Stitches first aid: what to know

Stitches hold wound edges together while the body repairs the deeper and surface tissues. They may be visible on the skin or placed beneath it, and some are designed to dissolve. Mild tenderness, tightness, or a small amount of dried blood can occur soon after the procedure, but the wound should remain closed and gradually settle.

Wash your hands before touching the area. Keep the dressing in place for the time your clinician advised, and change it with clean supplies if it becomes wet or dirty. Do not pull, cut, or pick at the thread. Avoid soaking the wound until you have been told it is safe; gentle washing around it may be advised. If bleeding starts, apply steady pressure with clean gauze and seek help if it does not stop. Follow activity instructions so stretching does not pull the edges apart.

Contact a clinician promptly if redness spreads, pain increases, swelling becomes pronounced, the area feels hot, or fluid smells unpleasant or looks like pus. Seek urgent care for bleeding that continues despite firm pressure, a wound that opens, loss of feeling or movement nearby, or fever with worsening wound symptoms. Ask whether a tetanus booster is needed after a contaminated or deep injury.

Ask when the dressing can come off, when the stitches need review or removal, which activities and bathing are suitable, and what changes should trigger a same-day call.