How to assess your cut
- Cut size. You may need stitches and other medical treatment for any cut that’s longer than a half of an inch.
- Cut location. There are a number of areas on your body where a cut requires medical attention. If you cut an area of...
- Blood amounts. After you incur a cut, you should apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean towel. Any cut that...
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Common signs of infection include:
- swelling.
- redness.
- pain.
- pus coming from the wound.
How do you know if a cut needs stitches?
If you have been in a similar situation, it’s important to know if a cut requires stitches. If a deep cut does not get the proper treatment, it can become infected or not heal properly. You see bone, tendon, muscle or fatty tissue, even if bleeding is not severe. The cut is on the face.
What happens if you don't treat a deep cut on face?
If a deep cut does not get the proper treatment, it can become infected or not heal properly. You see bone, tendon, muscle or fatty tissue, even if bleeding is not severe. The cut is on the face.
What does it mean when a cut doesn't go away?
"Any redness that extends more than a quarter-inch around the cut or doesn't go away can be a sign of infection," Michael Billet, MD, an emergency medicine physician who sees patients at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, tells Health.
Should you go to urgent care for a cut that needs stitches?
“Most of the time, a doctor stitches up a wound to simply bring the tissue back together, and that pressure will stop the bleeding and help prevent infection,” said Dr. Seth Podolsky, vice chairman for the Cleveland Center’s Emergency Services Institute. Luckily, an urgent care center is the perfect solution for a cut that requires stitches.
How do you know when a cut is serious?
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.
How deep should a cut be to go to the doctor?
If your wound is bigger than approximately ½ inch or deeper than ¼ inch, you should seek medical attention immediately, and you will need stitches. This size of cut is likely to bleed excessively and will need stitches to stop the bleeding. However, that doesn't mean that a small wound won't need medical attention.
How do you tell if a wound is healing or infected?
After the initial discharge of a bit of pus and blood, your wound should be clear. If the discharge continues through the wound healing process and begins to smell bad or have discoloration, it's probably a sign of infection.
How do you tell if a cut is infected?
Symptoms of Wound InfectionsPus. Pus or cloudy fluid is draining from the wound.Pimple. A pimple or yellow crust has formed on the wound.Soft Scab. The scab has increased in size.Red Area. Increasing redness occurs around the wound.Red Streak. ... More Pain. ... More Swelling. ... Swollen Node.More items...•
What to do if you have a red streak on your wound?
If you notice any redness or red streaks that branch out from your wound, visit Primary Care Walk-In Medical Clinic for an evaluation.
How long does it take for a cut to bleed?
After you incur a cut, you should apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean towel. Any cut that continues to bleed for longer than 10 minutes needs medical care.
Do you need stitches if you cut a joint?
There are a number of areas on your body where a cut requires medical attention. If you cut an area of skin on a joint, you likely will need stitches. Otherwise, every time you move your joint, you’re likely to reopen the wound and affect the healing processes.
What is a cut on the face called?
The cut is on the face. The cut was made by a person or animal. There is excessive bleeding that doesn’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure. Also called a laceration , a cut is different from an abrasion (surface wound) and avulsion (when a chunk of skin is torn away). Lacerations have the potential to be very deep.
Why do doctors stitch up wounds?
Bone. “Most of the time, a doctor stitches up a wound to simply bring the tissue back together, and that pressure will stop the bleeding and help prevent infection,” said Dr. Seth Podolsky, vice chairman for the Cleveland Center’s Emergency Services Institute.
What is the best place to get stitches for a cut?
Luckily, an urgent care center is the perfect solution for a cut that requires stitches. Unlike an emergency room, most urgent care centers have short wait times and are much more affordable.
Do you need stitches for a cut?
If you have been in a similar situation, it’s important to know if a cut requires stitches. If a deep cut does not get the proper treatment, it can become infected or not heal properly.
How to know if a cut is serious?
A good indication that a cut may be serious is if the cut is long and deep. Anything longer or deeper than half an inch that exposes fatty tissue and/or bone or is wide and gaping is evidence the patient will need medical attention. Being impaled or getting shot can create a deep tissue injury that would also require medical help.
How long does it take for a cut to stop bleeding?
Bleeding is also a strong factor, as even shallow cuts can bleed profusely from some areas of the body. A doctor should see any cut that doesn’t stop bleeding after 10 minutes of applied pressure directly to the wound. This can be particularly dangerous if someone has a condition that prevents their blood from clotting properly.
What is the most common injury that can happen?
Cuts and scrapes are among the most common injuries people can get, and they can happen just about anywhere. Anything from landing on something with a sharp edge, breaking something that causes a cut, or just having an accident with a sharp object. Most of the time, cuts and scrapes are simple things that some basic first aid can manage, allowing people to get on with their day. But how do you know when a cut requires medical attention?
Can a rusty nail cause infection?
Cuts from dirty or rusty objects can cause infection, even if they are minor cuts. This could be anything from stepping on a rusty nail or getting cut with a dirty piece of wood or glass . Animal bites are also common sources of infection if the animal is rabid or infected with some disease. Look for signs of infection such as redness around the wound, increased swelling, pus, or fever.
Is it very long, wide, or deep?
Small cuts are easy to treat at home, but if your cut is longer than half an inch, it’s best to have a medical professional look at it.
