What is a suture?
A suture is a stitch or a row of stitches holding together the edges of a wound or surgical incision. Sutures can sometimes be called stitches.
It is important to care for your sutures to help the healing process.
There are 2 main types of JOST surgical sutures:
Absorbable – These stitches dissolve over time. They do not need to be taken out.
Non-absorbable – These stitches need to be taken out after a certain amount of time. They do not dissolve.
How do I know if I need stitches?
A doctor or nurse will have to look at your cut to decide. In general, you will need stitches if your cut is wide, jagged, or goes deep enough through your skin. A cut will heal on its own without stitches, but they help a cut heal faster and leave less of a scar.
What happens when I get stitches?
Before the doctor stitches your cut, they will clean out the cut well. They will also give you numbing medicine so that you don't feel pain when the stitches or staples go in.
Why is it important to take care of my stitches?
It's important to take care of your stitches or staples so that your cut heals well and doesn't get infected.
How do I take care of my stitches?
Votre médecin ou votre infirmière vous donnera des instructions spécifiques, en fonction du type de points de Your doctor or nurse will give you specific instructions, depending on the type of stitches you have and where they are. Here is some general advice:
- Keep your stitches or staples dry and covered with a bandage. Non-absorbable stitches need to be kept dry for 1 to 2 days. Absorbable stitches sometimes need to be kept dry longer. Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to keep your stitches dry.
- Once you no longer need to keep your stitches dry, gently wash them with soap and water whenever you take a shower. Do not put your stitches underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake. This can slow down healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.
- After you wash your stitches, pat them dry and put an antibiotic ointment on them.
- Cover your stitches with a bandage or gauze, unless your doctor or nurse tells you not to.
- Avoid activities or sports that could hurt the area of your stitches or for 1 to 2 weeks. (Your doctor or nurse will tell you exactly how long to avoid these activities.) If you hurt the same part of your body again, stitches can break, and the cut can open up again.
The healing process
- Do not pick covering dressings.
- Do not pick scabs. They will fall off once the wound is healed or when the sutures are removed.
- A slight ooze may occur when the suturing is removed. This is normal.
- It is normal for the scar to be red in colour initially, but this will fade over the next few months.
Signs of infection
A wound may become infected. Signs of infection are:
- fever within 48 hours of suturing
- redness
- swelling
- increased pain
- excessive or persistent ooze
- pus or smelly discharge.
When should I call the doctor or nurse?
Call your doctor or nurse if:
- Your stitches break or the cut opens up again
- You get a fever
- You have redness or swelling around the cut, or pus drains from the cut. It is normal for clear yellow fluid to drain from the cut in the first few days.
When will my stitches be taken out?
The doctor who puts in the stitches will tell you when to see your doctor or nurse to have them taken out. Non-absorbable stitches usually stay in for 5 to 14 days, depending on where they are. When, absorbable sutures are used, these stiches will dissolve and break down themselves. These will not need to be removed by a doctor.
What should I do after my stitches are out?
After your stitches are out, you should protect the scar from the sun. Use sunscreen on the area or wear clothes or a hat that covers the scar.
Your doctor or nurse might also recommend that you use certain lotions or creams to help your scar heal.
Wound healing and scarring
Scars form as a normal part of healing whenever the skin is damaged. All cuts will heal with a scar, however, the scar will be less noticeable if good care is given to the wound when it is healing.
During the first 6 to 8 weeks after the injury, the scar will change from a thick, red raised scar to a thinner, paler, more flexible one. Scars can take up to 2 years to fully mature.
The final appearance of the scar depends on several factors including the extent of the original wound, inherited skin qualities and how well the scar was looked after.
Looking after your scar
1. Scar massage
After the sutures have been removed from a wound, or around 2 to 4 weeks after the injury, scar massage can be performed. This should be done for 5 to 10 minutes, twice a day. Do not massage any scar that is open or looks infected.
For the first 2 to 4 weeks, massage should be done along the same direction as the incision. The pressure applied should be enough to change the colour of the scar from pink to pale, but should not be so firm that it is painful.
After about 4 weeks, the scar can be massaged in all directions. Continue to massage daily until the scar is pale and thin.
2. Moisturising
Moisturising lotions such as Vitamin E cream, aloe vera, sorbolene or other un-fragranced products can be used to soften the scar and make massage easier.
3. Sun protection
It is very important to protect the scar from sun damage, which can permanently discolour the scar. You should always cover the scar with at least SPF 30 sunblock or zinc cream, wear clothing that covers the scar and stay in the shade.
4. Daily activity
It is important to avoid activities and areas that will get the wound dirty. This includes bike riding, skateboarding and swimming and play areas like sandpits.
5. Problem scars
A scar is a problem if it is painful or itchy, hard or raised, restricts movement or remains purple or red.
Risk factors for problem scars include certain skin types (especially dark, Mediterranean or Asian skin), previous problem scars, or post-operative wound complications such as poor healing (greater than three weeks) or infection.
Contactez votre médecin généraliste si vous êtes préoccupé par le fait que votre cicatrice ne guérit pas comme prévu.
Jovan Radaković
Jost
Co-founder