Stitches

How long does it take for stitches to heal?

I had my finger stitched up at 9PM last night. It has now been about 26 hours. I was told by the doctor that I could remove the bandage covering my stitches in a day and a half. These stitches will need too be taken out in about 8 days. Would it be safe to remove my bandage?

Public Comments

1. Take it off, but replace it. It won't hurt you to cover the area for a few days to give the wound time to heal without threat of it being accidentally bumped and ripping your stitches.
2. stitches don't heal, but your skin does...takes 6 wks to heal fully (all the way through);; the bandage should only stay on when the wound is draining, or when you don't want anything abrasing the area stitched....so, if you're deciding to go to bed, & you're not too sure if you're gonna snag those stitches on your comforter or linen, ya might want to keep it on;; if you leave a bandage on a wound that is not draining, it has a tendency to keep the wound too moist..then it just won't heal properly, & you will also leave it exposed to collect germs;; same if the wound is too dry where the scabbing from it lifts off your skin & causes a little cleft for germs to get inside; so the goal is to keep the skin as close to looking like skin to heal properly; so, again, if the wound is not draining (your bandage is as clean as a baby's bottom), then ya keep the bandage off;; if you will be exposing your finger to water (in the least) you need to keep it dry...hard to do..so don't be afraid to ask the doc how to handle this the next time ya see him (a week)..until then, if you DO have any questions like this..try to call him when his office is open...the bill you pay accounts for this...