Skin Stitches: What to Know

During wound suturing, a clinician cleans and examines the injury, numbs the area when needed, and brings the wound edges together with surgical sutures. Some stitches dissolve; others need removal at a planned review, depending on their material and the wound location. The repair supports the skin but does not remove the need to watch for infection or protect the area from stretching and soaking.

Follow the dressing instructions and wash your hands before touching the area. Keep the wound clean, avoid picking at scabs, and limit activities that pull on the stitches. Keep the dressing dry for the period advised, then clean as directed rather than scrubbing. Do not apply creams, powders, or antiseptics unless recommended. A wound care and dressing review can clarify how to protect the site. Check whether your tetanus vaccination is up to date, particularly after a dirty or deep wound.

Contact a clinician for spreading redness, increasing warmth or swelling, worsening pain, pus, bad smell, fever, or wound edges opening. Seek urgent care for uncontrolled bleeding, loss of feeling or movement, a deeply contaminated wound, or a stitch that has cut through the skin. Do not remove stitches yourself; timing depends on the wound and its position.

Ask when the dressing may come off, how much movement is safe, whether the stitches dissolve, when they should be checked or removed, and which changes suggest infection. Ask about pain relief, scar care, and tetanus protection.