Expect to go home after surgery, so plan for a friend/family member to drive you home. Repair of your inguinal hernia does not require any special diet restrictions after surgery. Some patients may find that their appetite is poor for a week or two after surgery. This is a normal result of the stress of surgery– your appetite should return in time. If you find you are persistently nauseated or unable to take in liquids, contact our office and let us know. It is OK to shower starting around 36 hours after surgery. If you have a dressing on the incisions, take it off before showering. You might see little pieces of tape (called steri-strips) directly attached to your skin. It is OK to get these little tapes wet in the shower. The tapes will begin to peel up on the ends 7-10 days after surgery – at this point they have done their job and it is OK for you to peel them the rest of the way off if you wish. You do not have to have them on when you come for your postoperative visit.
No baths, pools or hot tubs for two weeks following surgery. We try to close your incisions to leave the smallest possible scar. Do not put any ointment or other medication on your incisions – it will not make them “heal better.” There are no medical or physical restrictions on activity after surgery. That means it is OK to walk, climb stairs, lift, have sexual intercourse, mow the lawn, or exercise as long as it doesn’t hurt. In fact, returning to normal activity as soon as possible will most likely enhance your recovery. However, if it doesn’t feel good, don’t do it. Take it easy and let pain be your guide! You may also feel easily fatigued and “washed out” for a week or two following the surgery. These factors will put some limitations on your activity, but you will not cause any damage even if some soreness is experienced. Everyone returns to work at different times. If you want, you may return to work right away; however, as a rough guide, most people take at least 1-2 weeks off prior to returning to work.
If you need particular documentation for your job, call the office. You will usually be able to drive when you have not needed the narcotic (prescription) pain medications for two days. The first bowel movement may occur anywhere from 1-5 days after surgery – as long as you are not nauseated or having abdominal pain this variation is acceptable. Remember that it is very common to pass a lot more gas from your rectum than you used to – this is because you will not be able to really belch. Some patients also find that they have diarrhea or “loose bowels” for the first days after their hernia repair – in the vast majority of cases, the bowel function normalizes with time. Constipation may also be common due to the pain medication. We recommend taking Milk of Magnesia (2 tablespoons; twice a day) while taking the pain pills to avoid constipation. Some patients find that their hernia “returns” right after surgery. Don’t worry – this is a normal feeling and/or appearance.
The hernia repair did not fail – the place where the hernia contents were can sometimes fill up with post-operative fluid – this fluid is a normal result of surgery and will usually be absorbed by the body in several weeks. Call your surgeon’s office if any of the following occur:When I got my most recent tattoo, I was shocked that I'd totally forgotten how to care for one, even though my last piece is only a year old and I'm on seven tattoos and counting. Knowing what not to do to your tattoo is as important for the healing process as knowing what you should do. Luckily, most tattoo shops will give you an aftercare sheet to make sure you know what you're up against. So no matter how forgetful you are, you have no excuse not to look after your new ink. But if you're forgetful enough that proper tattoo aftercare likely won't be at the top of your to-do list, you're probably forgetful enough that you'll lose the aftercare sheet after the first two days anyway. I'm not judging you, because I am literally that person.
But that doesn't mean you have to be victim to a crappy healing experience — or worse, an infection. It's important to remember that if your tattoo does get infected, you should check with your tattoo artist about what to do next, since the usual aftercare rules will no longer apply. Speaking from experience, it's usually a case of going to the doctor for antibiotics. But to avoid getting to that stage, simply follow these no go's for tattoo maintenance and you should be just fine. During the healing period, your tattoo might feel like the itchiest thing that has ever itched in the history of itching. But avoid scratching to the best of your abilities. As Tattoo Junkies, the leading full service tattoo and body piercing studio on the seacoast, will tell you, "Do not pick, scratch, peel, slap, rub or irritate your tattoo." I can't act like a saint and pretend I never have a sneaky little scratch session, but just be careful. As Tattoo Junkies warns, "Do not let anyone touch your tattoo, unless they wash their hands."
You don't know where they've been or what their hands were doing before gracing your skin. Infections are easy to get, so think of your tattoo as an open wound. You wouldn't even let your mom touch it without thoroughly disinfecting her hands first. Just as you have to keep your own hands clean during the healing process, so does everyone else coming into contact with your ink. Tattoo Artist Magazine advises against picking off any skin that starts peeling away from your tattoo. "It is essentially the scabby layer and dead skin coming off. Do not scratch it or play with it! It will probably itch throughout this time, do not scratch!" On the other end of the spectrum, don't over-moisturize your tattoo if you want to avoid peeling or itching. "A thin layer is better than drowning the tattoo in goo and will help it heal faster," Inked Magazine advises. It's one or other other, pals. Wet healing or wrap healing is a tattoo healing process that I personally prefer, but most people I know just go for the old faithful.
According to Inked, it's OK to experiment in order to find the right method for you. But don't go for both at the same time. Personally, I wouldn't even use a scented moisturizer on my face, let alone for my healing tattoo. Inked Mag recommends Aveeno, and luckily it comes pretty cheap. With any healing wound, it's often best to leave it alone to do its own thing. However, tattoos deserve your care and attention. According to the folks at the Great British Tattoo Show, don't ignore aftercare. You might think it'll be fine if left to its own devices, but you'd only be setting yourself up for infection. Try to only take showers during the healing process. Trust me, I know how hard this is as a seasoned bath enthusiast. "No swimming, soaking, or hot tub" for two weeks, according to Tattoo Junkies. If you care about your skin, you should be wearing some kind of SPF always. According to tattoo culture site Skin Artists, sun exposure can seriously mess with your tattoo, so avoid those rays at all costs during the entire healing process.
Afterwards, always keep your tattoo protected with sunblock. It's time to ditch the super skinny jeans in exchange for your mom denim for a couple of weeks. "For the first two weeks, avoid wearing tight clothing that might rub up against your tattoo as well as sleeping on your tattoo so you don’t agitate the healing process," Inked warns. Keeping your hands clean is as important as keeping your tattoo clean, because your hands can introduce bacteria to your tattoo very easily. According to Inked, "Make sure to wash your new tattoo several times a day with a soft, non-scented, antibacterial soap [...] to keep it clean and avoid potential infection [...] Remember, never touch your tattoo unless you have just washed your hands!" The moral of the story? Keep yourself and your tattoo clean and cared for. And above all, pay attention to what your tattoo artist tells you to do. They're the experts, after all.Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle's YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!