Steri Strip Allergy?

I had an allergic reaction to the steri strips but it was just in the area of the steristrips.  They were perfect round circles - my allergist said it was a slight infection mixed with allergic reaction because the circles were larger than the strips and perfect circles.  I was put on antibiotic ointment and cortisone cream after 3 days of suffering and it healed up very quickly.

Yours sounds more like an allergic reaction to some medication since it is on your sides, stomach and back not just where the steristrips are.  You can have a delayed reaction.  You should get some cortisone cream and possibly some prednisone to stop the allergic reaction quickly.

I also broke out with the rash from the strips.  I was told I could take a benadryl and use benadryl cream, as long as I did not rub it into the incisions or onto the strips themselves.  I have been using it a couple of times a day and I found that sleeping with an ice pack helped keep me from scratching while sleeping.  Good luck!

I did!!! My suggestion to you is to call your surgeon and ask if you can remove the steristrips. I didn't do anything, and ended up with hives from my scalp to my knee caps.

This is me on the saturday after my tuesday surgery: 


That was BEFORE it got bad... my was red from my nipples to my groin when I saw the surgeon on Monday. He removed the steristrips, but my histamine response was off the charts and the hives had spread over most of my body within a few hours of seeing the surgeon. He had to give me steroids to halt the reaction. Steroids are generally contraindicated immediately post-surgery as they can inhibit healing, and you don't want your surgical incisions in your gut to be resistant to healing!

I did try benadryl and every OTC anti-itch option in existance. In the end, as I struggled to get over the "itchies" but only ice curtailed the itching.