Skin Cancer Treatment

Call Dr. Brooks or go to a walk-in-clinic if you have any of the following:

• A fever over 37 degrees.

• Yellow, green or foul-smelling drainage.

• A large red area around the incision.

• An allergic reaction to the medications or dressings (this could be shortness of breath, a rash/redness, hives, etc.)

Your follow up appointment:

• Dr. Brooks will want to see you 6-8 weeks after your surgery. To ensure you get in within this time, please call 403-487-0460 promptly after your surgery to set the appointment.

Dressing/Bandages after surgery:

• The large pressure dressing applied in the operating room should remain on, dry and intact for 1-3 days following the surgery. You may shower or bathe during this time if you keep the dressing dry (use a bag or bathe with the areas out of the water). Pat dry, no aggressive rubbing.

• If you have steri-strips under your large bandage, let them fall off independently.

• After the large dressing comes off, protect the incision with a band-aid for 2-3 weeks. Once the steri-strips fall off, apply a very thin layer of Polysporin and continue to cover with a band-aid.

• Water may run over the area (shower/handwashing), but do not submerge the area in water for 3 weeks (no baths, hot tubs, pools, or ocean/lake water). Your sutures are dissolvable, and submerging them in water could open up your incision.

• Your sutures are dissolvable (unless Dr. Brooks has said otherwise and instead has set you up for suture removal at the hospital). Dissolving sutures can take a full 4 weeks to dissolve completely. Occasionally they won’t dissolve easily, and in that case, you may need to call Dr. Brooks to look at them. If it has been 3 weeks, and your incision has no open areas, then you can massage them to try and get them to break up.

Medication after surgery:

• Take your regular medication as prescribed (unless Dr. Brooks has specifically instructed you otherwise). 

• You may use acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain, unless Dr. Brooks has instructed you otherwise.

• Avoid ibuprofen (Advil) and inflammatory medication (Aleve) for the first 4 days.

• If you are prescribed an antibiotic, finish the entire prescription.

• A high-quality vitamin and silicone scar gel is available at Dr. Brooks’ office, but many are available at most pharmacies as over-the-counter products.

Return to work after surgery:

• Most patients can return to work 1-2 days after the surgery. 

Activity after surgery:

• Swelling is normal. Elevate the area above the level of your heart to minimize swelling and keep the area elevated on a pillow while sleeping.

• Off and on, apply an ice pack as needed to the area for the first 3-4 days. 

• Do not use heat.

• If the area is on your hand, avoid lifting, pushing, or pulling any object heavier than 10 lbs for the first 2 weeks (for reference, a 4L milk jug is 9 lbs).

• Wait to use exercise equipment until Dr. Brooks gives you the go-ahead.

• You may begin scar massage at 2-3 weeks (if there are no open areas to the incision). Use firm pressure and cream (Vitamin A, Vitamin E, or Aloe Vera are all excellent choices), and push against the direction of the scar (perpendicular).

Sunshine:

• After 3 weeks, if your surgical site is to be exposed to sun, apply an SPF 45 or higher sunscreen and for at least 1 year after continue to prevent the scar from changing to a darker colour.

Diet after surgery:

• Resume your regular diet.

• Drink plenty of fluids.

• Stay away from alcoholic beverages for 1 week.

• Limit caffeinated beverages for 1 week.

• Avoid smoking/vaping for 3 months before, but at least 4 weeks before and 6 weeks after surgery for better wound healing. Nicotine constricts blood vessels.