The suturing procedure is the most common way to close a wide open wound. After stitching, it may take several days or weeks for the wound to close completely. During this process, the sutures need to be treated properly so as not to cause infection.
Suture wounds need special care. If not treated properly, the stitches can become infected and become unable to close. In fact, the infection can spread to other parts of the body and cause complications.
How to Care for the Correct Suture Wound
The following are the steps for treating stitches properly:
1. Wash your hands
Before starting to treat stitches, you should wash your hands first. The goal is to prevent the transfer of bacteria from the hands to the stitches that can lead to infection. Wash your hands with soap and running water for a few minutes, then dry them with a clean towel.
2. Remove the bandage
Gently remove the bandage covering your stitches. In order not to hurt, try not to pull the bandage right away from the skin. Pull the skin away from the bandage and allow the bandage to come off on its own.
3. Clean the stitches
Cleaning stitches does not need to use antibacterial soap. You just use plain soap and running water. When cleaning it, just rub the wound gently until it's clean. Rubbing the wound too hard is feared that it could open the stitches.
After that, pat the wound dry with a clean towel or let the wound dry on its own. Make sure the wound is completely dry and not damp before moving on to the next step. After cleaning, apply a thin layer of an antibiotic ointment, such as neosporin or bacitracin, to your stitches. This ointment is useful for preventing infection in stitches. However, make sure you use the antibiotic ointment as directed by your doctor. Next, immediately cover the stitched wound with a bandage to prevent bacteria and germs from sticking to the wound. Make sure the bandage covers the entire suture wound to about 1.5 cm beyond the wound area. After that, cover all four sides of the bandage with tape. If the wound is leaking fluid, such as pus or blood, you may need several layers of bandage to keep the fluid from leaking out. Once the wound has closed, throw all the bandages in the trash. If the bandage is bleeding, you can wrap it in plastic first. After that, don't forget to wash your hands again. There are several things that you need to pay attention to in treating stitches so that the recovery process takes place properly and quickly, namely: Once the stitches are dry, you can visit your doctor to have the stitches removed. While removing stitches is usually painless, never try to remove them yourself. After the stitches are removed, the stitches will feel itchy and reddish in color. This is part of the healing process. You are advised not to scratch it to avoid infection. Caring for wounds basically aims to avoid infection, because infection can make it difficult for wounds to close. In addition, stitches that are not treated can also leave scars that are not good. Immediately consult a doctor if your stitches are painful, warm, very itchy, swollen, oozing pus, and become red in the middle. It could be that your stitches have an infection.4. Apply antibiotic ointment
5. Cover with a bandage
Things to Pay Attention to in Treating Stitches