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If you've ever had stitches, you know they play a crucial role in helping your body heal after a severe cut, injury, or surgery. Stitches can be placed at our AFC Urgent Care Houston clinics, to ensure proper wound closure and healing. But whether it’s a minor cut or a more serious procedure, you might be wondering what stitches do, how long they take to heal, and when they should be removed.
Don't worry! Here’s everything you need to know about stitches, the healing process, and what to do along the way. And if you ever need expert wound care or stitches, visit AFC Urgent Care Texas—we’re here to help!
In simple terms, stitches (or sutures) are medical threads used to close a wound. They hold the skin together while the tissue underneath heals. Depending on the type of injury, stitches need to be removed later after the skin heals or if placed either internally or in specific places, like inside the mouth, can dissolve.
The healing process for a wound with stitches typically happens in stages, and the timeline can vary based on the severity of the injury and how well you take care of it. Here's a quick rundown of what happens as your body heals with stitches:
If you have dissolvable stitches, you're probably wondering how long they'll take to disappear. On average, dissolvable stitches can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to dissolve. The body absorbs most dissolvable stitches within 1 to 2 weeks, but complete absorption might take a few months. The reason that not all wounds are stitched with absorbable stitches is that the speed at which they are absorbed is based on the tissue that is stitched. For example, stitches on the skin can be absorbed, but it would take months to a year for that to happen, which would cause more problems than it would help.
Taking care of your stitches is crucial for a smooth healing process. Here's how you can help your body heal and prevent further complications:
Your medical provider will remove non-dissolvable stitches once the wound is sufficiently healed. Typically, this happens 1-2 weeks after the stitches were placed. This can be much longer if you smoke. If you're unsure, always check with your medical provider about when it's time to have the stitches removed. Here's what you can expect during stitch removal:
It's pretty common for stitches to heal without any issues, but there are a few red flags that you shouldn't ignore:
According to the Cleveland Clinic, some people may be at an increased risk of infection. These include people who:
Stitches are essential in helping wounds heal, whether they're dissolvable or need to be removed later. Taking proper care of your stitches and understanding the healing stages can make the process go much smoother. Keep the wound clean, follow your medical provider's advice, and don't hesitate to reach out if something feels off. Most importantly, be patient with your body—it's doing all the hard work to get you back on track!
Review: This content has been reviewed by Dr. Nita Singhal, Chief Medical Officer at AFC Urgent Care Texas, to ensure clinical accuracy and reliability.
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