2. Keep your dressing dry.  Remove it immediately if it is wet and replace it with a clean, dry dressing. Plastic-covered dressing or plastic band-aids are not recommended because they tend to cause excessive moisture to the involved area.

3. Unless otherwise instructed, the dressing should be changed daily.  If there is any question of infection, see your provider.

    Signs of infection include: fever, increased swelling, increased redness or warmth, red streaking leading away from the wound, drainage and increasing pain.  The first dressing may have a small amount of bloody drainage; this is to be expected.

4. Return to see your provider for a wound check and suture removal as recommended.

5. Steri strips should be treated as stitches (they should remain dry). They will loosen after several days and will come off easily. They do not require removal by a medical provider.  Trim the strips as the wound heals.