i have 8 stitches in my right thigh..... they have been in 2 weeks on monday. i dont really wanna pay the money or spend the time going to the er again to get them taken out like i did other times, is it safe for me to take them out myself or should i really have a professional do it?
2006-09-23 20:08:34 · 12 answers · asked by blanketgirl17 1 in Health ➔ Other - Health
you better let the professional do it! there is a possibility that you might contract some bacteria and the wound might open again. and also if you do it your self you won't know whether all the stitches are taken out! don't think about a few dollars, think about safety.
2006-09-23 20:12:24 · answer #1 · answered by Cool Z 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can do it yourself. But you have to know what you're doing. Leaving any piece of suture will cause infection eventually. Plus you want the Dr. to see if that wound or laceration healed. You can go see somebody in the clinic. And it should be covered under your health insurance as taking out sutures is part of surgery. Even if you call the ER, I don't think they will take it out. They'll refer you back to the clinic. If you have no money, go to public health clinics. If you live nearby, I would have been able to do it for you free. I took my daughter's cast off once,when her hand started to smell and got rotten underneath. Two weeks is about right. Make sure you use hydrogen peroxide to clean the incision line.
2006-09-23 20:16:45 · answer #2 · answered by rosieC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I had stitches in a deep cut, the usual thing was to use cotton thread, which is bio-degradable, i.e. the part of the suture inside you just dissolves, so the external part (the knot itself) just fell off after about ten days. This suited me just fine as I didn't need a return trip to the doctor.
If they now use a non-dissolving thread, it's probably to get you to go back so that they can check the progress of the wound's healing.
2006-09-23 20:21:45 · answer #3 · answered by millowner87 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, you can do it yourself. Just sterilize (boil or put in the dishwasher) a small pair of sharp scissors and some tweezers. Cut the stitch away from the knot, and pull out with the end that has the knot. It doesn't hurt a bit.
2006-09-23 20:24:39 · answer #4 · answered by nurseTINA 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should have a professional do it, but usually there is no additional fee if you go to the place that put them in, it is a part of the initial treatment at most hospitals. You can call and ask ahead of time if you want to. If you do it yourself, there is a higher risk of infection and many people leave some of the knots in and then cant get it all out properly, which leads to scars and infections, possibly necrosis and gangrene
2006-09-23 20:12:10 · answer #5 · answered by bambi 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, if your wound is healed, wash your hands, put some rubbing alcohol on the wound and take out the stitches. That is the only way that I would take them out. Basically all that is done by a medical staff is they cut them out and send you home.....make sure the scissors are sterilized as well!
2006-09-23 20:14:51 · answer #6 · answered by Wondering 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just be sure to cut every stitch before you start pulling them out.
It's really painless.
A little wipe of antibiotic ointment after will finish the job.
2006-09-23 20:18:47 · answer #7 · answered by Jeezuss Jan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No ,,,, Do it your self. Take a clean pair of nail clipers, clip the center of each stich and pull out like you were removing a seam. Very easy nothing to it ! No pain
2006-09-23 20:25:15 · answer #8 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Return to the medicos when they told you to. If you leave the stitches in too long the skin starts to grow over them. You don't want that.
take care,
2006-09-23 20:21:12 · answer #9 · answered by Radioactive1 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They're not going to charge you again to have your sutures removed. Go back and have them removed where you had them placed. Not only are you going back for the suture removal, but it's also a good idea to have them check it out to see how you're healing.
2006-09-23 20:17:30 · answer #10 · answered by vik 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