If you’ve had an injury, you may wonder whether it’s going to require stitches. This will depend on the type of wound, cause, other conditions you may have, and whether stitches are the treatment of choice. Make sure to take care of the wound until you can get professional help.
This article discusses the types of injuries that might require stitches, explaining when wounds can and cannot be helped by stitches. It also lists reasons to contact your doctor whether or not you have a wound sewn up.
Uses of Sutures
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Stitches are used for two reasons:
- To close a wound to promote healing and discourage infection
- To reduce scarring
Let’s look at the second reason first. If the wound is in an area where scarring would be obvious and the wound is deep enough to see the fatty tissue under the skin surface (the subcutaneous tissue), then getting stitches may allow you to have a less obvious scar. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about scarring.
The first reason is more complicated and requires a bit more understanding of the types of wounds, how they are treated, and possible infections.