(keep in mind)What to expect after your surgery or procedureYou may feel some discomfort following surgery, which generally can be controlled with medication. Recovery varies by individual. However, your post-op appointment, scheduled for approximatelyone to 14 days after surgery, is the best time to discuss your healing and recovery with your physician and nurse.Questions and Answers About Wound HealingQ: How does a wound heal?
A: A wound (either surgically created or through trauma) goes throughthree phases of healing:inflammatory, proliferative andremodeling.Inflammatory Phase The first phase, the inflammatory phase, begins immediately after the wound is created, and lasts approximatelytwo tosix days. During this phase some warmth, redness, swelling and pain will surround the surgical site. Sometimes it takessome judgment or examination of the wound byyour care teamto tell how much swelling and redness is OK.Purulent, foul-smelling discharge, increasing pain, redness and swelling may indicate infection.It is important to callyour Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery care teamif you have a concern:(206) 223-6831.

Proliferative PhaseThe proliferative phase takes place next, and lasts for aboutthree tofour weeks.During this phase, collagen (scar) is being produced to pull the edges of the wound together.This can cause visible thickening of the wound edges, and new red bumps called granulation tissue may be visible in the shrinking wound.Sometimes there is a minor amount of yellowish drainage. A little bit of pain, tightness, pulling or tenderness is often present in the wound too. Those minor symptoms should be stable or steadily improving daily.

Sometimes at this stage of healing patients experience sharp, shooting pains in and around the tissue that was operated on.In most cases this represents a return of nerve sensation to the operated area, and these sensations should subside in frequency and intensity with time.If you havequestions or concernsabout what you're experiencing, please discussthem with us.

Remodeling Phase The maturation, or remodeling phase, is the final stage of healing. Over a period of six months to several years "remodeling" begins to break down the excess collagen, changing a thick, red, raised scar to a thin, flat, white scar.

Q: What I can do to heal well?
A: A postoperative care plan is always discussed with you both before and after your operation.Limiting physical activity for the firsttwo weeks after all surgical procedures is very important.Overexertion can increase blood pressure and result in bleeding and excessive swelling.If you had general anesthesia, it is not unusual to experience increased fatigue postoperatively when performing normal daily activities.It can take several weeks to return to your pre-surgical level of energy. This is normal; and it's important to rest frequently if you feel the need.After the firsttwo weeks you can start to resume your normal activities at your provider's direction.Giving your body the time and rest it needs to recover will help facilitate normal healing.

Clean the Wound Gentle cleansing by letting the shower spray rinse the incision helps reduce the risk of infection by reducing local drainage and debris. A dressing may also help protect the incision. Discuss this with your care team.

Elevationand Compression Excessive swelling or edema of the tissues postoperatively prolongs healing, which can result in increased scar tissue formation. Elevatingthe operated area helpsinflammatory fluids leave the surgical area naturally. Compression garments (if prescribed) can helpspeed healing and minimize bruising bypushing excess fluid out of the tissue surrounding the wound.Support garments can reduce the tension on a wound, lessening the chances of a wound pulling apart or stimulating your body to produce more scar tissue.If a support garment is prescribed, it is important to wear it as directed to minimize the chance of delayed healing or excessive scar tissue formation.

Massageand Touch Skin is a living fabric. The scar that forms in the skin after surgery or wounding can bind or trap the skin to the deeper tissues, making the scar look visible or feel uncomfortable. Approximatelyfour weeks after surgery, weusually advise regular, gentle massage to help "unstick" the scar from the surrounding tissues.If needed, the use of scar care products, such as silicone scar pads, will be recommended

Other Things to Help Wound Healing:Stop Smoking Smoking (or nicotine in any form including gum, patches, chewing tobacco and second-hand smoke) causes the blood vessels to constrict and decreases the delivery of oxygen to the healing tissues. This can impair wound healing or even lead to a breakdown of skin and deeper tissue, creating an open wound that will require weeks, and sometimes months, of care and dressing changes.If you are interested in resources to assist you withsmoking cessation, we will be happy to provide you with information.

Avoid Sun Exposure Incisions exposed to the sun or tanning beds during the first year after an operation can cause newly forming scars to darkening and thicken, sometimes permanently.After your incision is fully healed, you may start to apply sun block with a minimum SPF 30 to the healing site and newly forming scars.There are some lines of clothing that offer additional sun protection, including swimsuits.

Good Nutrition Eating the right foods in a balanced diet is important for proper wound healing. Surgery imposes extra energy needs on your body.It is sometimes advisable to have a conversation about nutrition with your primary care provider or other health care practitioner prior to surgery to discuss ways to optimize your healing potential.Some vitamins and natural remedies have aspirin-like, blood-thinning side effects, or may increase the sedative effects of anesthesia.Our general advice is to stop all herbal supplements 14 days prior to surgery, so please discuss with us all vitamin and herbal supplements you take.

Other factors that can interfere with wound healing after surgery include excessive movement (can cause swelling which interferes with scar formation needed to hold the wound together), steroids (can thin the skin and slow healing), alcohol (thins the blood, slows healing, and increases bruising), stress (can suppress the immune system and hormone levels affecting your healing potential) and diabetes (high blood sugar levels impair healing).Some healing factors you can control (stop smoking), and some you cannot (younger people heal quicker than older people).It is important to discuss with us any factors that may affect how you heal, and any changes you may need to make now to give your wounds the best chance at healing without complications.If you have other questions about wound healing, call your Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery care team at(206) 223-6831.https://www.virginiamason.org/Whattoexpectafteryoursurgeryorprocedure