Post-Abscess Drainage Instructions:

Check bandage later on today and change it if it has become soiled with blood or pus. Try to leave the drainage wick in place. Nothing further needs to be done today. You may experience some more pain once the local anesthetic wears off – use tylenol, Advil or aleve for this discomfort.

Tomorrow morning remove the outer bandage and get in the shower to soak the area. Once the drainage wick is damp, remove it. Wash out the area with soap and water as best as possible.

Pat the area dry and then place a small amount of antibiotic ointment (bacitracin or Neosporin) over the wound and cover with bandage.  

The more frequently you wash the area in the first few days (3-4x/day should do) the faster the infection will clear.

For the first few days you may need a lot of gauze because the drainage may be substantial. After a few days, a simple Band-Aid should do. There will be a significant reduction in pain in the area by two days after the drainage – if not call the office.  

Once the wound has scabbed over, no further bandages or treatment is needed. The area will still feel hard and there may be a lump. This is most likely inflammation and will go down over the next 2-3 weeks.

If you still have a “lump” in the region of the abscess drainage in a month, call the office and make an appointment for a “cyst” excision to remove the remnant cyst to prevent a recurrent infection.