Clean & Bandage the Wound Clean with tap water and a Q-tip twice a day. After cleaning apply white petrolatum (Vaseline) or bacitracin (Polysporin) to keep the area moist.
Keep the wound bandaged and dry for the first day. After the first day, wash around the wound with clean water 2 times a day. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the wound with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage.
-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. We prefer Vaseline or Aquaphor to antibiotic ointment due to the increase in allergic reactions to antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin.
To help the injured skin heal, use petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist. Petroleum jelly prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy.
Air dries out the wound and promotes cell death, not healing. Covering the wound maintains the natural moisture that helps keep cells alive. An exposed cut will pick up dirt and debris from the air. A wound that heals in a moist environment is less likely to leave a scar.
Once you remove the dressing, you likely don't need to put anything else on your stitches — such as petroleum oil or antibiotic ointments. You also don't need to "clean" the suture site with hydrogen peroxide. In fact, this can cause more harm than good.
Guidelines for wound management recommend that sutures be kept dry and covered for 24 to 48 hours after primary repair to reduce the risk of infection.
Continue applying the petroleum jelly until the wound has fully healed. Open wounds heal more slowly. A large wound can take 4 weeks or more to heal. A dressing (e.g. a plaster or gauze & tape) can be applied to protect the wound and keep it clean.
Once the scabbing has settled and the wound is no longer tender, regular massage with Vaseline or any moisturiser 2-3 times a day will help to flatten the edges, reduce the redness and the scar blend into the surrounding skin.
Only use creams and lotions if they are recommended by your doctor. If your sutures have bandages or dressings, follow the care instructions given by your doctor or nurse, including keeping them clean and dry. Avoid physical activities that might re-open the wound.
Here is some general advice: Keep your stitches or staples dry and covered with a bandage. Non-absorbable stitches and staples need to be kept dry for 1 to 2 days. Absorbable stitches sometimes need to be kept dry longer.
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.
Raw Honey
Raw honey is an excellent remedy to help heal wounds quicker. Honey can help to clean the wound, decrease signs of infection, including pus and odors, reduce pain and even speed up the healing process. Research shows honey acts as an effective antiseptic wound dressing.
It's important not to scratch your stitches; even though they're strong, scratching may damage them. You should avoid contact sports, such as football or hockey, to give your wound the best possible chance to heal.
“Moisturize with petroleum jelly and cover with a bandage,” recommends Salyards. “This should be continued until the open wound is completely healed with new skin or until sutures are removed.”
After 48 hours, surgical wounds can get wet without increasing the risk of infection. After this time, you can get your stitches wet briefly with a light spray (such as in the shower), but they should not be soaked (for example, in the bath). Make sure you pat the area dry afterwards.
The stitches in the skin should heal in 5-10 days. The underlying stitches in your muscle layer will take longer to heal. These won't completely heal for 12 weeks. For the stitches that you can see, make sure to watch for any signs of infection.
1-2 weeks until the sutures are removed, then for 1 week after just apply Vaseline. If you hate the bandage, you can go without it, but you must reapply the Vaseline 5-10 times a day, the wound must not dry out.
The amount of Vaseline to apply varies depending on an individual's dryness level, skin sensitivity, and intended results. It's best to wash off any remaining Vaseline in the morning then use your normal moisture, as the thickness of Vaseline can cause greasy skin throughout the day.
Signs it's working: During this stage of healing, you may experience swelling, redness or pain while your wound heals. Your skin may also feel hot to the touch, and you may see a clear liquid around your wound. These are all signs that the inflammatory stage of wound healing is well underway.
Care for your stitches and wound as follows: Keep the area clean and dry for the first 24 to 48 hours after stitches have been placed. Then, you can start to gently wash around the site 1 to 2 times daily. Wash with cool water and soap.
The four phases of wound healing. The complicated mechanism of wound healing occurs in four phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling.