At The Urgent care at Vermont, we repair lacerations, which often requires stitches or sutures. Unlike an abrasion, none of the skin is missing in a laceration (a deep cut or tear in the skin), so we can bring the edges of the injury back together and hold them in place with stitches to help them heal quickly with minimal scarring.
When Does a Cut Need Stitches?
Here are a few signs that a cut is serious enough to need stitches or other medical attention:
- Ten minutes of applying pressure isn’t sufficient to stop the bleeding
- The cut is deep and/or long
- The cut has something embedded in it (if this is the case, don’t remove the object yourself, as it may be preventing more bleeding)
- The cut is due to a bite from an animal (or a human) or a puncture wound from an object that may cause infection
- The cut is on the mouth, face, hand, or genitals
Come see us as soon as you can if any of these applies to your injury. You should also come see us if the cut doesn’t seem to be healing properly or if there are signs of infection, such as swelling, redness, pain, or pus. The wound may need cleaning and stitches, and we may prescribe antibiotics.
Treating Minor Cuts and Grazes at Home
Not all cuts require stitches. The bleeding from a small cut or graze can be controlled by applying pressure with clean cloth or gauze (preferably sterile, but you can use a hand towel or T-shirt if necessary). Keep the injured body part elevated to slow the bleeding. Raise a cut hand or arm above your head. If the cut is on your leg or foot, lie down and raise it. After the cut is clean and the bleeding has stopped, wrap the injury with clean bandages. It should heal on its own in a few days.
When Is a Laceration Bad Enough for the Emergency Room?
Some lacerations are so serious that an urgent care clinic isn’t enough and you should go to the emergency room instead. Any of the following are worth an emergency room visit:
- The blood is spurting out
- The cut is jagged or gaping
- Bleeding is severe
- The cut was made by a rusty object
- The cut is over a joint and reopens with every movement
- Muscle, fat, or bone can be seen through the wound
The sooner you get medical attention, the better, as quick treatment minimizes blood loss, scarring, and the risk of infection.
Caring for Your Stitches
If you do receive stitches for a laceration, make sure to keep the area clean and dry and watch for any increase in redness, swelling, or pain. Follow these tips with your stitches:
- Do not scratch your stitches, as you may damage them. You could also make the eventual scar more noticeable.
- Avoid contact sports to reduce your risk of re-injuring the area.
- Don’t go swimming until the wound is healed and the stitches are out.
- Do not let a child with stitches play with water, mud, sand, or paint, as any of them could contaminate the wound and cause an infection.
- A child with stitches may need a note to excuse them from certain activities in gym class until the stitches are removed.
Contact us if you notice any signs of infection near or around the stitches, such as:
- Swelling
- Increased redness around the wound
- Pus or bleeding from the wound
- A warm feeling at the wound site
- An unpleasant smell from the wound
- The wound becoming more painful
- A fever
- Swollen glands
Removing Stitches
We will instruct you on whether you will need to return to our clinic so that we can remove your stitches. Some stitches are made of a material that dissolves gradually and disappears on its own, while others need to be removed by a medical professional. Depending on where the injury is, the typical recovery time will be different:
- 3-5 days: stitches on the head.
- 10-14 days: stitches over joints (like a knee or elbow)
- 7-10 days: stitches on other parts of the body