Almost every patient has an itchy suture after surgery . This problem can occur both immediately after surgery, and after some time. It is imperative not to comb the seam, especially in the early days. The usual discomfort sometimes turns into real torment. What to do if the suture is scratched after surgery? Let's try to consider this problem in more detail.
Causes
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Restoring the skin is a complex and lengthy process. Sometimes the body does not even manage to completely cope with problem areas. Self-healing occurs through the formation of scar tissue. This process can cause severe itching. With skin damage or surgery, blood always comes out. This starts the process of tissue repair. Complex biochemical processes begin. Fibroblasts appear at the site of damage, which do their job. With serious violations of the integrity of the skin, including after surgical operations, the scar is more noticeable and large. Accordingly, itching becomes much stronger.
Sometimes the seam after the operation is very itchy. What to do in this case? Let's consider this question further.
Factors causing itching and burning
So what do you need to know about this? Why does the suture itch after surgery? The most common and common reason is poor-quality suture removal. An accidentally left thread can irritate nerve endings. Over time, fragments of suture materials begin to decompose and rot. A sign of such processes is the appearance of redness around the wound.
Inflammation and itching can also cause particles of sweat and dirt. Therefore, it is extremely important to observe the rules of personal hygiene and apply the drugs recommended by the doctor.
If more than six months have passed after the operation, and the scar is still itching, then perhaps the reason lies in the excessive dryness of the skin. On scars, the skin is usually very thin and easily pulled together. This causes a strong burning sensation. This problem is especially pronounced in the cold season.
Itching
What to do if the suture is scratched after surgery? How to smear? Seam processing has its own characteristics. It is important not to cause bleeding and not to infect the wound. Each method of eliminating itching should be discussed in advance with your doctor.
The sutures are usually itchy after surgery in the early days. Of them, oocytes and blood can also ooze. In this case, the skin requires special treatment. If the patient is in a medical facility, it is best to contact qualified personnel. Doctors will tell you what tools are best used to eliminate itching. If you can’t wait for help from nowhere, you can try to apply a cold compress to the damaged area of the skin. The main thing is to apply it not to the wound itself, but to the adjacent area of the skin. Otherwise, there is a high risk of violation of the integrity of the seams. A sterile bandage should always be placed between the skin and the compress. If ice is used for the compress, then it should be put in a bag so that melt water does not get on the wound.
Five days after the operation, you can begin to apply a compress moistened in a cold mint broth to the damaged area. This method well soothes the itching in the area of formed scars.
Another effective way to eliminate itching is by stroking. If the suture is very itchy after surgery, you can draw it with clean fingers. For stroking, you can also use a piece of bandage or a cotton pad.
Itching remedies
Let's look at them in more detail. If the suture after the operation is constantly itching, you can try more serious methods, for example, the use of special medications.
Here are some of them:
- Hormonal injections: can be prescribed by a doctor for a number of indications. Such injections should be performed only by a qualified specialist.
- Absorbable ointments: drugs such as Dermatics, Zeraderm, Kontraktubeks relieve burning sensation and soothe skin itching.
- Homemade ointment from streptocide, vegetable oil and beeswax: all components are mixed in equal proportions. The tool should be applied to the scar when it begins to itch especially hard.
- Applications with laundry soap: 72% soap should be used for this procedure. The scar is well soaped and left in this state for three hours. To enhance the effect, you can wrap the damaged area with a bandage, but this is not necessary.
- Tea tree oil: this remedy relieves itchy skin well. You can lubricate both the scar itself and the skin around it.
Itching with tightness and dryness of the skin
How to deal with this problem? If the stitches are very itchy after surgery after a fairly long period of time, there may be a problem in excessive dryness of the skin. In this case, you can try using a moisturizer. They should soak the skin around the seam. This will help eliminate itching and relieve tightness. Lubricate fresh joints with creams without a doctor’s prescription.
