AFTER YOUR SURGERY
Some pain and discomfort after surgery is expected, and is usually well-managed by over-the-counter pain relief medication such as Panadol.
You may experience some swelling and bruising to the affected area, which should start subsiding 5-7 days after surgery.
If you had surgery on your forehead or nose, you may experience some swelling of your eyelids, at times nearly closing the eyelids. Similarly, when surgery is performed on the chin or jaw line, swelling and bruising may occur down the neck.
To help reduce swelling and bruising, apply an ice pack for 20 minutes each hour, for the first 24 - 48 hours.
Please report any concerns of pain, discomfort, swelling and bruising to nursing staff.
Wound Care and Hand Hygiene
You will be provided with post-operative wound care instructions when you are discharged.
Please follow the instructions and contact nursing staff should you have any questions or wound issues.
Hand hygiene is important for everyone, not just healthcare workers. This includes patients, family members and carers.
Please ensure hands are washed and clean before and after tending to any dressings or wounds.
When drying a wound after showering, always pat dry with a new clean tissue. Do not use the towel you dry yourself with.
Restrictions After Surgery
To facilitate wound healing, your discharge information will contain instructions relating to activity restrictions post-surgery.
Patients should be aware that:
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You will have a dressing and/ or bandage covering the wound for at least 48 hours.
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You should limit vigorous physical activity or exercise for 7 days after surgery.
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Strenuous activity may exacerbate bleeding. It is important to be mindful of this especially for the first 24-48 hours after surgery.
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You may be required to come in for dressing changes and / or suture removals following surgery. Sutures are usually removed 7 – 14 days after surgery. You will be followed through the postoperative period to assure acceptable wound healing occurs or to determine if additional procedures are necessary for improvement. In some cases, scar revision or resurfacing of the scar may be of benefit and appropriate.
Appointments After Surgery
Post-surgical check-ups are required to monitor the progress of wound healing, and to monitor for any possible cancer recurrence in a timely manner. Routine follow-up appointments are important for early detection of any new lesions. Please speak to nursing or reception staff to book any required appointments.
Antibiotic Prescribing
Antibiotics are not routinely prescribed after Mohs surgery or surgical excision of skin cancers, as these procedures are generally considered to be lower risk. Antibiotics will only be prescribed for those patients or procedures that are considered higher risk.
If you would like to discuss this further, or require more information, please speak with your doctor or the Director of Nursing.