Wound Care Question - Steri-Strips

Hello,

I posted 2 weeks ago in regards to a cut i done on my right arm.
I -thought- it was too deep, however i just left it, and bathed it daily in TCP and luke warm water (which thankfully kept an infection at bay).
I had my fortnightly appointment at the doctors yesterday, and i showed him as it kept re-opening and bleeding, and it felt very very tender/bruised round the edges.
He told me it needed steri-strips on it. So he put some on. However, are steri-strips allowed 2 weeks after? I mean, incase there IS an infection inside?

Also, when he put them on and i got home they came off, because i'd not long got out the shower before i went to my appt so my skin was still moist. So i used the spare he gave me.
Now, despite the fact he told me he put extra strong ones on to hold it in place, when i shower i know they'll come off.
Are steri-strips available at chemists to buy?
And how long should i keep the steri-strips on for? Few days? Weeks?

Sorry for the long drawn out explanation, i thought it was easier that way.

Cheers for the replies/advice.

[l'il esky]

yes you can get steri strips from the chemist. steri-strips are fine to use after 2 weeks. not sure exactly how long you should keep then on before re-applying dressing expect it will be dependant on the wound if leaking heavily etc. if you are worried about trapping anything then try cleaning wound with salt water when changing dressing , pat dry with sterile gauze and then apply steri strips and dressing so you know the wound is clean.

Well i'd keep these on if it wasn't for showering, as i know they'll come off!
Its weeping slightly but i think that's just part of the healing process as it's been open so long.
Cheers for the reply.
x

[Animad]

Ordinarily, you are right, we advise steri-strips to be put on within 24hrs of cutting yourself. Which, like you said, is mainly for infection, as well as the edges of the wound being better able to heal together within that time frame. As a doctor advised you to have them then it should be fine; I am guessing he put you on a course of anti-biotics to cover you for infection? Keep an eye out for reddening around the edges, heat, swelling, and increased pain. Other things are red lines going from the wound towards the direction of your heart (in your case up your arm), starting to feel ill such as fever, dizziness, headaches; these are signs that your infection has spread to your blood and need to be checked ASAP. Another thing is that because it has been steristripped, if it becomes infected, the same as with stitches, the pus may not be able to drain out so you have to also look for any bumps along the line of where the cut is as this could be an abscess that has formed.

Steri-strips can be bought from the pharmacy in the UK. In places like boots and other pharmacy's you can pick them off the shelf where the 1st aid stuff is. Other pharmacy's keep them behind the counter so it is worth asking. They should be kept on for 7-10days. I'd say in your case keep them on for the 10d, maybe slightly longer due to the fact that it is a long, deep and old wound and therefore may not heal as quickly.

Weeping slightly is normal as the body produces fluids to help with healing.

DON'T clean the wound with anything whilst the steri-strips are on as they'll fall off and when getting washed either make sure the water doesn't get to the wound or put a water-proof dressing over it; it you need a bigger one than is usually available then ask a pharmacist. Be careful when taking dressings off though that you don't pull the steri-strips off with them, this will re-open the wound and mean it takes longer to heal. If it keeps opening up then maybe see if the butterfly strips that you can make yourself hold it or put strips of micropore tape/ steri-strips along the ends of the steri strips.

KimA

[Queer Fringe]

What I did was put steri strips on and put a plaster thingy over it and then bandaged it...just to keep it all secure...xx