View source for Suture Removal

''Non-absorbable sutures must eventually be removed''

[[Sutures|Skin suture]]s generally are removed from five to eight days after application, with sutures on the neck or face generally being removed slightly sooner. Absorbable sutures lose enough strength in that period that they can often be removed without cutting, but non-absorbables will need to be cut out:


1- Clean the area with an [[antiseptic]], and, if required, use [[hydrogen peroxide]] to remove any [[crusties]].

2- Pick up one end of the suture, and make the cut as close to where the suture goes in the [[skin]] as possible.

3- Gently pull the suture out.

To reduce the risk of infection, make sure the cut is made where the suture goes in the skin (rather than just anywhere in the exposed area). If you draw a suture that's been in contact with the outside world, you risk drawing contamination into the [[wound]] and getting an [[infection]].

[[Doctor]]s use specialized [[tools]] for suture removal, but if you find yourself in a bind, [[tweezers]] and [[nail clippers]] do the job just fine.

[[Category: Reference]]