How Do I Take Care of Staples on Scalp from Mohs Surgery? (photo)

Question

I had a mohs performed 4 days ago and it seems I'm forming large scabs. This worries me for when I have the 11 staples removed in one week. What's the best way to lessen the scabbbing?

David J. Myers, MD · Answer

You should be washing the
area with light suds during your shower. You can get this from antibacterial
soap, but even suds from shampoo should help. Often, I'll have patients use a
small amount of hydrogen peroxide on the healing surgical wound itself to help
remove crust.  But being four days out and because the hydrogen peroxide
would temporarily bleach your hair, I think you can easily get away with
light manual washing with soap and water.

Lastly, be sure to apply ointment, such as Vaseline,
2 to 4 times a day to the site. Keeping it moist will help it heal best
and will minimize scarring.

Laurie Jacobson, MD · Answer

The post op care for a stapled wound is very much the same as that for a stitched wound and it's always a bit more challenging on the scalp since you can't see the area yourself and hair is covering everything.  We recommend the following to our patients:  keep the wound clean and dry for the first two days followed by cleaning the area with soap and water (might be easier to do in the shower initially as the crust can become adherent) and perhaps have someone help you with a cotton swab or clean washcloth to gently remove any dried blood or crust that has formed.  Then apply Vaseline to the site and if possible cover with a bandage (sometimes too challenging on the scalp).  There should not be any crust left on the wound as this inhibits optimal healing.

Robert S. Bader, MD, FAAD · Answer

Post-operative care is a funny thing, as each surgeon has his/her preference as to post-operative care. So it is always recommended to ask your doctor how he/she wishes you to care for your wound.

	Here is some basic information:

	
		Scab is bad. You do not want a scab to form as it slows healing
	
		Cleanse the wound. Some surgeons want you to clean with soap and water, others recommend sterile saline, others hydrogen peroxide (either full strength or half/half with water). Most recommend cleaning wounds once or twice daily.
	
		Keep the wound moist. Moist wounds heal faster and often better than dry wounds. Therefore a petrolatum-(Vaseline)-based ointment works best. Such include Bacitracin, Polysporin, Neosporin, or Bactroban (available by Prescription), which are all antibiotic ointments. Some physicians recommend Vaseline or Aquaphor Healing Ointment.
	
		To cover or not to cover, that is the question. If you keep the wound moist with a petrolatum-based ointment, it may not be necessary to cover the wound--as long as the ointment stays on the wound. On areas that are prone to coming in contact with clothing or bedding, it is often preferable to cover the wounds to avoid making a mess.

David A. F. Ellis, MD · Answer

The best wound care is to wash it with 3% hydrogen peroxide and apply Polysporin ointment. do that 2 times per day. Use can use any other the counter antibiotic ointment (Grey)  not a cream (white)

Omar Ibrahimi, MD, PhD · Answer

Caring for your wound following Mohs and Reconstructive surgery is important to the cosmetic outcome of your scar. For my own patients, I recommend generous vaseline to the area of the suture line or staples to prevent the formation of scabs. Also you can used a warm compress a few times a day to soften up any scabs and if you pat gently without too much force you should be able to remove most scabs that have formed. Every surgeon has slightly different preferences so I would recommend you check with your Mohs surgeon who performed the procedure on how you should care for your area following skin cancer surgery.  From the photo it looks like you're doing a pretty good job taking care of it.

How Do I Take Care of Staples on Scalp from Mohs Surgery? (photo)

Answers (6)

Answer: Staples from scalp

Answer: Staples from scalp

Answer: Mohs and Reconstructive Surgery

Answer: Mohs and Reconstructive Surgery

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How Do I Take Care of Staples on Scalp from Mohs Surgery? (photo)

Answers (6)

Answer: Staples from scalp

Answer: Staples from scalp

Answer: Mohs and Reconstructive Surgery

Answer: Mohs and Reconstructive Surgery

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Mohs Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.