Stitches

Can I remove the left over stitches myself?

I had stitches removed about 3 weeks ago and I realized today that a little piece was left in in one area. Should I try to remove it with tweezers or just leave it alone?

Public Comments

1. I would leave it. Digging in there will only risk infection and make it worse. It should eventually come out on it's own due to the way your body works. If it looks like it is getting red and infected, see a doctor and they will remove it.
2. You can try & pull it out; it may eventually work its way out anyway. Clean the area off with soap & water and clean the tweezers with alcohol & try. Don't worry if you can't get it.
3. Unless its bothering you leave it be. If it bothers you go to the doc, but it will eventually fall out on its own.
4. Leave it alone, taking it out could leave to infection or scarring
5. Leave it alone it should come out within a week if it doesn't call your doc.
6. so
7. actually it does need to come out. it won't be a big deal. Just get some small pointed scissors and some good tweezers, gently grab the end of the stitch and pull out just enough to get the scissors in there and snip the stitch. it should come right out, no problem. if you don't get it out, your skin will grow over it and it'll get infected because your body doesn't want any foreign bodies in the skin.