Healing a Scab After Surgery

A scab after surgery is a normal part of healing. It forms at the incision site to protect the skin underneath while it heals.

Removing a scab can impede healing, so it's best to let it fall off on its own. The skin under a scab will often be a lighter color than that of the surrounding area until it fully heals.

Why Scabs Form After Surgery

When skin is cut, as it is during surgery, it bleeds. This sets hemostasis, the process of stopping blood flow, into motion to prevent too much blood loss.

Special blood cells called platelets are sent to the surgical site, where they clump together to form clots that stop bleeding. As new skin cells form, the clots start the formation of a protective layer, which will eventually be a scab.

What Scabs Look and Feel Like

A scab is usually dark red or brown. As a surgical wound heals, its border pulls inward and it gets smaller. This can cause the scab covering the area to feel itchy.

Care for Scabs

Follow the post-surgical instructions you received from your healthcare provider.

To care for a scab:

• Leave it alone: Don't pick at the scab, as removing it intentionally can increase the risk of long-term scarring and slow healing.
• Cleanse carefully: Wash the area around the scab gently—don't scrub. Rinse well, as soap may irritate the wound.

How Long Does It Take for a Scab to Fall Off?

A scab may remain for a few weeks, and it will gradually fall off with normal activity. Small pieces of the scab may fall off, since an incision heals more quickly in some areas than others, especially if it is in an area where movement may place greater stress on small portions of the incision.

A shower or bath may soften a scab and could make it fall off, but you should never scrub the scab off.

After a scab falls off, the skin underneath may look stretched, red, and shiny. It will temporarily be paler and may be more sensitive than the rest of your skin.

Healing After a Scab

After a scab falls off, a scar remains that is smaller than the original surgical incision. This skin is weaker and less flexible than that in the surrounding area. The scar will fade and may disappear in time. Some scars take up to two years to heal, while others never completely go away.

Summary

It's completely normal to develop a scab after surgery. A scab provides a protective covering while the skin underneath heals.

Try not to pick at a scab and wash it gently. Most scabs will fall off on their own within a couple of weeks as the skin beneath them heals. If you have any questions about how to care for your skin after surgery, contact your healthcare provider.