After skin cancer removal, your surgical team will place a pressure bandage over the wound that stays on until the next day. From there, daily wound care follows a simple routine: keep the site clean, moist, and protected while your body heals. The specifics depend on how your wound was closed, where it is on your body, and how large it is, but the core principles are the same for nearly every case.
The First 48 Hours
Leave the original pressure bandage in place for the first 24 hours. Your surgical team applied it to control bleeding and protect the fresh wound, and removing it too early can restart bleeding or disturb the early clot formation underneath. During this window, avoid bending over, lifting anything heavy, or doing any exercise. Even light physical activity can raise your blood pressure enough to cause bleeding at the site.
To manage swelling and bruising, apply an ice pack over the bandage for 20 minutes each hour while you’re awake during those first 48 hours. If the wound is on your face or head, sleep with your head slightly elevated on an extra pillow. Most people find that over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) is enough to handle the discomfort. Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen unless your surgeon specifically says otherwise, since both can thin the blood and increase bleeding risk.
Daily Cleaning and Bandaging
Once that first 24 to 48 hours has passed, you’ll begin changing the dressing yourself, typically once a day. The process is straightforward:
- Wash gently. Use cool water and mild soap. If the wound is on your scalp, you can shampoo, but keep water exposure brief and don’t scrub.
- Pat dry. Use a clean paper towel rather than a cloth towel, which can harbor bacteria or snag on stitches.
- Apply a thin layer of plain petroleum jelly. This keeps the wound moist, which speeds healing and reduces scabbing.
- Cover with a fresh bandage. A non-stick gauze pad secured with medical tape works well for most sites.
Repeat this daily until stitches are removed or the wound has fully closed.
Petroleum Jelly vs. Antibiotic Ointment
Many people reach for antibiotic ointments like Neosporin or Polysporin, but dermatologists increasingly recommend plain petroleum jelly instead. A head-to-head comparison found no difference in healing between petrolatum-based ointment and antibiotic ointment when graded for redness, swelling, crusting, and skin regrowth at any time point. The antibiotic group actually had significantly more burning at the one-week mark, and one patient developed allergic contact dermatitis from it.
Allergic reactions to topical antibiotics, especially neomycin (an ingredient in Neosporin), are surprisingly common. These reactions cause redness and itching that can look like an infection, leading to unnecessary worry. Plain petroleum jelly keeps the wound moist without the risk of allergy or contributing to antibiotic resistance.
When Stitches Come Out
Suture removal timing varies by location. Facial stitches typically come out around 7 days, since facial skin heals quickly due to its rich blood supply. Stitches on the chest, back, or limbs often stay in for 10 to 14 days because those areas are under more tension and heal more slowly. Your surgeon will give you a specific timeline based on your wound.
Until your stitches are removed, avoid anything that pulls or stretches the skin around the wound. This means no sudden head movements if the wound is on your face, no heavy lifting if it’s on your trunk, and no stretching exercises regardless of location. The goal is to keep tension off the closure so stitches don’t tear through the skin, which would widen the eventual scar.
Care for Skin Grafts and Flaps
If your wound was closed with a skin flap (where nearby tissue is rotated or advanced to fill the gap) or a skin graft (where skin is taken from another part of your body), the care requirements are stricter. These closures rely on new blood vessels growing into the transferred tissue, and anything that disrupts that process can cause the flap or graft to fail.
Leave the surgical dressing completely untouched for 4 to 7 days, or until your surgeon removes it at a follow-up visit. Don’t let it get wet. Avoid any movement that could stretch, bump, or put pressure on the area. If possible, keep the wound elevated above your heart to reduce swelling. You may need dressing changes by your care team two or three times over the first two to three weeks. Some grafts use a vacuum dressing with a tube attached. If that tube comes loose, contact your surgeon rather than trying to fix it yourself.
Watch for edges of the graft or flap lifting up, or a bulging sensation under the site. Both are signs that need prompt medical attention.
Recognizing an Infection
Surgical site infections after skin cancer removal are uncommon, but catching one early makes a big difference. The three key warning signs are redness that spreads beyond the immediate wound edges, cloudy or foul-smelling drainage from the wound, and fever. Some redness and mild swelling right around the incision line is normal in the first few days. What’s not normal is redness that keeps expanding outward, increasing pain days after surgery instead of improving, or thick yellowish discharge.
If you notice any of these, contact your surgeon’s office promptly rather than waiting for your scheduled follow-up.
Getting Back to Exercise
The return to physical activity is gradual and depends on both the wound location and size. For facial wounds, avoid all exercise for the first 48 hours, then limit yourself to light walking for the next one to two weeks. Strenuous exercise and strength training should wait until the wound shows advanced healing, which typically takes at least four weeks. For larger wounds, expect six weeks or longer.
Some specific timelines for facial surgery: aerobic activities like running may be possible around six weeks post-op. Sports with a risk of impact to the face (basketball, soccer) should wait two to three months. Weightlifting that contracts facial muscles should be avoided for at least six to eight weeks. Yoga or Pilates poses that involve inversions or extreme facial contortions need to be modified during recovery.
For wounds anywhere on the body, avoid swimming in pools, lakes, or the ocean until the surgical site is fully closed. Submerging an open wound in water introduces bacteria and significantly raises infection risk.
Protecting the Scar From the Sun
Fresh scars are highly vulnerable to UV damage. New skin lacks the pigment protection of surrounding tissue, so even brief sun exposure can cause permanent darkening or discoloration of the scar. The most effective protection is physical coverage: clothing, medical tape, or an adhesive bandage over the scar whenever you’re outdoors. This is more reliable than sunscreen alone, since sunscreen wears off and can be rubbed away without you noticing.
When physical coverage isn’t practical, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and reapply frequently, especially after sweating or water exposure. Plan on being diligent about sun protection for at least the first year, since that’s the window when the scar is most susceptible to UV-related color changes.
Long-Term Scar Care
Once the wound has fully closed and any stitches are out, you can begin scar management. Silicone-based products, either as a gel you apply directly or as adhesive sheets, are the first-line option recommended by clinical practice guidelines for minimizing raised or thickened scars. Both forms work equally well. In clinical trials, silicone gel showed measurable improvement in scar thickness within two weeks and continued improving scar texture through 20 weeks of use.
For best results, silicone products should be worn nearly around the clock, removing them only for bathing. Treatment duration of at least six months produces the most benefit. You can find both silicone gel and silicone sheets over the counter at most pharmacies. Start using them once your wound has fully closed and any scabbing has resolved, typically a few weeks after surgery.