Is the Rash Around my Incision an Allergic Reaction? (photo)

Your history and pictures suggest an allergic reaction
caused by the adhesive agent used with steri-strips.This is not unusual in post-operative
patients and is usually treated with steroid creams. Before
proceeding with this treatment, it’s important to be evaluated by your
surgeon.Occasionally, this type of
discoloration might be related to a more serious problem.It’s therefore, necessary to thoroughly
investigate the cause of this problem before initiating treatment.

Sorry to hear about the skin rash you are experiencing following your breast augmentation.  The picture you provided is consistent with an allergic reaction  due to topical products which could include; antibiotic ointment or "skin glue". Eliminating the source of the rash is an important first step and this is typically followed with topical hydrocortisone creams.  You should have your physician evaluate the problem to make sure you are receiving the proper treatment. This type of problem typically resolves rather quickly if treated properly. 

Good luck to you. 

 

Hello, Thank you for your question!It is hard to tell from your photo alone. It may be best to be assess by your Plastic Surgeon in person and for further instruction on treatment. You can learn more on our social media (Instagram and Snapchat): @realdrsix.
Regards,

An allergic reaction to the skin glue?Congratulations on your recent breast augmentation! I clearly see that there has been some sort of reaction around your incision. It is possible that it’s an allergic reaction but it could be something completely different! I think you need to use your plastic surgeon as a resource, have an examination of the area, and then get the appropriate diagnosis from your surgeon. Allergic reactions definitely get better once the cause of the reaction is removed from the body. Infections do not generally get better unless they’re treated appropriately usually with antibiotics. Let’s just make sure that you make your surgeon aware of the situation as soon as you can!

Thank you for your question. I would contact your surgeon for their specific recommendations. Based on the photo it appears that you are having an allergic reaction in the skin around your incision. Assuming that there are no other issues, this goes away with time and use of a topical steroid. Congratulations on your surgery!

Hi and thank you for your question.It looks like you may be having an allergic reaction. I suggest calling your surgeons office to be seen and treated. BAest of luck.

It does appear your had a reaction to the adhesive. Using hydrocortisone cream is what I recommend in my patients, but you should make sure it is okay with your surgeon first.

This looks like an allergic or hypersensitivity response to the skin adhesive your surgeon used. Though the vast majority of patients do not have this response to surgical adhesives, you appear to be in a tiny minority who do. And although this is (almost certainly) self-limited and not of concern, it is natural to consider alternative diagnoses of greater concern, just in case we might be wrong.

Since your skin glue "just came off" on post-op day 12, it is likely that your incision is sealed and intact (and it looks that way in your photograph, but in-person evaluation is better). But is it possible that in the glue "coming off" a tiny opening may have been created in the not-yet-completely healed and durable incision line? Could bacteria enter this microscopic opening and an infection be starting? Doubtful, but possible, and direct examination (and possibly a few days of oral antibiotics) may be in order. If in fact it turns out to be an early infection (I don't really think it is, but then again, I haven't seen anything but your photograph), hydrocortisone cream will NOT be a good thing.

If you and most of us here are right in diagnosing an allergic reaction, simply washing the skin gently and keeping it dry and protected while observing for further redness and irritation is really all that is needed. Hydrocortisone cream may help minor inflammation improve, but this already looks minor, and it should already be better after two days.

BTW, the most common patient response to incisional appearance such as this would be application of antibiotic ointment. This, of course, is because patients more commonly worry about infection rather than hypersensitivity or allergic reactions! Applying Bacitracin (single antibiotic ointment) would likely be unnecessary but non-harmful, and the (probable) allergic response would settle on its own.

But many patients would choose Mycitracin or Neosporin (triple antibiotic) ointments, and Neomycin (the third antibiotic in these onitments) causes allergic reaction with repeated application in as many as 10% of the population, so redness, inflammation, and even open blisters could form, looking just like an infection (most people think of infection first, not what's really going on--a hypersensitivity or allergic response). The usual response is to glop on more triple antibiotic ointment, making things worse! I've even seen patients with this who saw their regular physician before returning to their plastic surgeon, and their doctor prescribed strong oral antibiotics for what looked like a worsening infection, when in fact the only thing necessary was to STOP the ointment! Wrong diagnosis leads to incorrect treatment, and leads to problems getting worse (and more expensive), not better!

So the best advice of all: see your plastic surgeon, who has the most vested interest in making the proper diagnosis and responding appropriately. Self-diagnosis and treatment is not recommended, especially if you end up being wrong! Best wishes and Happy New Year!

 

   You can apply the hydrocortisone cream to the area twice a day.  Do not use it longer than one week, as this tends to thin the skin.  In addition, see your plastic surgeon.

The picture demonstrates an allergic reaction to either the adhesive tape or an adhesive applied to the skin to help secure the incision. Treatment includes removal of the offending agent and application of a steroid cream