Blisters under my steri strips! 2 peanut M&M size ones; what should I do? (Photo)

This can happen and is a result of the steristrips not stretching as your skin swells and stretches.  I would recommend you follow your surgeon advice.  If you feel like they are getting bigger then I would contact your PS and relay the message.Once they do rupture or open up then I would recommend placing antibiotic ointment or xeroform over the area until the skin heals.Good luck.

The steri strips need to come off and be treated with silvadene.  The surgeon should be the one doing this.

Thank you for sharing your question and photograph and I am sorry to hear of your recovery issues.  Always best to follow your surgeon's advice but I would recommend removing the steri strips to prevent continued blister growth from either the adhesive on the steri strips or skin tension from swelling.  The blisters can then be lanced and a clean dressing applied to assist with healing.  Hope this helps.

Best to follow your operating surgeon's advice but I typically advise my patients to remove the steri strips and to cover the area of blistering with gauze and allow your body to heal. Good luck! 

The obvious answer to your question is to follow your plastic surgeon's advice.  Each plastic surgeon has his or her own unique technique for dealing with post surgical problems.That being said, if you were my patient, I would have you gently remove the steri strips and place a piece of Opsite, a transparent film dressing, over the ruptured or unruptured blisters.  This forms a man-made blister which keeps the blister fluid in contact with the raw dermis.  You have lost the epithelium (top layer of skin).  All surgeons, including myself, have put steri strips on in surgery which, due to swelling of the operated tissue plus the tightness with which steri strips hold things together, can at times lead to shearing forces which then lead to blisters.  Blisters should not be broken if at all possible because the blister fluid encourages rapid creation of epithelium from dermis.  That is to say, skin grows best in a moist environment.  

I agree, that when they rupture, keep them clean and dry. This isn't too uncommon around areas of suture with tape in place. It may be useful to get the tape off your skin if it seems to be happening elsewhere, as well. Ask you doctor when he/she is okay with your removing the tape, and do so in the shower so that it comes off easier. The blisters can look dramatic now, but usually there is no sign of them once they have healed.

Hello and thanks for posting your question!Blistering of the skin beneath steri tape dressings often occurs due to swelling of the skin beneath the tape dressings greater than the tape is able to stretch. Simply removing the tape dressings and applying antibiotic ointment if they rupture is typically the treatment and the problem resolves on its own and scars are not typically worsened as a result .Hang in there!

do occur when the tension on the skin is exceeded.  They are self-limiting with good wound care and your surgeon should be made aware of this as some would remove the offending strips and start wound care.  This is really up to your surgeon on how best to manage.

Blisters near incisions following surgery may from tension, reaction to adhesives, and swelling.  There are many acceptable methods of managing the superficial wounds.  I would recommend you follow your surgeon's advice as he/she is most familiar with your particular situation.

It is not uncommon to blister around steri strips and surgical tapes after surgery.  It is usually because your breasts swell after surgery and your skin stretches.  Unfortunately, the steri strips do not stretch and can cause a separation of the layers of your skin and lead to blisters.   Fortunately, blisters don't cause scars, but they are uncomfortable.   They can be treated either way, popped, or not.   If you choose to pop them, don't peel off the skin, but do cover it with antibiotic ointment (Bacitracin or Neosporin) and a clean gauze.  Change this 2x per day.   If you don't cover with antibiotic ointment, they will probably sting and can get infected.