Physiotherapy
What is their feature? If the suture after surgery is red and itches, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures. These methods contribute to the speedy restoration and regeneration of the skin, as well as improving the condition of individual sites. Phonophoresis, magnetic currents and microcurrents are usually used to eliminate skin itching of postoperative sutures.
In some cases, physiotherapy is also used to give the seam a more aesthetic appearance. Laser surgery, namely skin resurfacing, helps well for this purpose. During the procedure, fluid and dead cells, which can cause itching, are evaporated from the scar. Grinding also helps to even out the surface of the scar and make it less visible.
Inflammation
Sometimes the suture itches after surgery on the abdomen as a result of the spread of infection. This may indicate swelling and redness of the adjacent area of the skin. Usually the patient also complains of itching and pain in the damaged area. This phenomenon is actually quite common. After all, any cut or wound on the skin is an excellent entry for various infectious agents. The seam may become inflamed due to the ingress of foreign objects into the damaged area. It can be dust or sweat particles. Most often, this situation is observed in patients with fresh sutures. Cases of inflammation of old scars as a result of a violation of their integrity are also possible.
The first sign of infection is edema. If the wound was sutured poorly or the suture material was poorly selected, inflammation is possible.
Also, swelling can occur as a result of an allergic reaction. In this case, the suture after the operation is scratched so much that it becomes simply impossible to endure.
Leftover threads
A fragment of the thread used to suture a wound remaining after removal of the sutures may begin to decompose. The body actively rejects a foreign object. As a result, a person has severe skin itching. Bulge and redness usually appear on the site of scar tissue. And this can happen at any time. There are cases when rejection of suture material occurred several years after surgery.
Signs of cancer
Itching in the suture can be an alarming symptom of cancerous changes. This is especially true in cases where scar tissue forms at the site of a removed mole and other pathologies. In no case should such symptoms be ignored. Immediately after the appearance of the listed symptoms, you should contact your doctor.
Inflammation treatment
What to do if the suture after the operation is scratched and all the signs of inflammation are evident? Self-medication attempts in this case can end up pretty disastrous. It is better to consult a physician or surgeon. The doctor will be able to determine the cause of the itching and suggest what can be done to alleviate these symptoms. When a wound is infected, as a rule, repeated surgical intervention will be required to remove suture residues and eliminate pus. Usually, patients with this problem are prescribed antibacterial drugs that can suppress the inflammatory process.
If you ignore the symptoms of inflammation, the problem can go into the stage of severe suppuration, necrosis and sepsis. Therefore, do not let everything go by its own accord.
Scar removal
If a suture after an operation is scratched after a long time, it may be worth thinking about removing it. Radical intervention of this kind is now being performed in various medical institutions. In some cases, minimally invasive methods help to cope with the problem:
- laser resurfacing;
- cryotherapy;
- radio wave therapy.
In the presence of certain features of the scar, these methods may not be effective enough. In this case, the only possible way to remove the scar is to excise it surgically. In any case, only the doctor can prescribe the optimal treatment method.
Conclusion
Now you know what to do if, after the operation, the suture itches, how to relieve itching and relieve symptoms of inflammation. The main thing is to correctly identify the causes of discomfort. If they are associated with external factors, then they must be eliminated. Make sure that the seam does not rub with uncomfortable clothes or jewelry. Also, be careful when choosing cosmetics.
Sometimes itching at the site of the suture is associated with an allergy to the remains of suture material. In this case, surgical intervention is required to remove the threads. If the process has passed into the stage of inflammation and suppuration, treatment with antibacterial drugs will be required.
Itching and burning are quite normal manifestations of the tissue regeneration process. However, sometimes they can cause such inconvenience that you have to seek medical help. The easiest way to get rid of discomfort is with cooling compresses. It also relieves burning mint broth. You can try using special cooling ointments. In severe cases, the doctor may prescribe special injections. The main thing is not to self-medicate. Before you try any of the methods to relieve itching and irritation, be sure to consult your doctor.