Skin Care
After your procedure or treatment at Atlanta Derm Surgery, it will be necessary to practice proper skin care. This can include taking care of graft wounds, open wounds, sun-damaged (or sun-damage-prone) skin, and sutured wounds. To learn more about safe skin care, Atlanta patients are encouraged to select from the Skin & Health Care topics listed below.
Graft Wound Care
Patients who came to Atlanta Derm Surgery for a grafting procedure (like advanced skin reconstruction) will need to take care of the area where the tissue was taken from and the area that received the graft. We provide personalized aftercare instructions for our patients with graft wounds.
Open Wound Care
After certain types of procedures, wounds or incisions are not sutured closed and are instead left open while healing. These are called open wounds. Both incision- and excision-related wounds after surgery can be open wounds.
Open wound care is very different from sutured wound care. The goals of open wound care include minimizing pain and discomfort during the healing process and preventing infection.
Sunscreen
To prevent sun damage and avoid skin cancer, we recommend applying at least SPF 30 sunscreen.
Directions for proper application of sunscreen include:
Using sunscreen daily Making sure to apply sunscreen to the areas most often exposed to the sun, including the backs of your hands, your forearms, and your upper chest Making sure to apply sunscreen to your ears and the back of your neck if you have short hair Using lip block products to protect your lipsIf you want to go swimming or perform activities where you will perspire like jogging, biking, or hiking, it is recommended that you use a waterproof sunscreen. There are plenty of waterproof sunscreen products on the market, such as Coppertone Sport, Pre-Sun Ultra, Banana Boat Sport, and Neutrogena products.
Sutured Wound Care
Most surgical procedures will involve closure of incisions using stitches, also called sutures. This aids in the healing process and helps to prevent infections. Taking good care of sutured wounds while they heal is very important.
After enough time has passed for the sutured wound to heal, patients typically come in to have the sutures removed. In the case of dissolvable sutures, removal will not be necessary, since they are designed to disappear on their own on an appropriate timeline.
Wound Care Videos
To watch instructional videos regarding wound care, you can visit our wound care videos page. We have instructional videos for each of the different types of wound care. They are very easy to understand and follow.
Pre-Op/Post-Op Skin Care Handouts
So that you are kept informed, we have created the following handouts to answer most of your common questions.
Before and after specific procedures, your skin might require some special treatment. We have compiled all of the information you will need to know how to take care of wounds, what to look for during the healing process and how to take care of your skin in the months following treatment. We also recommend various products and supplies to make it even easier.
Pre-Op/Post-Op Instructions