Incision tape advice!

[Msmelbournian]

Hi ladies, 

i am now officially one week post op and have had my post op appointment. Was given some brown tape to use over incisions and told to change it once a week or when they start looking a bit ratty.

Tried to change them tonight but find the glue from the tape is crazy sticky and had made me itchy around the edges, and when I gently pull the tape it seems to also want to take the stitches with it. :/ I decided against forcing it and just left it. 

Am wondering if there is alternative tape I should try using instead? And if there is an easy way to safely remove this tape that seems to have the glue going everywhere :/ 

[barbalicious40]

I will be in same boat next week ..mine will need to come off and may have same issue ..im wondering if i should put special tape on for scarring? Forgot to ask at post op appointment. . 

[Msmelbournian]

I will be in same boat next week ..mine will need to come off and may have same issue ..im wondering if i should put special tape on for scarring? Forgot to ask at post op appointment. . 

I asked at mine and was told to wait until 3-4 weeks before using silicon tape for scarring, just to make sure the wound is fully healed. 

Argh am going to try again tonight to remove this current tape :/ shall go tape shopping today on Boxing Day! ?

[Emmabree]

Hi ladies, 

i am now officially one week post op and have had my post op appointment. Was given some brown tape to use over incisions and told to change it once a week or when they start looking a bit ratty.

Tried to change them tonight but find the glue from the tape is crazy sticky and had made me itchy around the edges, and when I gently pull the tape it seems to also want to take the stitches with it. :/ I decided against forcing it and just left it. 

Am wondering if there is alternative tape I should try using instead? And if there is an easy way to safely remove this tape that seems to have the glue going everywhere :/ 

I found that if I pre-soaked the area where the brown tape is with a little coconut oil and left it for a couple of minutes the tape would then peel away a lot easier....stopped me removing my stitches too.

I just dabbed coconut oil on all the sticky edges of the tape first then waited a few minutes before peeling the tape away - the oil seemed to dissolve the stickiness of the tape.

maybe this will work for you too

[barbalicious40]

I found that if I pre-soaked the area where the brown tape is with a little coconut oil and left it for a couple of minutes the tape would then peel away a lot easier....stopped me removing my stitches too.

I just dabbed coconut oil on all the sticky edges of the tape first then waited a few minutes before peeling the tape away - the oil seemed to dissolve the stickiness of the tape.

maybe this will work for you too

awesome tip thanks x

[Msmelbournian]

I found that if I pre-soaked the area where the brown tape is with a little coconut oil and left it for a couple of minutes the tape would then peel away a lot easier....stopped me removing my stitches too.

I just dabbed coconut oil on all the sticky edges of the tape first then waited a few minutes before peeling the tape away - the oil seemed to dissolve the stickiness of the tape.

maybe this will work for you too

will try this tonight!! Thanks  

[Ittybittyk]

Did your PS advise to change it over so often? I ask because my practice manager told me to change it every week (and the fixomull tape I'm using is hard to get off), but when I saw my PS he said to leave it on as long as possible because the more you change it the more it irritates the incisions. I'm easily getting about 4 weeks from each tape application (and it's kinda nice to not have to worry about it). So if it dries pretty quickly and it's sticking solidly, maybe you're ok to leave it in plane for longer...?

[Danni:)]

I can't help much in this regard i'm sorry but just wanted to point out how different my instructions are and it's worrying me… i had Dr Broadhurst and he put on some papery-feeling tape at my 5 day postop appointment (couldn't get exactly a week as i was travelling) and he said leaver hat on for one week then remove and that's it… no more…. and can put on scar treatment such as silicone??? Does that not seem WAY too early compared to what everyone else of here is saying! Stressing me a bit! All these things you never think of before hand haha

[barbalicious40]

I can't help much in this regard i'm sorry but just wanted to point out how different my instructions are and it's worrying me… i had Dr Broadhurst and he put on some papery-feeling tape at my 5 day postop appointment (couldn't get exactly a week as i was travelling) and he said leaver hat on for one week then remove and that's it… no more…. and can put on scar treatment such as silicone??? Does that not seem WAY too early compared to what everyone else of here is saying! Stressing me a bit! All these things you never think of before hand haha

i seen broadhurst on weds as Dr R wasnt there and he said same to me .. im not sure what to put on ..might wait til it comes off then by then he might be back next week so can email 

