How to Know if a Cut Needs Stitches

Cuts and scrapes are common, and sometimes small wounds can be treated at home. However, some cuts do require medical attention. Many of our patients wonder, “Do I need stitches?” Our ER doctors and nurse practitioners at University Urgent Care offer wound care and wound infection treatment. When a cut, laceration, or bite needs medical attention, visit our urgent care facility seven days a week. You do not need an appointment. We can treat these wounds with stitches in Fort Worth, TX, so there is minimal scarring and no serious complications, such as an infection.

When do you need stitches for a cut?

At University Urgent Care, we know how to tell if you need stitches. Our professional medical team will evaluate your cut and determine the necessary treatment. We will look at these factors to decide if you need stitches in Fort Worth, TX:

Size: You need stitches when your cut is deep, more than a half-inch long, gapping, has ragged edges, or had debris inside of it.

Bleeding: If you’re bleeding through a bandage after applying direct pressure for ten minutes, you likely need stitches.

Cause of the cut: If this was caused by a pointed object, a dirty object, or an animal or human bite, we recommend getting stitches to avoid infection.

Location of the wound: It’s important to see a doctor when your wound is in your mouth, on your hand, on your face, around a joint, near your eye, or on your genitals.

Can I get stitches at urgent care?

Yes, our professional medical staff is qualified to give our patients stitches. First, we perform a medical exam and take your medical history before treating your wound. Next, we apply antibiotic cream to the wound before we stitch it closed. We then dress or bandage the wound. It’s important to always keep your wounds clean at home and change your dressing at least once daily. Make sure your dressing is loose and doesn’t constrict blood flow, which will slow the healing process.

Different kinds of stitches

There are different types of stitches, and our professional medical team can determine which will benefit your wound best. The types of stitches we offer include:

Adhesive tape: We may use Steri-Strips for minor skin wounds. They are great for low-tension wounds that aren’t deep or have jagged edges. They usually fall off in about ten days on their own.

Sutures: Regular stitches are used to stitch two ends of skin together. They may be permanent or absorbable (dissolving in the body). Regular stitches may be used for wounds that take a while to heal or involve muscles or blood vessels. Absorbable sutures are great for muscles and connective tissue, for the mouth, or for places where blood vessels are close to the surface of the skin.

Glue: This tissue adhesive is used for wounds on the face or in the groin, or for lacerations. It leads to less scarring, lower rates of infection, and there are no stitches to remove.

Stitches removal

When you get stitches at our urgent care facility in Fort Worth, TX, you may have to return to our urgent care to remove your stitches. Always allow our medical team to remove your stitches, and don’t try to do it at home as it increases your risk of developing an infection.

Learn more about wound care in Fort Worth, TX

At University Urgent Care, our experienced medical staff can treat wounds quickly in our professional urgent care center in Fort Worth, TX. We serve the Frisco Heights, Tanglewood, Paschal, and TCU neighborhoods with different urgent care treatments, including stitches. We can professionally treat all cuts, lacerations, or animal bites. Visit our urgent care facility for immediate medical care when you need it.

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