Do All Cuts Need Stitches? While not all cuts needs stitches, most of them, if deep, need to at least be seen by a physician to ensure stitches or other medical treatment methods are not needed in order to care for the injury.
Wounds That Need to Be Seen by a Doctor
- Wounds that gape open
- Deep wounds that go to the bone
- Wounds on the face
- Deep wounds over a joint
- Wounds that continue to bleed even after direct pressure for 15 minutes
What Do I Do if I Do Need Stitches?
If your wound does call for stitches, you want to make sure you keep the area dry for at least 24 to 48 hours after being stitched up. Then, after that time, you can gently wash the area one to two times a day, while dabbing dry with a clean paper towel.How to Care for Stitches
- Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which slow healing.
- Cover wound with petroleum jelly and a nonstick bandage.
- After cleansing, repeat process with jelly and bandage.