[Msmelbournian]

Did your PS advise to change it over so often? I ask because my practice manager told me to change it every week (and the fixomull tape I'm using is hard to get off), but when I saw my PS he said to leave it on as long as possible because the more you change it the more it irritates the incisions. I'm easily getting about 4 weeks from each tape application (and it's kinda nice to not have to worry about it). So if it dries pretty quickly and it's sticking solidly, maybe you're ok to leave it in plane for longer...?

my surgeon didn't mention how often although the nurse did say once a week. I'm wanting to change it though because the type of tape seems to be irritating my skin and making it red and itchy so I want to remove this tape and get something else to put on. 

 

I can't help much in this regard i'm sorry but just wanted to point out how different my instructions are and it's worrying me… i had Dr Broadhurst and he put on some papery-feeling tape at my 5 day postop appointment (couldn't get exactly a week as i was travelling) and he said leaver hat on for one week then remove and that's it… no more…. and can put on scar treatment such as silicone??? Does that not seem WAY too early compared to what everyone else of here is saying! Stressing me a bit! All these things you never think of before hand haha

maybe because your dr thinks your incision would have healed well enough by then? Hrmmm it does sound early though. I've already got my Medisil silicon tape ready to go but the nurse said to wait until the incision was more fully healed before using silicon tape for the scarring. 

I was getting a bit concerned too reading about different advice everyone gets from their surgeons and i think it's best to assume that surgeons approach their procedures all differently and with different schools of thought, so they will have different advice - just try to trust your surgeon, that's what I'm running with every time I come across something different to what my surgeon has told me  

[Ittybittyk]

I was getting a bit concerned too reading about different advice everyone gets from their surgeons and i think it's best to assume that surgeons approach their procedures all differently and with different schools of thought, so they will have different advice - just try to trust your surgeon, that's what I'm running with every time I come across something different to what my surgeon has told me  

agree Msmelbournian! I'm sure they wouldn't tell you something that would compromise the end result, but geez it's all very variable! The only thing I don't like about the advice I was given is that I have to wear this tape for 3 months....1 month to go and I'm a bit over it ?

[Danni:)]

agree Msmelbournian! I'm sure they wouldn't tell you something that would compromise the end result, but geez it's all very variable! The only thing I don't like about the advice I was given is that I have to wear this tape for 3 months....1 month to go and I'm a bit over it ?

Yes totally…. see 3 months vs 1 week…. CRAZY hahah 

i seen broadhurst on weds as Dr R wasnt there and he said same to me .. im not sure what to put on ..might wait til it comes off then by then he might be back next week so can email 

It seems strange hey… i'm not comfortable with putting anything on my scar at only 2 weeks post op doesn't sound right, maybe another week of tape… let me know what they say to you!

my surgeon didn't mention how often although the nurse did say once a week. I'm wanting to change it though because the type of tape seems to be irritating my skin and making it red and itchy so I want to remove this tape and get something else to put on. 

 

maybe because your dr thinks your incision would have healed well enough by then? Hrmmm it does sound early though. I've already got my Medisil silicon tape ready to go but the nurse said to wait until the incision was more fully healed before using silicon tape for the scarring. 

I was getting a bit concerned too reading about different advice everyone gets from their surgeons and i think it's best to assume that surgeons approach their procedures all differently and with different schools of thought, so they will have different advice - just try to trust your surgeon, that's what I'm running with every time I come across something different to what my surgeon has told me  

What take are you using? Micropore is the best for sensitive skin! Did you research between silicone tape vs gel? I can't decide which one some say the silicone tape works better! Is that what you heard? I agree we should wait till 3-4 weeks to be putting silicone on because that seems to be the general timing i've found online and gonna go with the most common thing haha would hate to ruin my incisions or cause an infection and risk CC!! 

[barbalicious40]

Yes totally…. see 3 months vs 1 week…. CRAZY hahah 

It seems strange hey… i'm not comfortable with putting anything on my scar at only 2 weeks post op doesn't sound right, maybe another week of tape… let me know what they say to you!