Is there dirt in it?
If you have a laceration or abrasion that’s filled with dirt or debris, including gravel or broken glass, it’s important to clean it thoroughly to prevent infection. If you can’t clean it properly at home, we can sterilize it here.
Are the edges ragged?
A straight cut heals more easily on its own than one with uneven edges. If you notice jagged edges at the opening of your cut, it stands a better chance of healing properly if you come in so we can join the skin together with stitches, which also minimizes the resulting scar.
Is it bleeding profusely?
The standard treatment protocol for a bleeding wound is to apply direct pressure for 5-10 minutes. If the bleeding continues despite this measure, you may need stitches.
Where is the cut located?
Some areas of your body are more sensitive than others, and the tissue is more delicate. Regardless of whether a cut looks like it needs stitches, you should come see Dr. Goin if you have a cut on your genitals, mouth, face, or eyes.
What caused the cut?
One of the dangers of lacerations is the risk of tetanus, a bacterial infection caused by spores in dirt. If the bacteria enter your body to a depth where oxygen can’t reach them, they become toxic, enter your bloodstream, and damage your nerves.
Getting stitches
If you have a cut that needs stitches, we provide immediate care. We clean the wound thoroughly and apply a local anesthetic to ease your pain and prevent discomfort during the procedure. Then Dr. Goin binds the two edges of your laceration together using medical-grade silk or nylon stitches.
What does the cut look like?
If deep tissue, bone, internal tissue or tendons are immediately visible to the naked eye, you will need to get stitches and receive professional medical treatment. The size of the cut is another factor to consider: if it is longer or wider than one inch in any direction, you should have it checked to determine the best treatment.
Where the cut is located
Depending on where the cut is located, you may be more prone to the skin continuing to split or infection forming. Lacerations located near major joints including your knees, elbows and wrists or located near your eyes will most likely require stitches.
How deep is the cut?
Superficial scratches and lacerations will be able to heal on their own within a few days with bandaging and disinfectant. However, if a cut is deeper than one quarter of an inch, stitches will likely be required to encourage proper healing.
Is the cut still bleeding?
Lacerations are tricky and can be deceiving based on appearance alone. Regardless of how small the cut is, if it is still bleeding after 15 minutes of continuous pressure, you should visit Urgent Care of Mercer County to have it examined by a doctor to determine if it is deeper than it initially appeared.
Stitches for Cuts & Lacerations in Hamilton & Trenton, NJ
If you sustain a cut and are unsure if it will require stitches, visit Urgent Care of Mercer County today! Our center has convenient walk-in hours and we can perform stitches on-site. For questions, please call 609-890-4100.
How can you tell if a cut is infected?
Identifying infected cuts can be tricky, if only because mild redness, swelling, and pain are normal in the first hours and days after you get a cut. Those aren't usually signs that something is wrong.
What does an infected cut look like?
Here's an example of what an infected cut looks like; note how the redness has spread more than a quarter-inch from the opening in the skin, and how some parts of the cut look puffy and crusty.
Who's most at risk for an infected cut?
Two things increase your risk of an infection post-injury, says Dr. Billet: the type of cut and your overall health. Cuts are also more likely to become infected when the cut is jagged or deep, covers a large area of skin, involves saliva of any kind (thanks to a human or animal bite), or is implemented by a dirty object.
How can you treat an infected cut at home?
If you have a relatively small or minor cut and no major health complications, you might be able to treat your infected cut at home if you catch it early enough.
When should you see a doctor about an infected cut?
If irrigating and covering your cut doesn't stop the early stages of infection, you'll have to see a doctor for further treatment. If your cut is deep, it's important to do this as soon as possible, says Dr. Edwards, because stitches typically can't be used when a cut is more than 12 hours old.
How can you prevent cuts from getting infected?
The easiest way to prevent a cut from becoming infected is to follow the same two steps for care of an infected cut: clean and cover.
What is the difference between sutures and stitches?
Though we often say that we get “stitches,” technically that’s not entirely accurate. The “suture” is the string used to bring the wound edges together. Stitching — or suturing — is the process of placing the sutures. It involves threading a suture through the skin to bring the two edges of the wound together and encourage healing.
Which cuts need stitches?
Most cuts will heal with or without stitches, but some wounds heal better — and less visibly — with help. The need for stitches depends on a few factors, including how deep the cut is and where it is on the body.
Are there alternatives to stitches?
Skin glue and “Steri-Strips” (a special type of tape) are great options for very small cuts — especially if there isn’t a lot of tension across the cut. The wound still needs to be cleaned and rinsed thoroughly. But since applying the glue is painless, it means that your provider doesn’t need to inject numbing medication.
Do stitches, sutures, staples, and skin adhesive help wounds heal?
Sutures, staples, and skin adhesives don’t do the work of healing a cut. Your body has everything it needs to repair the skin. There are cells that go in and mend each layer. What these treatments do is keep the area stable so the healing isn’t disrupted. In most cases, the cut is water tight in 48 hours.
The bottom line
The human body is capable of healing wounds with or without stitches. Cleaning and thoroughly rinsing a wound are essential to improve healing and reduce the risk of complications. Having a timely medical evaluation and getting stitches if needed can ensure that healing goes as quickly as possible — with minimal scarring.
