Scott Sundick, MD, is a board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon. He is currently practicing in Westfield, New Jersey.

Changing the surgical bandage is not difficult, but it is important to change the dressing correctly to protect your incision and prevent infection.

In order to best protect your incision, your hands need to be very clean when performing this procedure. Most people think they wash their hands correctly, but most people don't, so consider checking the correct hand washing technique before changing bandages. 

If you want to change the bandage of a loved one, it is important to wear gloves during the change process to protect you and the surgical patient. You will need three pairs of gloves for surgery. Please put on a pair of clean gloves after washing your hands, after removing the old bandage and before using the new bandage.

Plan to change the bandage daily or more frequently, if the bandage is visibly dirty or wet, unless your surgeon gives instructions to the contrary. 

You will start and end with washing your hands thoroughly and correctly. There seems to be too much washing of hands during the change of bandages, but this is to prevent infection and is necessary. Washing your hands properly is the best way to prevent infection of incisions and spread of bacteria. 

To remove the bandage without causing pain, do not pull the bandage away from the skin, but pull the skin away from the bandage. In this way, the pain can be minimized, and the process on the tender skin around the incision is much gentler.

If you notice redness not at the incision, but red at the tape, you may be sensitive to the tape you are using. Paper tape is less viscous than other types of bandage tape. Although its sealing is not strong, it is less irritating to the skin.

Again, you must wash your hands. Why? Now that you have removed the dirty bandage, it is important to clean your hands again before touching your incision. There will be bacteria on the bandage and your hands, so you must wash it again.

If you are going to shower before applying the bandage to the incision, you can wash your hands before showering and then clean the incision.

If you are helping a loved one, after removing the bandage, remove your gloves, wash your hands and put on new gloves. This will help prevent bacteria from being transferred to the incision when cleaning the incision.

The incision can be cleaned with soap and water. You can clean the incision in the shower or at the sink. If you provide this type of care for surgical patients who cannot move to the bathroom, be sure to clean the incision with a fresh, clean towel or other material, and use another clean towel to pat the incision dry.

Clean the incision gently with soap and water, without using antibacterial soap.

Do not scrub the incision, remove scabs, or try to clean sutures or staples.

Pat the cut dry or let it air dry. Unless you are changing the "wet to dry" dressing, don't put the bandage on a wet incision, its own method is not discussed here.

This is the best time to check the incision for signs of infection and to ensure that the incision remains closed.

Your incision may be red, but as it heals, it should become less red. It should also be "approximate", meaning that the edges are neatly connected together without gaps. It shouldn't seem as if it is starting to separate.

At this time, check the wound for any exudate, including blood and pus.

You must wash your hands. If you are assisting someone, remove and discard your gloves, wash your hands and put on a new pair of gloves.

If you did not have a shower to clean the incision, it is important to clean your hands again. This way, any infectious material removed from your incision will not re-enter your wound.

This is especially important if your wound shows signs of infection. If you do not clean your hands at this time, infectious materials may be reintroduced into the clean wound.

You can now put a clean bandage on the incision. If your surgeon prescribes any special ointments or treatments, now is the time to apply them. Do not use any lotions, powders, or cleansers that are not approved by the surgeon.

If possible, remove the bandages from the packaging as needed and place them directly on the incision. Avoid putting bandages on the sink, back of the toilet, or on the table. This will help prevent contamination of the dressing that touches the incision.

If you must put the bandage aside, try using a clean paper package inside to keep the bandage away from the contaminated surface.

If your incision is draining, you may need to place several layers of bandages. If there is a lot of drainage, you may need to reinforce the dressing with additional layers and plan to change the dressing more frequently. This is also the case if you have a surgical drainage tube. 

Once the bandage covers the incision with at least half an inch of extra bandage on each side, you can fix it in place. Secure all four sides in place with tape until the bandage seals. If the bandage is very thick, you may need to use some extra tape.

Throw away the old bandage. If the wound bleeds or has infectious exudate, you may need to wrap the bandage in a plastic bag before handling the dressing. It is not recommended to put bandages on the toilet as most types will block the pipes.

Pets may be attracted by soiled bandages, so if you have a pet, you may need to discard the bandage outside or in a covered container.

Now that your incision is covered and your dirty bandage has been thrown away, please wash your hands one last time. The last wash ensures that you can continue your day without spreading any bacteria or infection on the old bandage. If you are helping a loved one, please discard your gloves and wash your hands.

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