Hey everyone,

I feel like I'm asking the obvious here and I'm probably overthinking this, but how long do you guys clean the area in the shower (after a BM and/or during your regular shower).

I want to keep the area clean, but I don't want to overdo it and cause irritation, dryness and delay healing.

Most health organizations (NHS, Mayoclinic, etc.) recommend rinsing a wound with water for 5-10 minutes. On the other hand, I've read that those toilet seat bidets rinse for just 40-60 seconds and most dermatologist advice to limit your shower length (for the whole body) to < 15 minutes.

Personally, I've always rinsed for about 10 minutes. Although nowadays I can get it mostly clean with wet wipes and I try to limit it to 5 minutes.

How do you keep the area and wound clean?

Thanks!

I use the medicated wipes. There gentler and clean better. Then you really want to soak in a tub for at least 15 minutes afterwards, rather than shower. You should soak it like that 3 times a day.

If you don't have a tub, you could try buying a sitz bath from a health supplies store.

Bloodybum wrote:I use the medicated wipes. There gentler and clean better. Then you really want to soak in a tub for at least 15 minutes afterwards, rather than shower. You should soak it like that 3 times a day.

If you don't have a tub, you could try buying a sitz bath from a health supplies store.

Thanks for your reply. I think it's interesting that anal hygiene is so different depending on your culture and where you live.

I have learned about sitz baths when searching the web, but it looks like they don't really exist over here in the Netherlands. No search results and no (web)shops. Altough I've also read a study that suggested that there no strong evidence to support the use of the Sitz baths. So I think I keep using the shower head, but thanks for the suggestion and I'm glad that it's working for you.

A CRS told me to rinse the area very well, then stuff tissue in the crack, and change it several times a day. Keep the area as dry as possible, and no long hot baths.....that's what he said, I dunno.