Urgent - please help get the sticky stuff offa my new boobie!

[AnyDream]

Help pls - esp from any nursey types.

Ok so I had my dressings removed today from my new boobie...they were the ones they put on during surgery that are designed to stay on. I've had them on for two weeks - and when they came off....well, it's wall to wall sticky taffy!

So I need something - really really gentle - to get it off. Don't want to have to rub & scrub - sutures still aren't 100% sealed - but the sticky stuff is industrial.

Any ideas?

[delphmoon]

Don't worry about the sticky stuff maybe?? Allow it to come off naturally otherwise you might cause irritation around the tissue...just a thought...

[Lulu]

Eucalyptus oil on a cotton bud (not ball) will do it, just a gentle rub around. If you think that might be a bit strong (or too close to sutures)? neat dishwashing liquid?

[STARRYSKY]

I know its probably not appealing but in pharmacy wound care we were told to use baby oil (or any mineral oil) to dissolve the adhesive before removing some types of dressings.

[Trillian]

maybe sorbolene cream or some bicarb soda made to a paste?

[Mother Goose]

we use eucalyptus oil or alcohol swabs depending at work. but there is also no harm in leaving it until your sutures are a bit stronger.

[entreat]

I second baby oil.

[AnyDream]

DM - just leaving it is not an option, the boobie is glued to my post surgical bra (which now needs a washing which is another whole kettle of fish).

Lulu - I think eucy might be a bit harsh. Also it's a very big area & there's nearly 30 cms of suture lines involved. I would usually try it but not this time.

Starrysky - baby oil's probably a really good idea. The nurse today was saying something about non-soap washes and I've got some that has a parrafin oil component along with a small amount of lavender - that might do the trick...if not I'll give baby oil proper a shot (just don't have any in the house right now).

Trill I'm going to try the sorbolene first...not sure the bicarb would work so well without a scrubbing effect. Maybe the sorbolene will help soften it up

ETA
MG - just saw that you use eucy at work - is it diluted at all or just neat from the bottle? Do you think that is gentler than alcohol or is alcohol gentler?

[suse]

There's a product that they use to remove surgical adhesive - it comes in little individually wrapped swabs - can't remember what it's called but you should be able to get it from a pharmacy. I remember getting an awful reaction (ie: blisters) from the adhesive in the surgical dressings after my c/s, I wouldn't usually use products like this on my skin but the longer the adhesive stayed on my skin the worse the reaction. It stung on the blistered areas (not surprisingly) but was quite gentle on the rest of my skin.

I'd be cautious with eucalyptus oil neat on the skin at the best of times, but on sensitive post surgery tissue you might be inviting irritation.

Actually, that reminds me - my grandma had breast cancer and had a mastectomy - I'm not sure if she also had chemo or radiotherapy, but I think she did. Since then she's had incredibly sensitive skin and can't use anything but hypoallergenic products on her skin. She can't use anything fragranced, whether synthetically or with essential oils. Apparently this is quite common with oncology patients who've undergone radiotherapy or chemo, so it might be something to be careful of.

[AnyDream]

Suse - I know the sachets you are talking about - the nurse that came out the other day had one she kept stashed in her baggie - but I've had a good rummage around in the bag of dressings etc they left and no more in there. I'm not sure my local pharmacy will have them. Good point about the skin sensitivity - I think that has more to do with the radiotherapy which in my case was avoided by having the mast.

[AngelPunks]

Eucalyptus oil on a cotton bud (not ball) will do it, just a gentle rub around. If you think that might be a bit strong (or too close to sutures)? neat dishwashing liquid?

:yeahthat:

Was going to say eucalyptus oil - my mother swore by it. Or maybe some "disolve it" from the cleaning isle at the supermarket - it is a citrus based cleaning liquid - this may be a bit too strong.

[AnyDream]

Ouch AP - the cleaning aisle at the supermarket - you are scaring me now

[AngelPunks]

hehe - it isn't bad stuff. I just remember finding it where the cleaning stuff is. It is a citrus base and I've used it when I've been painting - a few drops on a hand covered in gloss paint, rub my hands together and then rinse. It is designed for skin!

[suse]

Ouch AP - the cleaning aisle at the supermarket - you are scaring me now

Heh - kinda reminds me of the time I dyed my hair purple and decided to rinse it in the shower because my neck was sore and didn't want to lean over the basin - then half way through remembered why it's a really bad idea to rinse hair dye in the shower. Long story short, I ended up scrubbing both the shower and myself with Ajax - ouch. Needless to say I was very, very well exfoliated. And still purple.

OK, so my story is really trivial by comparison but it's a good cautionary tale. It may be tempting when your boobs feel like superglue, but stay away from the cleaning aisle Be afraid, be very afraid...