply firm pressure to the area for 15 to 20 minutes. If the bleeding persists contact the office or Dr. Siegel directly if after hours.

If external stitches were used during the surgery to close your incision, do not get the area wet for 48 hrs. If a dressing, or bandage was placed, it will be removed in the office, unless instructed otherwise by Dr. Siegel. Incisions with no bandages should be kept moist by applying Aquaphor, or Vaseline with a Q-tip 3-4 times per day.

Do not allow drying of the incision or crust formation. Keeping the site moist with the above procedures will hasten healing and provide you with the nicest scar possible.

Do not wear makeup over the incisions until the sutures are removed (or have dissolved), and a thin layer of new skin covers the area. This usually takes 7 to 10 days. You should generally not wear makeup directly over the incision until you are told it is all right to do so in the office.

Sleeping with your head elevated for the first 48 hours may help decrease any swelling that may be noted with the surgery.

Dissolvable sutures will disappear on their own within 5 to 7 days. Non-dissolvable sutures should generally be removed (unless you are told otherwise) within 1 week of surgery. If surgical staples have been used in closing an incision in the scalp they are often removed between 10 to 14 days after surgery. Sometimes, they will be gradually removed over a couple of visits to the office.

You can expect to experience some numbness in the area of the incision for several weeks after the surgery. Occasionally this numbness may persist to a small degree indefinitely.

Avoid exposing new surgical incisions to the sun as this may result in long-term darkening of the scar. You should apply sunscreen to the incision (SPF 15 or greater) for at least 6 months after surgery whenever you are exposed to strong sunlight.

You should generally avoid vigorous exercise or strenuous exertion such as lifting or straining for a minimum of 3 weeks following surgery. Sometimes, you may begin light exercise after 10 to 14 days if approved by Dr. Ducic. In such a circumstance, small surgical paper tapes across the incision may be very useful.

It is not unusual during the healing phase to note some irregularities under the skin. These small distortions will gradually subside and eventually resolve. Small bumps under the skin may be present if deep sutures were used during the surgery. These bumps will almost always flatten out as the deep sutures are dissolved by your body.

Do not massage, rub or place any tension on the incision for a minimum of 4 weeks after you surgery.

Recovery timetable

Approximate healing of incisions is as follows:

DAY 1 Return home, leave any surgical dressing undisturbed for the first day after surgery.

DAY 2 Aching, throbbing. Start application of ointment and repeat 4 times per day. 

DAYS 5-7 Stitches removed or dissolving.

WEEKS 2-14 Allow the wounds to heal, avoid stretching the area or placing pressure. Do not use scar gels unless discussed with Dr. Siegel.

6-12 MONTHS Scar is flattening and the red color is going away.

1 YEAR Final result.

REMEMBER: If you have any concerns or questions, please contact our office any time. Our office should be a source of information and reassurance throughout this entire experience, from the time of your first consultation and continuing after your surgery.