Yeh seems a bit soon...i just reading the hospital paperwork say use microtape after 2 weeks ..for a further 6 weeks then after 6 week rub vitamin E in twice day 

[Boobs4louise]

Dr B told me leave this new tape on for another week then don't need anything else too. Seems early but I guess he knows what's he's talking about! I might email next week just to double check what else would be acceptable to do either tape or creams

[Msmelbournian]

Yes totally…. see 3 months vs 1 week…. CRAZY hahah 

It seems strange hey… i'm not comfortable with putting anything on my scar at only 2 weeks post op doesn't sound right, maybe another week of tape… let me know what they say to you!

What take are you using? Micropore is the best for sensitive skin! Did you research between silicone tape vs gel? I can't decide which one some say the silicone tape works better! Is that what you heard? I agree we should wait till 3-4 weeks to be putting silicone on because that seems to be the general timing i've found online and gonna go with the most common thing haha would hate to ruin my incisions or cause an infection and risk CC!! 

I'm using paper tape by Johnson & Johnson now - I was using micropore but it was making me itch and the glue was going everywhere. And yea I did a bit of research and also asked the nurse about scarring and all the rave seems to be about silicon tape - I bought some Medisil silicon tape from my PS so am just sitting on it until I hit about three weeks  

[Jugs]

I don't understand why people are doubting their own surgeons instructions. Did you not choose to have surgery with that surgeon because you thought they were the best?!

I consulted with Dr Broadhurst and think he is so lovely and a very talented surgeon. I went with a different surgeon who had similar post op advice. I had my dressings off at 7 days and was told to use micropore for 10 days, followed by silicone tape. This is similar to Dr Broadhursts instructions, but quite different to other surgeons. My incisions look amazing at 5 weeks. Your surgeon wants the best results for YOU. 

If your incisions have healed well there is no issue with using silicones and oils if your surgeon has advised you too. Mine closed up super quick. 

[barbalicious40]

I don't understand why people are doubting their own surgeons instructions. Did you not choose to have surgery with that surgeon because you thought they were the best?!

I consulted with Dr Broadhurst and think he is so lovely and a very talented surgeon. I went with a different surgeon who had similar post op advice. I had my dressings off at 7 days and was told to use micropore for 10 days, followed by silicone tape. This is similar to Dr Broadhursts instructions, but quite different to other surgeons. My incisions look amazing at 5 weeks. Your surgeon wants the best results for YOU. 

If your incisions have healed well there is no issue with using silicones and oils if your surgeon has advised you too. Mine closed up super quick. 

wow looking great ?

At my 1st post op appointment  i seen Dr B he is not my surgeon hence why im emailing my surgeon DR R to find out his instructions ?

 

[elle_cee]

It's so funny how instructions vary depending on the surgeon!

I've to change my tape every week for the first 6 weeks. It's my least favourite thing to do. I hate it. I'm always worried my nipple is going to come off with the tape :(

[tinylittlekitty]

I was given micropore tape and told to change every week too. I always changed it after a shower as i felt it was a bit softer to pull up  

I had some strange reaction to it after a few weeks though, i think from the heat (yay qld) and boob sweat it actuallu started to look like the tape was burning away my skin. So strange. So all up i think i used for about 4 weeks and then just bio oil from then. Im 7.5 weeks post op now, i think my scars look ok  

[Laura4eva]

I can't help much in this regard i'm sorry but just wanted to point out how different my instructions are and it's worrying me… i had Dr Broadhurst and he put on some papery-feeling tape at my 5 day postop appointment (couldn't get exactly a week as i was travelling) and he said leaver hat on for one week then remove and that's it… no more…. and can put on scar treatment such as silicone??? Does that not seem WAY too early compared to what everyone else of here is saying! Stressing me a bit! All these things you never think of before hand haha

This is why Im reading this thread!!! I had my 1 week follow up yesterday and I was also told to use tape for 1 week and then start massaging in silicone gel. Do you think it's because we have internal stitches? Did you end up finding more detail? 

Edited January 21, 2016 by Laura4eva