Non-absorbable stitches will need to be removed by your primary care physician once your wound has healed. First, your physician will sterilize the suture site with hot water and rubbing alcohol in order to prevent infection. Then they will use sterilized surgical scissors to very gently pull up each stitch knot. Once the scissors can slip into the loop, your stitches removal specialist will cut each stitch. They will then gently pull each suture out of your skin. When done correctly stitches removal shouldn’t be painful or cause any bleeding. Lastly, your physician will cleanse the area with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball and rub antibiotic ointment over the site. To prevent the injury from reopening, they may protect the wound with special adhesive strips.

After your stitches are removed, you may notice the suture site doesn’t look exactly like the rest of your skin. While your wound is healing, it may look extra pink and may feel more sensitive compared to other areas of your body. If your stitches have been removed correctly, there should be no bleeding, swelling, or reopening of the wound. To promote proper healing, it’s important to properly clean and dry your wound so that it doesn’t get infected.

There are two main types of stitches: absorbable stitches and non-absorbable stitches. Absorbable stitches do not have to be removed and will eventually dissolve whereas non-absorbable stitches will eventually need to be removed by your primary care physician. Sutures that don’t dissolve are often used for deep wounds and surgical incisions as they need to be stitched closed for longer than a few weeks.

If your non-absorbable stitches are not removed, your skin will start to grow over the stitches. This can cause severe infections around the suture site that can potentially reach your bloodstream. When skin grows over your stitches, your physician will need to dig them out, which is a much more painful treatment that will require a much longer recovery time. In less severe cases, this can lead to additional scarring and a more painful removal process. When you get your stitches, your doctor will make sure to schedule you for a stitch removal appointment at the necessary time. When done at the right time, removing stitches should be a very easy process.
 
If you have any additional questions about our stitch removal clinic in West Bridgewater, MA, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our friendly reception would love to tell you more about our clinic and schedule you with one of our specialists right away. Gently removing your stitches with proper sterilization and technique can prevent your wound from reopening and/or getting infected. The primary care physicians at our clinic would love to help you safely and effectively heal your wound through proper stitch removal. Our team looks forward to welcoming you to Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology soon! For more information, call us or book an appointment online. We are located at 711 W Center St West Bridgewater, MA 02379. We serve patients from West Bridgewater MA, Bridgewater MA, Taunton MA, Middleborough MA, Plymouth MA, Pembroke MA, Braintree MA, Mansfield MA, Stoughton MA, Brockton MA, Wareham MA, Somerset MA, Attleboro MA, Abington MA, and surrounding areas.