The edges will pull together, and you might see some thickening there. It's also normal to spot some new red bumps inside your shrinking wound. You might feel sharp, shooting pains in your wound area. This may be a sign that you're getting sensations back in your nerves.
Suture scars fade slowly. A sutured area of skin may move less easily than the surrounding skin, creating a pulling sensation.
Wound healing is classically divided into 4 stages: (A) hemostasis, (B) inflammation, (C) proliferation, and (D) remodeling. Each stage is characterized by key molecular and cellular events and is coordinated by a host of secreted factors that are recognized and released by the cells of the wounding response.
Most tears or episiotomies heal well, although it's normal to feel pain for two to three weeks.
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.
If you notice that your stitches have become red, swollen, more painful, or are oozing pus or blood, see your doctor. If left untreated, a case of infected stitches can become serious and cause complications, some of which can become life-threatening.
The doctor who puts in the stitches or staples will tell you when to see your doctor or nurse to have them taken out. Non-absorbable stitches usually stay in for 5 to 14 days, depending on where they are. Staples usually stay in for 7 to 10 days.
Signs of infection
swelling. increased redness around the wound. pus or bleeding from the wound. the wound feeling warm.
It is normal to be able to feel internal sutures. While most dissolvable stitches do absorb within about six months, there is a wide range of normal. For example, yours may be gone quicker, or they may take far longer to dissolve completely. Feeling your stitches is not cause for alarm.
You may notice the following when your wound starts to come apart: A feeling that the wound is ripping apart or giving way. Leaking pink or yellow fluid from the wound. Signs of infection at the wound site, such as yellow or green pus, swelling, redness, or warmth.
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. It is more likely to happen during prolonged physical activity, such as swimming, running, or cycling.
Itching is generally a sign of healing. Your nerves are stimulated by all the action at the wound site, and your brain interprets that stimulation as itchiness.
If the wound environment is dry, the cells will have to find moisture deep in the wound bed so that they can migrate. This slows down the healing process. In fact, studies show that moist wounds heal 50 % faster than dry wounds.
"Itching is a natural part of the healing process," says Dr. Yaakovian. "The inflammatory cells that help fight infections also help heal a wound. Some of the healing chemicals these cells produce, such as histamine, cause itching."
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.
Stitches and staples are used to keep wounds together during healing. They need to be removed within 4-14 days. The specific removal date depends on the location of the stitches or staples. Removal should not be delayed.
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.
After the first 24 to 48 hours, wash around the cut with clean water 2 times a day. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the cut with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.
A handful of studies have found that when wounds are kept moist and covered, blood vessels regenerate faster and the number of cells that cause inflammation drop more rapidly than they do in wounds allowed to air out. It is best to keep a wound moist and covered for at least five days.
General Advice
The area where you've gotten stitches will affect the types of activities you can do. Light activities like walking are usually fine when recovering, and shouldn't affect your wound healing. However, strenuous activities like heavy lifting should be avoided.
Although it's natural to feel a little anxious if you're getting stitches, especially if you've just experienced trauma, the procedure is generally painless. And stitches will help cuts heal with minimal scarring or risk for infection.
To help with this, take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or extra-strength acetaminophen (Extra Strength Tylenol®). Don't take aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®), unless your healthcare provider says you can.
How do I know if this has happened to me? Wound breakdown can cause an increase in pain, new bleeding or pus-like discharge. You may also begin to feel unwell. Sometimes women notice some stitch material coming away soon after they have had their baby, or can see for themselves that the wound has opened.