Steri-strip Removal

Steri-strips:  Grip 'em and rip 'em or left them fall off naturally?   I'm 10 days post-op and the strips are loose around the edges.  I trimmed them with scissors but can I just take them off?  Won't incisions heal faster when exposed to air? Signed:  Itchy in Florida PS  Happy Mom's Day!

Phil, same thing here! My surgeon says NO to taking them off. I'm just trimming and itching for now. I see her again for my follow-up appt. tomorrow .... I'm hoping to get OK'd to take baths again and I'm gonna soak these off as soon as I get the OK. Itch, itch, itch!!!!

Hey Phil I can't speak for all the doctors but Dr. A made it a point to tell me to let them fall off by themselves . I think all but maybe one came off in the shower a few at a time .   And I have always been told that "itchy"  means that you are healing up .  Tony  

Hang in there!  They won't be on much longer and soon the itching will be a distant memory!  You are on your way!

Hi Pilot Phil Good Question.  I was wondering the same.  I'm out of day 5 and already I peeled one off because it was hanging.  I just put anouther tight bandage on.  Thanks for posting that.  Hope all is well Kelly from Florida

Just keep trimming them with scissors.  When I had my all bladder surgery I had one that I trimmed down to a teeny patch but it kept hanging on.  I finally came off in the shower.  I have barely noticeable scars so leave them alone. 

let em fall off.................don't rip em!! :-) jeni

Phil you have the cutest dern smile!! This is the first I have seen your mug shot! My steri strips came off in the bath....I kind of helped there towards the end. They were dry and looked good. I would say if they are all dry...no oozing from them...they would be ok to come off....just be careful..maybe use some mild soap and water?

I am NOT your doctor but in my 25 yrs of medical experience steristrips are meant to stay in place until they fall off.  Now if they are just hanging by  a hair or if they've come off over the actual incision just go ahead and remove them.  They are just meant to keep the incision closed until it makes its own seal and are used when there is no need for a single suture.  At 10 days post op they should be about ready to fall off and if your incisions are 1-2 cm. or less in size then it should be no problem at all. 

Well, let's see, I had 3 steri-strips total.  First one?  Yanked off by a nurse the day after surgery.  Um, she was new and didn't exactly know what she was doing yet.  That sucker is now trying to keloid.  Quite annoying.  The second strip lasted 2 weeks.  Part of that scar prolapsed a bit and a suture was poking out.  Had to yank it.  Not painful at all.  The third strip came off today (more than 3 weeks post op) and the scar is tiny, flat and nearly invisible.  It's actually the largest of all three scars (not counting the belly button and the drain scars because they weren't steri-stripped) and it's the best looking.  My vote would be to leave those suckers ON, Itchy, leave 'em on.