Question:
Is the staple removing going to be painful?
Hi all, I am just a little over 2 weeks post-op today, and I will be having my staples taken out in the morning.....does this hurt?? I'm not usually a "wuss" with things like this, but.........second, what do you use to put on the scar to minimize it......is Aloe gel good for this or would vit. E be the best to rub on??? Thank you for your help! Love and Light, Lisa — medium (posted on December 3, 2002)
December 3, 2002
Lisa~I just my staples removed today. I have to admit it was better than i
thought. The only ones that hurt were the ones on the very botem and very
top. The rest i didnt even feel. Dont worry. I had 46 staples and it
took about 5 minutes to remove all the them. Hope it helps!
sandra
— sandrac131
December 3, 2002
Aloha!!! I didn't have staples (surgeon used Dermabond instead) so I can't
help you with that question but friends of mine says it doesn't hurt. An
occasional slight pinching from the upper and lower staples...but all and
all, quite tolerable. As far as ointments you can use on your incision,
initially I started to use a cortizone based cream for the incision. Then I
found Maderma! This stuff is great!! It was designed to reduce stretch
marks and scars. It works!!! It is great stuff.. A little pricey but well
worth it! Parts of my incision are barely visible now. You can buy Maderma
at a drug store. It is usually behind the counter because it is a high
theft sort of item. A large tube costs $24.99 or so. It lasts quite awhile
though. I put it on in the morning after I shower and again in the evening.
I wish I had known about this stuff while I was pregnant!!! Hope this
helps!!! Hugs, Kathie (in Hawaii)... Open RNY / 08-07-02 Down 98 Pounds!!!
— KathieInHawaii
December 3, 2002
My Dr. removed half of the staples 10 days post op, and used steristrips
where the staples were removed, then a week later the other half. I didn't
have too much problem, a little itching, and slight sting. I did have an
alergic reaction to the staples, and was very red... but like the other
poster said, it was those top and bottom ones that got me but it wasn't
hurt...just a little pinch. Also the bottom of my incision was open a while
and draining... but it healed after a couple of months...
— MF
December 3, 2002
It pinches some but is'nt to bad. From my experience with stiches AND
staples (had many of both) they usually don't hurt to bad unless it is over
10 days. There is something about the two week mark that makes stiches hurt
bad. I'm thinking my staples were out in two weeks, and it was'nt bad. Just
don't look and think about your favorite vacation (or something very
pleasant). Put yourself in another place and it makes the pinching easier.
Just be glad the staples are'nt in the private areas. Now that IS pain! ;)
Staples on the stomach area is a piece of cake. As far as vitamin E... I
waited for around 4 days post op before I put it on. It really helps on
pain. Helps some with scaring at times.
— Danmark
December 3, 2002
The staples removal didn't hurt me a bit (I had an open incision). What
was a little uncomfortable was when she removed the drain. But the ouch
didn't last long, only a couple of seconds. <p>
For my scar, I use cocoa butter that I bought at The Body Shop. I apply
the cocoa butter after I have applied regular lotion to the rest of my
body. :o)
— Jennifer A.
December 3, 2002
It took my doc about a minute (if that) to take out my 18 staples. Just a
few teeny, tiny pinch-like feelings....really nothing at all. My scar
keloided, and I will say that if I threw the $26.99 out the window instead
of buying the Mederma, I would have gotten the same result. Don't waste
your money on Mederma. I've heard of people using Neosporin on their scar,
and it seems to help. I guess I'm just going to have to live with this
ugly "earthworm" looking keloided scar. My PCP (after waiting 6
months like she told me to) won't even refer me to the dermatologist for
steroid injections (which I had heard may help the keloided part). She
said it looks "good", and will lighten up over time. The part
that didn't keloid is nearly invisible, but the keloid is still angry, red,
and looks like an earthworm. Anyway, the staples don't hurt really at all
coming out, and it takes just a minute or two. Not to worry! Hugs, Joy
— [Deactivated Member]
December 3, 2002
I asked that same question just before my staples came out. It was
actually quick and fairly painless. I used neosporin plus everyday for
about a month. Now at six months you can barely see the scars. It could
even be covered up eith just a little foundation.
— Linda A.
December 3, 2002
It felt like mosquito bites to me. I know how horrible all those staples
look, but taking them out is really no biggie. The ones at the very top
stung a tiny bit but nothing to write home about. They put steri strips on
me and told me shower as normal. My surgeon said they would start to fall
off on their own and what was still on after the end of the week to pull
off. I'm 16 1/2 months out and I have a long pinkish line and the holes are
really about faded out. It doesn't look too bad at all. I've noticed some
tingling in it recently, which is very strange. I haven't felt anything
unusual in MONTHS...but I've been using one of those skin firming lotions
and I think it may have something to do with it....by the way...the firming
lotion smells good and goes on nice and creamy...but believe me...the skin
still just hangs...I've been using it about a month now. At anyrate, you'll
be fine!! -Kim open RNY 7/17/01 -141 lbs (I'm half the person I used to
be!)282/141/125
— KimBo36
December 3, 2002
to Joy: those steroid shots for keloid scars are PAINFUL. they feel worse
than bee-stings. i would rather live with keloids than have to go through
those nasty shots. but i'm a wuss. and i've only had those shots on my
face and neck after having moles removed... but still..
*shudder*<BR>anyway.. on-topic, i had a Lap RNY with staples in my
incision. my staples were removed on day 3, before i went home from
hospital. it didn't hurt one bit. just a little "plucking"
sensation, and some of them i couldn't even feel at all. (the drain is
another story. ohhh boy.)
— maurer_power
December 3, 2002
I use Mederma on my scars. On previous scars it has helped alot. I am
using it 3 times a day now on my tummy and am 6 weeks out.
— Angie L.
December 4, 2002
I hate to rain on the parade of "it didn't hurt much" as seen
below...but mine HURT! It was worse than waking up after surgery. I would
have given almost anything to have skipped that portion of the WLS
experience! I have 48 tiny staples and the first 10 were the worst ones of
all...the ones at the top near the breast. The nurse said it's common for
those to hurt the worst because the skin kind of crimps around them as they
heal (it's where we bend when we sit, slouch, etc.). The last 38 weren't
nearly as bad and I could lamaze breathe thru them, but nearly broke
hubby's hand over those first 10. YIKE! I suggest deep breathing and
having something to squeeze. Best of luck and hope your experience is tops
above my own!
— [Deactivated Member]
December 4, 2002
Having removed quite a few staples in my day,(post-op open heart patients)
everyone is different, so there is no pat answer. The staple remover bends
the staple in the middle so the ends come straight out of the skin. I
didn't have any staples or sutures removed after my lap RNY, but I did have
some removed after my c-sections! One time the nurse in the office cleaned
them with alcohol before taking them out. I about hit the ceiling. The
second time, the nurse used hydrogen peroxide and it was fine. Please wait
until your incision and the places were the staples were are healed before
you use anything on them. People use Vitamin E oil, cocoa butter,
antibiotic ointment and other new things on the market to reduce the
appearance of scarring. (I personally likeD using a little antibiotic
ointment with "pain relief" to keep the itching down as the
incisions healed.)
— koogy
December 4, 2002
Mine were left in a little too long due to a miscommunication at the
hospital. They were a little green! LOL And they DID hurt coming out and
bled a little, too. But I hopped around for a couple minutes and then they
felt a BUNCH better than they had when they were in there. They were
starting to get uncomfortable!
— ctyst
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