INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING FACIAL LACERATIONS:

You have a facial injury that has required sutures for closure.  It is important that you follow up with the ENT Clinic or your family physician in 5-6 days to have these removed.  Failure to remove the suture material within this timeframe may result in exaggerated scarring.

You should inspect your wound daily for signs and symptoms of infection.  These include: increased pain or tenderness on or near the wound, increased redness or swelling around the wound, drainage from the site, reopening of the wound, or an oral temperature of 101.5 degrees F or greater. If you develop any of theses signs of infection please emergently present to the nearest emergency department or call (XXX) XXX-XXXX immediately to speak with our ENT clinic.

The most important thing you can do to prevent infection is to keep your wound/abrasions clean. Wash your hands before caring for your wound. Clean the site twice a day with mild soap and water or with normal saline. Apply Bacitracin ointment using a q-tip or dry clean gauze. After you have cleansed the wound and applied Bacitracin, you may leave the area open to air or cover the wound with a non-stick gauze. The gauze may be secured with tape or netting.  It is ok to shower but do not let the water directly hit the abrasions. After showering, pat the abrasions dry with a clean towel or gauze and apply Bacitracin ointment and non-stick gauze as instructed above.  You should continue the Bacitracin treatment until the area has scabbed or new skin has covered the wound.  Do not pick the scab off; it will fall off by itself in a few days.

To decrease the extent of scarring from your injury be sure to have your sutures removed and apply antibiotic ointment as described previously.  Three weeks from now, or once tissue has healed, you should begin gentle massage of wound with your finger. At this time you may massage Vitamin E topically on the wound. You are to continue this massage 2-3 times per day until the wound feels flat. Your wound should be kept out of the sun for 6 weeks. Sunscreen should be used for at least a year to help prevent scarring and excessive discoloration.