"Stitches can be left in too long," warns Dr. Yaakovian. "When this happens, the skin can grow over the stitches — making removal more difficult. It can also lead to more scarring."
These are the usual time periods: stitches on your head – you'll need to return after 3 to 5 days. stitches over joints, such as your knees or elbows – you'll need to return after 10 to 14 days. stitches on other parts of your body – you'll need to return after 7 to 10 days.
Most types should start to dissolve or fall out within a week or two, although it may be a few weeks before they disappear completely. Some may last for several months. Ask your doctor about the type of stitches you have been given and how long they should take to dissolve.
Stitches, or sutures, join the edges of a wound together to repair it and stop any bleeding. However, they can sometimes become infected. Some symptoms of infected stitches are worsening pain, redness, swelling, and pus around the wound.
Most women heal quickly and there are lots of things you can do at home to ease the pain and help your recovery. Stitches and grazes can be incredibly uncomfortable and you might be worried about everyday activities like going to the toilet.
A sutured area of skin may move less easily than the surrounding skin, creating a pulling sensation. A bulging scar called a keloid may form. Keloids occasionally cause itching or discomfort, and they can cause cosmetic concerns. Internal tissues occasionally pull apart without healing well, and this can go unnoticed.
Your doctor or nurse will advise you on the right time to remove your stitches. If the stitches are taken out too soon, the wound might not have healed properly. If you leave them in too long, they can be more difficult to remove and increase the risk of scarring.
Most wounds that require closure should be stitched, stapled, or closed with skin adhesives (also called liquid stitches) within 6 to 8 hours after the injury. Some wounds that require treatment can be closed as long as 24 hours after the injury.
You can also hold an ice pack over your wound to reduce pain, swelling, and bruising. Place an ice pack on your wound for 15 to 20 minutes every hour or as told by your healthcare provider.
Some women feel pain, restriction, or a pulling sensation on or around their scar months or even years after surgery. This is normally due to the build-up of scar tissue which can stick to muscles or even organs and cause pain.
When stitches are left in for too long, it can result in marks on the skin and in some cases, result in scarring. Delay the removal of stitches can also make it more challenging to remove the stitches. In the event the stitches or staples come out earlier than expected, there is a possibility that wound may reopen.
A side stitch often feels like a cramping sensation but can also present as a dull pain. Some people describe the feeling as a sharp, stabbing pain.
In general, the greater the tension across a wound, the longer the sutures should remain in place. As a guide, on the face, sutures should be removed in 5-7 days; on the neck, 7 days; on the scalp, 10 days; on the trunk and upper extremities, 10-14 days; and on the lower extremities, 14-21 days.
Stitches and staples are used to keep wounds together during healing. They need to be removed within 4-14 days.
If you have sutures (stitches): -Apply Vaseline or Aquaphor healing ointment to the sutured site 3-4x/ day for the next three to four days. The ointment will help the wound heal more quickly and minimize scarring.
"Dissolvable stitches placed internally won't need to be removed," says Dr. Yaakovian. "They will break down and disappear on their own over time. As for permanent stitches placed on the outside of the skin, these are typically left in for about two weeks before being removed."
You might feel sharp, shooting pains in your wound area. This may be a sign that you're getting sensations back in your nerves. The feeling should become less intense and happen less often over time, but check with your doctor if you're concerned.
This arises from damaged tissue. Signals are picked up by sensory receptors in nerve endings in the damaged tissue. The nerves transmit the signals to the spinal cord, and then to the brain where the signals are interpreted as pain, which is often described as aching or throbbing.
Though the removal of stitches and staples is usually simple, you should not do it yourself. Before removing your stitches or staples, your MinuteClinic® provider will assess your wound to ensure that it's healed enough for the stitches or staples to be removed.
Redness. The area may be swollen, sore, and red in color right after you've sustained your injury. This is normal as blood is being sent to the area to supply oxygen and other nutrients for healing. But if the wound is still red and swollen after five days, it's a sign that your body is not healing correctly.
If you use a bandage, change it every 24 hours and anytime it gets wet or very dirty. Your doctor will tell you when to have your stitches or staples removed.
Nociceptive pain presents as sharp or stabbing in nature. This pain is the response to tissue damage, which alerts the involved nerves to send a message to the brain indicating pain.
While a patient may feel that one or two stitches are all that's needed, 10 or more may in fact be required to close their skin.