Looking after your wound Info

Forearm with surgical pen marking the perimeter of an area of redness around a healing wound. — Marking the edge of redness with a pen is one of the simplest ways to monitor a wound for early infection: if the line spreads outwards over a day, get in touch with the team.

Dressings, showering, and signs of infection after upper-limb surgery.

A clean, healing wound is the foundation of a good recovery. The first two weeks after surgery are when the wound is most vulnerable to infection and to opening up if pulled or stretched.

Dressings

You will leave hospital with a dressing already in place. Most modern dressings are waterproof and stay on until your first review, around 7–14 days after surgery. Do not change the dressing yourself unless you have been told to. If it lifts at the edges, secure with a strip of hypoallergenic tape rather than removing it.

Some operations use a thin dissolvable suture under the skin — these do not need to come out. Others use small plastic strips called Steri-Strips that fall off on their own over 1–2 weeks. Larger wounds may have stitches or staples that need removing at your post-op appointment.

Showering

A waterproof dressing means you can shower from day 1 — let water run over the dressing but don't soak the area or scrub it. No baths, swimming, or spas until the wound has fully healed (typically 2–3 weeks).

If your dressing is not waterproof, cover it with a plastic bag and tape it shut, or use a shower-cover from the chemist.

Signs of normal healing

In the first few days you can expect:

Mild redness around the edges of the wound
A small amount of clear or pink fluid soaking into the dressing
Tightness, itching, or "tingling" as the nerves reconnect
Bruising around the wound, sometimes spreading down the arm

Over the next weeks the scar will be raised, pink, and firm — it gradually flattens and pales over 6–12 months.

Signs that something is wrong — call us

Spreading redness past the wound edges
The wound feels hot to touch
Fluid that is yellow, green, or smells unpleasant
Increasing rather than decreasing pain after the first few days
A fever (temperature over 38°C)
The wound opens up

These can all be early signs of infection. Don't wait for your scheduled appointment — call us straight away.

Scar care after the wound has healed

Once the wound is dry and closed (usually by week 3), gentle massage with a plain unscented moisturiser softens the scar and breaks down any restrictive bands of tissue underneath. Two minutes, twice a day, for about three months. Sun protection on a fresh scar prevents permanent darkening.