11 days post op update and Postop Rash - Horribly Itchy!!

 I would suggest (having formerly worked in dermatology office) that you buy a new loofah. Loofah and shower poufs in general carry a lot of bacteria and cause dermatitis in a lot of people.  Also, stick with the dermatologist in my opinion as other doctors don't specialize in skin issues and misdiagnose them a LOT. 

Thank you. I know my luffa didn't attribute to this because once I could wash my incisions, I only used my hands with soap. But now that I am using my luffa again, you are right, I need to get a new one.

Also, I agree with sticking with the derm. I totally respect what my surgeon says and what he does, but I figure if it is more of a skin issue, that is probably best for the derm to help with too. Just makes me nervous then when it comes to the steroids and such, that nothing hurts my new sleeve. I guess a good coordination between them and I am tending to be cautious b/c I don't want to let it go on too long and become a bigger problem of infection or something, especially this early out of surgery.

Thanks again for your comments! :) 

 Might pay to ask your doc about an antihistamine.  I have an allergic reaction every time I have a general anaesthetic and end up with a hives-like rash all over my neck an chest.  Not sure what it is, just one of the drugs they give me while im under I guess.

I'm 8 days post op and it happened again this time too.  2 nights after surgery it flared up and I wanted to scratch my own neck out!!....lol

but I checked with my nurse and she said it was ok to take my antihistamine tablets, so I took one a day for a couple of days, applied a n eczema/dermatitis cream and it cleared it up (although I do still have a small patch under my right arm that has been a bit slow to get better.

So maybe suggest an antihistamine before you go down the steriod route.

Good luck getting it sorted.

Thanks! The derm said to take an antihistamine and I was, and then when surgeon put me on the steroids, I quit. Probably not a bad idea to go back to that until it is all cleared up. It was just claritin and benadryl at night.

 I had the same exact rash and it came four days after surgery. After lots of research, doctors etc it turns out it is an allergic reaction to chloraprep, the topical they used to prep our bellies prior to surgery. Google it and you will read the same thing and see pics of a rash from it. You will need to let them know in the future that you are allergic to it. It has been 4 weeks for me and I still have spots of it. I tried steroids and other meds...only time heals this. Its like a rash/burn- nasty!

 Thank you, thank you!! You are right, all the posts after I googled sound exactly the same!! The coordinator at my surgeons office said it must be either that or another product they use. I didn't know what all was used, so now this makes sense. I had a minor rash issue after my band surgery, but only with my largest incision. This time it has exploded all over. I know allergic reactions only get worse with repeat interactions, so now at least I know what to say next time. I told them I had a reaction with my band, but thought it was a bandage thing