Stitches/Stitch Removal

Stitches are used when you have a skin or tissue wound that needs to be closed. Medical suture material is threaded through the skin and tissue to close the wound to protect it from infection and allow the wound to heal. If you have a cut that needs stitches or you have stitches that need to be taken out, come see us at Primary Care Joliet. We have urgent care appointments for wound treatment and stitches/stitch removal at our medical centers in Wilmington and Joliet, IL.

Stitches close a wound to connect the skin or tissue back together. It is a quick procedure that can repair most wounds that may result in an infection or disfigurement. Stitches are used for small, but deep, wounds, as well as large surgical incisions. At Primary Care Joliet, we can perform stitches on smaller wounds that do not require a visit to the emergency room.

Most internal stitches use sutures that are absorbable, which means they will disintegrate after a period of time and be absorbed and eliminated from the body. External stitches usually are not absorbable and need to be removed once the wound is healed. This involves cutting away the ties on the sutures and pulling it out of the skin and tissue. While this may not seem difficult, it is important that this removal process is completed carefully.

Complications with Stitch Removal

There are people who choose to remove their own stitches. It can be done, but you should be aware that it can cause complications. The first concern is whether the wound is completely healed. Removing the sutures too soon could result in the wound reopening, requiring new stitches. There is also a risk of infection if the wound is not completely healed, or if removing the sutures opens the skin and allows bacteria to enter the wound.

If you have a small wound that needs stitches or stitches that need removal, come see us at Primary Care Joliet. Call our medical center in either Joliet or Wilmington, IL, – we offer urgent care and primary care appointments for stitches or stitch removal procedures.