About your visit

Your wound has been cleaned and we have assessed that the following treatment will best help the wound to heal properly: 

☐ tape or Steri-Strips
☐ a soft bandage
☐ foam bandage
☐ plaster
☐ a layer of silicone or ointment and a bandage
☐ skin glue
☐ a dry bandage
☐ fingerstall
☐ Jelonet

The bandage should be removed after ____ days by:

☐ yourself
☐ your general practitioner
☐ a homecare nurse.

When you get home

Contact your general practitioner at signs of infection 

Keep an eye out for signs of infection until the wound has healed. Contact your general practitioner or dial 1813 to reach the medical helpline outside your general practitioner’s opening hours if you experience one or several of the following symptoms:

• Redness, warmth or swelling at the site of the wound.
• Throbbing or pulsing pains.
• Red stripes on the skin extending from the site of the wound.
• Wet or foul-smelling bandage.
• Fever.

Keep the bandage clean and dry

You should keep the bandage clean and dry for the first 24 hours. The risk of infection increases if the bandage gets wet. If liquid from the wound leaks through the bandage, change it. 

Only take showers

You may take showers, but avoid baths, swimming pools and swimming in the sea. 

Keep the clean wound

Clean the wound with lukewarm water daily, for example when showering. Carefully dab the wound with a clean towel or washcloth when drying. Then put on a clean bandage or plaster.  Continue treatment until the wound has healed.
Please note that if your wound is treated with strips, then it must be kept dry, do not wash it.  

Avoid soap and disinfectants

Avoid cleaning the wound with soap or disinfectants, e.g. chlorhexidine or hand disinfectant. If we have so advised, you may in some cases use a mild, pH-neutral soap. Make sure to rinse thoroughly with water.

Avoid handling food if the wound is on your hand

If the wound is on your hand, do not handle food until the wound has healed.

Practical precautions

Tetanus vaccination

If you received a tetanus vaccination at the hospital, it is normal for the skin around the area to become red, swollen or tender. This will pass after about a week.

Avoid nicotine

We recommend that you abstain from nicotine until your wound has healed. Nicotine is found in cigarettes, nicotine gum and nicotine patches. It impairs the healing of wounds.

Avoid direct sunlight

You should avoid getting direct sunlight on the wound as long as the skin is red. The skin usually remains red for six months to a year. During this period, the skin is especially at risk of sunburn and may darken. The dark colour will not disappear. We recommend using a sunscreen with a high SPF or wearing clothes that cover your scar.

Take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain

You should take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain. Pain-relieving medicine can be bought over the counter. Take only the amount of pain reliever recommended on the package. Contact your general practitioner if you need help managing the pain.

Worth knowing

Your personal data

The Capital Region of Denmark uses the personal data you share with us when you make an enquiry. You can read more about how we use your data and your rights on our website: www.regionh.dk/hp9