Should I clean my incisions with hydrogen peroxide or just soap and water?

Question

I just had a facelift 2 days ago and my plastic surgeon told me to clean my incisions with hydrogen peroxide but I have been reading that a soap and water might be best. What are your thoughts and how often should I be cleaning the incisions?

Adam D. Stein, MD · Answer

Please follow the post-op instructions from your surgeon and attend your followup appointments. In my practice I have my patients start the day after surgery applying hydrogen peroxide around the ear incision, and then apply a thin layer of bacitracin on it, and to do this twice/day for one week.  They are able to shower (and wash their hair with their own shampoo/conditioner) 2 days after surgery. I hope your recovery has gone well!

Amir Nakhdjevani, MBBS, MRCS, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Thank you for you question, however every surgeon has their own protocol to cleaning the incisions.  I perform most of my facelift under local anaesthetic, which I advise my patients to wash their hair the next day, using their own shampoo's and conditioners etc.  These products need to be throughly rinsed, with the water just running over their head, with little pressure on the incisions.  I advise my patients to wash their hair in the shower for the next 7 days to keep their incisions nice and clean, to help prevent from infection.  Please follow your surgeons post op aftercare.  All The Best

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

I think hydrogen peroxide works very well to clean incisions after a facelift.  Soap and water would probably work fine as well.  One is not necessarily better than the other, but I would recommend following the instructions of your particular surgeon.

Ritu Malhotra, MD (license suspended) · Answer

Cleaning of incisions after facelift- usually soap & water for absorbable sutures and Hydrogen peroxide for nylon type sutures. Because hydrogen peroxide can dissolve some absorbable suture faster than the surgeons intends it to dissolve surgeons are very specific as far as what needs to be done to clean the incisions. For example, I use all absorbable sutures to close skin. So I like patients to shampoo and soap all incisions in the shower on the 3rd day. After their 10 day suture check visit, they start cleaning their incisions with hydrogen peroxide 2x a day.
Please be sure to follow your surgeon's instructions and do not second guess.

Robert E. Zaworski, MD (retired) · Answer

Every surgeon has their own recommendations for cleaning incisions.  My patients are usually showering and washing hair within a couple of days after surgery.  Follow your surgeon's post operative instructions for a nice recovery.

Should I clean my incisions with hydrogen peroxide or just soap and water?

Answers (5)

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