How Should I Care For My Stitches?

Did you keep the wound area dry for the first 24 hours?

Did you wash off the dirt and crust that forms around the stitches?

Do you have the urge to pull on the stitches?

Did you go for a swim after getting the stitches?

Did you check the affected area for infection regularly?

Keep your wound area dry for the first 24 hours after the doctor sewed in the stitches. You’ll lower your risk of infection.

You should wash off dirt and the crust that forms around the stitches. That lowers your chances of having a scar. You may need to place a bandage on it if the wound leaks clear, yellow fluid.

Resist the urge to scratch. You could pull them out. This will lead to a bloody mess and a higher chance of infection. Wear soft clothes if the area affected is on the covered part of your body.

Don't swim. Wait until your stitches are out before you go into the pool or pond. As the wound might fester and lead to an infection.

Even as you continue to take care of your stitches, watch for any signs of infection. Some of the signs are increasing pain, redness, swelling, pus/bleeding, bad smell or you get a fever. Get in contact with your doctor and get treatment as soon as possible.

After you got your stitches, your doctor or their nurse should have given you instructions on how to care for them and told you when they’ll come out. That may be as little as a few days and probably no more than 2 weeks. It depends on how deep your wound was, where on your body you got it, and the kind of stitches you got.