Patient information · Minor surgery and urgent care
Looking after a closed wound
stitches, staples, skin glue and closure strips
Your wound has been brought together so the edges can knit. The job now is to keep it clean, keep it dry for the first day or two, and leave it alone. Most wounds closed properly heal without trouble.
Contact us or return for review if
- the wound becomes increasingly painful rather than settling;
- the surrounding skin turns red, swollen and hot, or red streaks spread away from it;
- there is pus or a smelly discharge from the wound;
- you develop a temperature, shivering, or feel generally unwell;
- the wound opens up, or bleeding soaks through the dressing and does not stop with 10 minutes of firm pressure;
- you develop numbness, weakness or loss of movement beyond the wound — this can mean a nerve or tendon was injured.
Signs of infection usually appear between two and five days after the injury. In an emergency call 999, or go to the Royal London Hospital Emergency Department, Whitechapel Road, London E1 1FR.
The first 48 hours — whatever closed your wound
- Wounds are painful for the first day or so. Paracetamol or ibuprofen at the dose on the packet is usually enough.
- If a dressing has been applied, leave it in place for 48 hours and keep it dry. It may need to stay on longer if the wound is on a hand, foot, or somewhere it will rub.
- Keep the area clean and dry until it has healed. Raising the injured part when you are sitting reduces throbbing and swelling.
- After 48 hours you can normally shower briefly. Pat the area dry with a clean towel — do not rub.
- No baths, swimming pools or long soaking until the wound is fully healed.
Closed with on
Removal or review due on at
By type of closure
Skin glue
- The glue forms a scab over the wound and falls off by itself after about 7 to 10 days as healing takes place.
- Do not pick the scab off. Picking reopens the wound and worsens the scar.
- The glue is water resistant, not waterproof. Light showering is fine; do not soak the area or spend long periods in water.
- Pat dry with a clean towel afterwards.
- If the glue is on your scalp, be careful combing or brushing your hair around it.
- Do not apply creams, ointments or antiseptics to glued skin — they dissolve the glue.
Wound closure strips (sterile adhesive strips)
- The strips hold the wound edges together while the skin knits.
- Keep them dry. They usually begin to lift off by themselves after about 7 days and can then be gently removed.
- If a strip lifts early at one end, leave the rest in place rather than pulling it off.
Stitches (sutures) and staples
- Non-dissolvable stitches and staples need removing. Book this before you leave, or arrange it with your practice nurse.
- Wait 24 to 48 hours before getting the area wet in the shower. Avoid swimming and prolonged immersion until after removal.
- Staples need a staple remover. If you are having them removed elsewhere, take the remover you have been given with you.
- Dissolvable stitches do not need removing. They soften and disappear over one to several weeks, and small ends may work their way out.
| Where the wound is | Usually removed after |
|---|---|
| Face | 3 to 5 days |
| Scalp and neck | 5 to 7 days |
| Chest, abdomen and back | 10 days |
| Arms and legs | 10 to 14 days |
| Hands, feet and over a joint | 14 days |
A guide only — follow the date you were given, which takes account of your particular wound.
Tetanus
Dirty wounds, animal bites and puncture injuries carry a risk of tetanus. If you have not had five doses of tetanus vaccine in your life, or you are not sure when your last one was, tell us — a booster may be needed and is quick to give.
Scars
- A new scar starts red or purple and raised, and flattens and fades over 12 to 18 months. Judging it earlier than that is judging it too soon.
- Once fully healed, massaging the scar with a plain moisturiser for a few minutes a day helps it soften.
- New scar tissue burns easily. Keep it covered or use SPF 30 or higher for the first year.
We can look after the whole course here. Dressing changes, stitch and staple removal, wound review and scar advice are all available seven days a week — no referral needed. Call 020 7916 0029 to book.
Seen today, not next week
Same-day appointments most days, seven days a week, 9am–7pm, on Whitechapel Road.
Tower Bridge Hospital London
97–99 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1DT
WhatsApp 07903 284 189
info@mhwclinic.co.uk
Open Mon–Sat, 9am–7pm (closed Sundays until September)
In an emergency
Call 999, or go to the Royal London Hospital Emergency Department, Whitechapel Road, London E1 1FR.
When we are closed and it is not an emergency
Call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.
Also able to advise
Your own GP · Your local pharmacist