It's been 14 days and I am contemplating removing my stitches myself. Now before y'all go saying I'm crazy, I have good reason for behaving in what even I would normally consider a reckless manner.
I have the BC/BS GA PPO. Technically, this means I have health insurance. My mom kindly pays $254 a month for this pathetic excuse for health insurance coverage.
From past experience I can tell you I have a $150 co-pay for Emergency Room Visits. In another 3-6 weeks I will most likely receive a separate bill from the doctor who looked at my wound for 30 seconds before sending a nurse in to stitch me up. This bill could be anywhere from $200 on up to over $1000 if a specialist had been called in. Fortunately an anesthesiologist was not necessary or that's another $900 bill.
To go back to the ER for suture removal is a minimum of $150 not to mention at least 3 hours of my time. I could go to my primary care physician but she's kind of a bitch (been meaning to change her) and that would only cost me $40.
Since it is Christmas, and I am jobless :irked: and I still have gifts to buy, I am thinking I can do this myself. I have all the tools and solutions required. I can handle this.
Whaddaya say gang?
Removing Stitches
Introduction
Stitches (also called sutures) are used to close cuts and wounds in skin. They can be used in nearly every part of the body, internally and externally. Doctors literally "sew" the skin together with individual sutures and tie a secure knot. Stitches then allow the skin to heal naturally when it otherwise may not come together. Stitches are used to close a variety of wound types. Accidental cuts or lacerations are often closed with stitches. Also, surgeons use stitches during operations to tie ends of bleeding blood vessels and to close surgical incisions.
If you've received stitches, you will be given instructions for taking care of your stitches and wound.
Removing stitches (sutures)
Wound care after suture removal is just as important as it was prior to removal of the stitches. Take good care of your wound so it will heal and not scar.
I have the BC/BS GA PPO. Technically, this means I have health insurance. My mom kindly pays $254 a month for this pathetic excuse for health insurance coverage.
From past experience I can tell you I have a $150 co-pay for Emergency Room Visits. In another 3-6 weeks I will most likely receive a separate bill from the doctor who looked at my wound for 30 seconds before sending a nurse in to stitch me up. This bill could be anywhere from $200 on up to over $1000 if a specialist had been called in. Fortunately an anesthesiologist was not necessary or that's another $900 bill.
To go back to the ER for suture removal is a minimum of $150 not to mention at least 3 hours of my time. I could go to my primary care physician but she's kind of a bitch (been meaning to change her) and that would only cost me $40.
Since it is Christmas, and I am jobless :irked: and I still have gifts to buy, I am thinking I can do this myself. I have all the tools and solutions required. I can handle this.
Whaddaya say gang? Removing Stitches
Introduction
Stitches (also called sutures) are used to close cuts and wounds in skin. They can be used in nearly every part of the body, internally and externally. Doctors literally "sew" the skin together with individual sutures and tie a secure knot. Stitches then allow the skin to heal naturally when it otherwise may not come together. Stitches are used to close a variety of wound types. Accidental cuts or lacerations are often closed with stitches. Also, surgeons use stitches during operations to tie ends of bleeding blood vessels and to close surgical incisions.
- Nonabsorbable sutures, on the other hand, maintain their strength for longer than 60 days. These sutures are used to close skin or external wounds and require removal once the wound has healed.
If you've received stitches, you will be given instructions for taking care of your stitches and wound.
- Keep wound clean and dry for the first 24 hours.
- Bathing is allowed after 48 hours.
- Bandages can safely be removed from the wound after 48 hours, unless the wound continues to bleed or has a discharge. If bandages are kept in place and get wet, the wet bandage should be replaced with a clean dry bandage.
- An antibioticointment (brand names are Polysporin or Neosporin, for example) should be used after the wound is cleaned.
- Notify your doctor if a suture becomes loosened or breaks.
- Return when scheduled to have your stitches removed.
- Different parts of the body require suture removal at varying times. Common periods of time for removal are these:
- Face - 3-5 days
- Scalp - 7-10 days
- Trunk - 7-10 days
- Arms and legs - 10-14 days
- Joints - 14 days
- Sutures may be taken out all at one visit, or sometimes, they may be taken out over a period of days if the wound requires it.
Removing stitches (sutures)
- The wound is cleaned with an antiseptic to remove encrusted blood and loosened scar tissue.
- Sterile forceps (tongs or pincers) are used to pick up the knot of each suture, and then the surgical scissors or a small knife blade is used to cut the suture. Forceps are used again to remove the loosened suture and pull the thread from the skin.
- These relatively painless steps are continued until the sutures have all been removed. You may feel a tug or slight pull as a stitch is removed.
- The wound is cleansed again.
- Adhesive strips are often placed over the wound to allow the wound to continue strengthening.
Wound care after suture removal is just as important as it was prior to removal of the stitches. Take good care of your wound so it will heal and not scar.
- Keep adhesive strips on the wound for about 5 days. Then soak them for removal. Do not peel them off.
- Continue to keep the wound clean and dry.
- Skin regains tensile strength slowly. At the time of suture removal, the wound has only regained about 5-10% of its strength. Therefore, protect the wound from injury during the next month.
- Injured tissue also requires additional protection from sun's damaging ultraviolet rays for the next several months. The use of sunscreen during this period of healing is well advised for those areas that are exposed.
- The use of vitamin E topically has also been suggested to be helpful in the healing process of the damaged skin. This should only be considered once the skin edges are healed and are closed together.
