take care of Sutures

Accidents are a part of life; injuries and wounds are caused and healed. Scars are a part of who we are and how we have lived our lives. Accidents are caused, sometimes by our mistakes, and sometimes due to negligence on part of another person. When this happens, the first thing you do is to rush to the hospital and get medical help, and the second would be contacting an Accident Attorney

Have you ever found yourself, or your loved one, in a situation where an inflicted wound is so deep that sutures or staples are required to close the wound? Well, the procedure does not stop here. A doctor’s job end after your wound is sewn up, and it is time for you to start taking care.  

During the first 24 hours, you have to keep your stitches dry and clean at all costs. Refrain from taking bath or making your wound wet because it is the most crucial time for healing. Wetting will refresh the wound and the healing process restarts as the wound is not sealed in the first 24 hours. On the first day of your stitches, the second step would be, to stop the excessive physical activity or any kind of exercise that can stretch out your wound or disturb the sutures or stitches. The third step would be looking out for any obvious signs of infections such as swelling, redness, excessive pain, development of pus, bleeding, or elevated body temperature. It is highly advised that you ask your doctor about the kind of sutures that you got, and how soon can you resume your normal daily routine, like exercising or bathing.  

Afterward, you should keep the wounded area clean and covered, and remove any deposited debris with Saline, if your doctor has advised for it. This will reduce the chances of scarring. Once the wound has started to heal, it will start itching. It is a completely natural bodily response which happens as the Spinal cord gets the nerve signals indicating skin stimulation, the brain then translates those nerve signals as itch. This itch is not a sign of infection, but a sign of healing! So, you must stop yourself from scratching the sutured area, as itching can damage the wound. Touching the wound can transmit germs into the skin too.   

After the healing process has started and the scab is formed, it is time to start moisturizing the surrounding area of the wound with a no perfumed gentle moisturizer. It is advised that you ask your doctor to prescribe you a skin ointment or a medicated moisturizing balm. It will help you ease the itch and will prevent the scab from becoming dry and crusty. During the scabbing stage, wear loose breathable clothing to avoid sweating and friction. This will help heal quickly.

Scab heals after some time, on its own. The healing process depends on the type of wound and the depth of it, and the type of stitch and suture. After the stitches are dissolved or are taken out by the doctor, you should keep your scab clean and avoid picking it or touching it. Dermatologists advise keeping your scab moisturized by applying non-perfumed and non-flavored petroleum jelly on the scab, as a dry scab can decrease the rate at which the wound heals. 

So, as your wound’s healing process is kick-started after a suture, your carefulness can heal you more quickly!

By Anurag Rathod

Anurag Rathod is an Editor of Appclonescript.com, who is passionate for app-based startup solutions and on-demand business ideas. He believes in spreading tech trends. He is an avid reader and loves thinking out of the box to promote new technologies.