Stitches

How long should a child keep stitches?

My 6 year old daughter had a accident at school today. She ran into a wall while playing at P.E. She wears glasses and they caused some cuts above her eye. We live in a small town and it happened about lunch time. All of the doctors offices were closed so we had to take her to the emergency room. The doctor that was there does not have the best reputation for being a very good doctor. While he was stitching the cuts, his hands were very shaky. I think he still did a pretty good job, as far as I can tell. However, I don't know if his advice for how long the stitches should stay in is the correct time. He said they should stay in for 5 days. I know that the length of time they stay in can affect the scar that is left. Can anyone give me some advice on this?

Public Comments

1. I just had five stitches in my cheek a couple weeks ago and they had me wait five days before they removed them. It sounds about right to me.
2. yes stitches on the face should only stay in for 3-5 days. They cause less scarring that way. anywhere else it's 7-14 days depending on how well they have healed. They usually use a finer thread for the face. She's young it will fade a lot. Get her some safety type glasses for PE.