Which specialist performs wound suturing?

The clinician examines the wound’s depth, length, location, cleanliness, and effect on movement or sensation. They may clean it, remove visible debris, assess bleeding, and decide whether stitches, adhesive strips, medical glue, or another approach is suitable. A hand, face, joint, or deep wound may need referral to a relevant surgical team, especially if a tendon, nerve, blood vessel, bone, or the eye could be involved.

Apply firm pressure with clean gauze or cloth to slow bleeding. Rinse a superficial wound gently with clean running water if no object is embedded, then cover it with a clean dressing. Do not pull out glass or other deeply lodged material. Avoid putting household products into the wound, and take note of when the injury happened and how it occurred. A clinician can also review tetanus protection and signs of contamination.

Seek urgent medical assessment for bleeding that does not settle with sustained pressure, a wound with loss of feeling or movement, a deep or gaping cut, an injury from a bite or dirty object, or a wound near the eye. Emergency care is also appropriate if the person feels faint or the injury involves severe pain or a trapped foreign object.

Ask whether the wound needs sutures, how it should be dressed, when the dressing should change, and which symptoms would suggest infection. You can also ask when the stitches should be removed and how to protect the healing skin.