Buzz
You have a cut, and it appears quite deep. Sometimes, it's difficult to tell whether a wound needs stitches for proper healing and to prevent scarring. If you want to be sure about your injury and avoid an unnecessary trip to the hospital, here are some helpful tips and methods to determine when a wound truly requires medical attention for proper care and recovery.
Steps to Follow
Reasons to Visit a Doctor Immediately
Try to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. Raise the injured part of the body above heart level, which will help reduce bleeding. Use clean cloth or damp tissue to apply pressure to the wound for about 5 minutes. Afterward, remove the cloth or tissue and check if bleeding continues.
- If the wound is bleeding heavily, stop everything and go to the hospital immediately.
- If you cannot stop the bleeding, or if blood is spurting out of the wound, call emergency services right away, as it could be life-threatening.
Examine the wound for any foreign objects. If there is any foreign object in the wound, it is crucial to visit a doctor as soon as possible. The object could cause an infection, so it’s important to evaluate how to safely remove it and whether the wound needs to be stitched up.
- Avoid trying to remove the object yourself. Sometimes, these objects help prevent the wound from bleeding excessively. If anything is lodged in the wound, seek emergency medical help immediately.
Seek immediate medical attention if the wound was caused by a bite from a person or animal. Such wounds pose a higher risk of infection, and you may need a tetanus shot and antibiotics for prevention. Regardless of whether the wound needs stitching, professional medical assistance should be sought.
Assess the location of the wound. If the wound is on the face, hands, mouth, or genital area, stitching may be necessary for aesthetic reasons and proper healing.
Identifying Wounds that Need Stitches
Understand the importance of stitching a wound. Stitching a wound has several benefits:
- Closing the wound when it is too wide to heal on its own. Using sutures to bring the wound edges together can speed up the healing process.
- Preventing infection. If you have a large, open wound (where bacteria can enter the body), closing the wound with stitches can significantly reduce the risk of infection.
- Preventing or minimizing scarring after the wound heals. This is especially important if the wound is in a cosmetically sensitive area, such as the face.
Examine the depth of the wound. If it's deeper than half a centimeter, it should be stitched. If the wound is deep enough that you can see yellow fat tissue or even bone, it's best to visit a doctor promptly for treatment.
Evaluate the width of the wound. Are the edges of the cut able to close by themselves, or do they need to be pulled together to ensure the cut tissues meet? If they need to be pulled together to close the gap between the tissues, this is a sign that the wound should be stitched. Stitches that bring the edges of the wound closer together help speed up healing.
Inspect the location of the wound. If the wound is located in an area of the body that moves frequently, it will need stitches to prevent the wound from reopening due to movement and skin stretching. For example, a wound on the knee or finger (especially in joints) may require stitching, while a wound on the calf may not necessarily need it.
Consult a doctor about a tetanus shot. Tetanus shots are effective for 10 years, after which you need a booster. If you have an open wound and it has been more than 10 years since your last tetanus shot, visit a hospital for a checkup.
- At the hospital, the doctor can assess your wound and determine if stitches are necessary.
Advice
- If you're still uncertain whether your wound requires medical attention and stitching, the safest course of action is to visit the hospital.
- If you'd prefer to avoid scarring, consider stitching the wound, as this can reduce scarring and promote faster healing.
Warning
- Ensure you receive vaccinations and booster shots on time to prevent infections and illnesses.
- Go to the hospital if you experience an uncontrollable situation, continuous bleeding, or if the wound is toxic.
