Caring for your wound after a skin excision

An excision removes a skin lesion (such as a mole or skin cancer) with a small margin of normal skin. The wound is closed with stitches. Some stitches may be under the skin and will dissolve by themselves.

The first 24 hours

• Leave the dressing on and keep it dry for 24 hours.
• If it bleeds, press firmly on the dressing for 15 minutes without peeking. If it still bleeds, call us.
• For pain, paracetamol is usually best.
• Rest the area. If the wound is on your leg, keep it raised when you are sitting.
• If the wound is near your eye, some bruising and swelling is common. A cool pack (wrapped in a cloth) for 10 minutes at a time can help.

After 24 hours

Do this once a day until your stitches are out:

1. Remove the dressing. You can do this in the shower.
2. Wash gently with soap and water. Pat dry.
3. Apply a thin layer of plain petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline).
4. Cover with a non-stick dressing or a bandaid.

Activity

• Avoid heavy exercise, lifting and stretching the area for 2 weeks. This lowers the chance of bleeding, the wound opening, or the scar stretching.
• This is especially important for wounds on the back, shoulders and legs.
• Avoid swimming, baths and spas until the stitches are out.

When do the stitches come out?

Please book an appointment with us to have them removed. As a guide:

Where	When
Face	5 to 7 days
Scalp and neck	7 to 10 days
Chest, back and arms	10 to 14 days
Legs and feet	14 days

If you have dissolving stitches only, they will fall out by themselves.

If you had a skin flap or skin graft, we will give you separate instructions.

Caring for the scar

Every excision leaves a scar. Scars are usually pink at first and fade slowly over 12 months.

Once the stitches are out and the wound has closed:

• Keep the scar out of the sun, or use SPF 50+ sunscreen on it every day. This helps stop it from darkening.
• You may use silicone gel or silicone tape on the scar for 2 to 3 months, if you wish.
• After 4 weeks, you can gently massage the scar with a moisturiser for a few minutes each day.

For more detail, see Caring for your scar. Talk to us if your scar becomes thick, raised or itchy.

When to contact us

• Redness or swelling that is spreading
• Increasing pain after the first 2 days
• Pus, a bad smell, or a fever
• The wound opening up
• Bleeding that does not stop after 15 minutes of firm pressure

Your results

We will contact you with your results, or discuss them at your follow-up appointment. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks, please call the clinic.