Keep stitches covered or open air

Don’t try removing your own sutures, and other good advice on caring for stitches.

A common reason people come to Vanderbilt Health Walk-In Clinics is to have sutures (stitches) removed.

Perhaps they don’t have primary care providers to do this, or they can’t return to the doctor or surgeon who put in the stitches. Bob Anderson, DNP, is part of our Walk-In Clinics’ medical staff, and he has removed a lot of stitches.

Do you keep stitches covered until removed

Here, he answers questions about caring for stitches and what happens when it’s time for those stitches to come out.

Question: What typically prompts people to come into the clinics either to receive stitches or to have stitches removed?
Answer: People come to us with acute wounds, everything from scrapes to large lacerations, and we can handle those.

If it’s above the level that we can provide, we will refer them to an emergency department.

Question: Stitches involve medical thread and a tiny needle, and you’re literally stitched up. But what is that stuff that looks like a cros

how long should i keep my stitches covered

how long should i keep my dissolvable stitches covered