When to get stitches.?

Question

I started to fall and reached out to catch myself on computer desk so I wouldn't fall onto my 2 year old son. But grabbed onto the corner and sliced my palm open. It actually took off a strip of skin with it. The cut is actually perfectly along my top crease in my palm. About 1 1/2 inches. Hard to keep shut since when I open my hand the cut opens too. Not sure if I need stitches or not. And I still ran into my son since the desk went threw my skin and didn't stop me. He's fine though. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

go to the hospital and find out

Answer 2

Have had something similar happen! If it wont stop bleeding then you need stitches! If you can control the bleeding then you don't really need them. Keep the wound as clean as possible. Use 91% rubbing alchohol to clean it and a good antibacterial cream to keep it from getting infected. No stitches = a bigger scar! I had no choice but to get stitches because it was deep and did not stop bleeding after 6 hours. I ripped the stitches out twice because they were on my palm! Keep it as clean as possible! Palms are the suckiest place to have a wound because of how much you use your hand and the amount of movement that you have there! Make sure you keep it clean!!!!!

If you clean it with rubbing alchohol it only kills the nerve endings so that you don't feel pain there again! I clean every wound I have ever had with 91%. It only stings for a second! My wounds heal very quickly and I have never had an infection of any kind! My scars, though many are small compared to the wounds that created them!

Answer 3

It sounds like you stopped the bleeding. But when I took First Aid certification, I was told to "refer to further medical aid" if one of these is true:
- the cut is longer than 1 inch
- the cut is on a joint, or anywhere slight movement can open it
- the cut edge is jagged
- deep enough that underlying structure is showing (obviously...)
There may have been some more, but anyways, your description fits the top 2, so it would be better to go have it looked at.

Don't be afraid of stitches... If they decide it's not too bad, they may just use a bunch of butterfly bandages to keep it shut. (It just pulls together, no padding. See photo in link)

Don't use rubbing alcohol -- it will kill/dry out the cells on the cut wall (that's why it hurts). As somebody else said, don't let the edges dry out. The pros will clean it with proper soap and make sure the edges stay together until your skin can grow itself back together.

I'm glad your son is OK!

Answer 4

Generally if the cut won't stay closed after 20 minutes or so you're a candidate for sutures. BUT if you wait more than 8 hours until seeing a doctor it's too late, the edges of the wound have already begun to heal. To get them stitched up after that point would require surgical intervention.

Bind you hand so as the wound stays closed and keep a close eye on it so as to avoid infection. Next time seek professional help not a Yahoo message board.

EDIT: Don't let any moron talk you into trying Krazy Glue. The stuff comes in two classes, the regular stuff used for hobby projects and the medicinal stuff called Dermabond. Difference is sterility and solvents. One uses methanol the other ethanol based stuff.

Answer 5

If it was me I'd try super glue there IF the cut isn't deeper than 1/8". If it's deeper, then go for the stitches. But I can tell you that the pain killer they give before the stitches will have you in tears, it's painful going in. After 45 seconds though your hand in numb (sliced my finger with a knife, it went in deep to the bone, 5 stitches).

Super glue has worked well on several cuts I've had. It's not for scrapes though. The stuff goes on, stings a little, and works loose in 24 hours so you'll need to wash it, add more the next day, etc. I've never had infection from using it either. It forms a seal on top so healing can start from below.

For small scrapes I can recommend New Skin, a liquid bandage, but that hurts like hell when you put it on. It was designed for joggers who had to help foot blisters.

Answer 6

If it is not deep, you can probably take care of it yourself, but you must keep it clean, use peroxide on it right away and wrap it well using neosporin.
However, if you have not had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years, go to the doctor. Sounds like it is not an emergency situation,
When I was a kid Mom fixed everything. Even some cuts that would be considered neglect today, but we healed just as well and with less scaring and less screaming out of fear of needles.

Answer 7

There is usually a 6 hr window for stitches. If it has been longer than that its too late anyway. You can get New Skin over the counter that is just as good but it may burn alot.

Answer 8

The cut is 1.5 inches long... but how deep is it? If it's more than a few centimeters or you can see any muscles/tendons, then go get stitches.

If you're worried about it, better to have it looked at and not need stitches than not get them when they're needed.

Answer 9

My neighbor is a nurse, she said once that if the fat is showing or the cut is really deep, you need stitches.
Just use good judgement with it, if you are in lots of pain you may want to consider going to the ER.

Answer 10

Im not sure of the exact time, but if you wait to long they wont stitch you up due to the increased chance of infection...Go now and get it looked at.

Answer 11

it seems like this cut need stitches, but if u don't go immediate to a doc or emergency room, and u wait to long they will not give u stitches. Why i don't know?