C-Section Moms - Staples or Stitches?

jpfeifer · June 2011

Everyone is probably different, but I thought I'd see if there was a consensus on which type of closure. What did you have? Do you have keloids?

lachute · June 2011

Staples. They sucked. My recovery was 100% easier once they were out. Because of my bleeding I had to be done up quickly hence the staples. Healed nicely though.

ericanandy · June 2011

Staples. Not sure what keloids are (not going to google) They healed nicely. Some of them popped on their own pre-removal because BIL was being hysterically funny (or it was the drugs I was on)

jpfeifer · June 2011

ericanandy:
Staples. Not sure what keloids are (not going to google) They healed nicely. Some of them popped on their own pre-removal because BIL was being hysterically funny (or it was the drugs I was on)

They are thick, raised, itchy, red scars. It's like your body doesn't know you are healed and keeps sending white blood cells to the site. Yeah, I probably wouldn't google either since the gross-est ones are the ones to pop up.

larrysdarling · June 2011

Neither. I had internal stitches and I think I had dermabond or something on the outside. I was surprised b/c I thought I'd have stitches or staples but when I looked down it just looked like the skin was glued together! I'm really pleased with how well it's healed. My doc pulled me nice and tight and my stomach is pretty flat again. I did have an infection on one side of the incision about 2 weeks in - it was super red and burned and itched. It also oozed a little. I had to go on an antibiotic for a week and put warm compresses on it.

jbl126 · June 2011

I had staples and was crazy scared for them to be removed. And then the doc removed them and I barely felt a thing. I was scared for nothing. And my scar looks pretty good. I had a good recovery overall.

SugarChick10 · June 2011

Stitches. Healed great, barely any scarring, no keloids. I actually got compliments on it from the nursing staff in the hospital, lol. One of the other drs in the practice attributes the nice close-up to my dr's needlepoint hobby

Shannon1110 · June 2011

larrysdarling:
Neither.I had internal stitches and I think I had dermabond or something on the outside. I was surprised b/c I thought I'd have stitches or staples but when I looked down it just looked like the skin was glued together!I'm really pleased with how well it's healed. My doc pulled me nice and tight and my stomach is pretty flat again.I did have an infection on one side of the incision about 2 weeks in - it was super red and burned and itched. It also oozed a little. I had to go on an antibiotic for a week and put warm compresses on it.

I had the same exact experience. Same type of stitches and I got an infection and put on antibiotics. You can just see a faint line where my skin just sort of bonded back together. No bumps. The infection was more annoying than it was painful for me.

ericanandy · June 2011

jpfeifer:
ericanandy:
Staples. Not sure what keloids are (not going to google) They healed nicely. Some of them popped on their own pre-removal because BIL was being hysterically funny (or it was the drugs I was on)

They are thick, raised, itchy, red scars. It's like your body doesn't know you are healed and keeps sending white blood cells to the site. Yeah, I probably wouldn't google either since the gross-est ones are the ones to pop up.

LOL that's what I was worried about.

FWIW: It was about 8 mos until full sensation returned to the site. Sometimes it would be all out numb, and sometimes (like if DS was on my lap/chest) it was painful (not unbearable)

Now pregnant with number 2 I've heard some women say their c-section area will be painful during pregnancy. So far so good with that here!

Does your hospital allow you to request?

I didn't know they were doing staples on me (emergency c-section) DH said it sounded gross (stapler noise) but I didn't know what was going on so I didn't hear it really.

This time I'm nervous this is one of the things I'll listen for. Hopefully I'm distracted!

Jamiedoll01 · June 2011

I had internal stitches that dissolved. Honestly, I didn't even know they still did staples. That sounds way unpleasant. Yikes.

And pfeif- good luck to you!!

lachute · June 2011

I will say I don't really have numbness. However if Milo jumps right on it I'm like dude.

Temp422773312507524 · June 2011

I had staples. I was never offered any other option. They were kinda gross at the time but my incision has healed so well. You can barely see it and it didn't hurt when the staples came out.

mzovoce · June 2011

I had stitches and they healed nicely. Mine dissolved except one and the doc removed it post op. I would think staples are crazy painful since they have to be removed.

Good luck

skoorbnibor · June 2011

staples, but they had to get me done quick (my anesthesia wore off before E was even out)

I do have keloids and they are still itchy nearly 3 years later

meldot · June 2011

staples. i was freaking out during the whole thing, and at the end, my doc said, "I can do stitches or staples. staples are faster" and I practically screamed "staples"

they didn't bother me, they were out before I left the hospital. Scar seems fine. Still pink, and ever so slightly raised.

kimberleigh30 · June 2011

I had stitches. Had to google what keliods was and No I don't have that.

stilldreaming · June 2011

There is a lot of literature in this area. If you do a google scholar search for

staples or sutures for c sections

one meta analysis of scientific articles can be found here:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002937810022726

larrysdarling · June 2011

I had a lot of numbness from where the nerves were cut but feeling has returned mostly. I thought the incision site would hurt but I had more internal pain then anything. It took a while for that to ease up.

erbur78 · June 2011

I have keloids, but not from a c-section. My keloids are located on both shoulders where I had precancerous moles removed. Both times were closed with stitches. The dr says I developed keloids due to the amount of movement where the scars are--you are constantly moving your arms.

You can also be predisposed to developing keloids...no matter the type of suture.

jpfeifer · June 2011

erbur78:

I have keloids, but not from a c-section. My keloids are located on both shoulders where I had precancerous moles removed. Both times were closed with stitches. The dr says I developed keloids due to the amount of movement where the scars are--you are constantly moving your arms.

You can also be predisposed to developing keloids...no matter the type of suture.

I know, I have one on my chest that I get injections in to make it not as noticable, but wanted to do whatever I could to not have it happen here. I was told it happens on the chest more frequently because there isn't much "padding" and I don't have one anywhere else (knock on wood), it just makes me nervous.

Shannon1110 · June 2011

jpfeifer:
erbur78:

I have keloids, but not from a c-section. My keloids are located on both shoulders where I had precancerous moles removed. Both times were closed with stitches. The dr says I developed keloids due to the amount of movement where the scars are--you are constantly moving your arms.
You can also be predisposed to developing keloids...no matter the type of suture.
I know, I have one on my chest that I get injections in to make it not as noticable, but wanted to do whatever I could to not have it happen here. I was told it happens on the chest more frequently because there isn't much "padding" and I don't have one anywhere else (knock on wood), it just makes me nervous.

I used to work for a pharmaceutical marketing company and Biocorneum cream was a product that I worked on. The dermatologists that gave it to their patients had great things to say about it and works to prevent keloids. I'm sure there are other creams like it but if you're worried maybe you can ask your doctor about something like this.

http://www.biocorneum.com/patients/products

MaryEllen · June 2011

Neither - he glued the incision.

C-Section Moms - Staples or Stitches?

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