When do head wounds need stitches

Sometimes, doctors put small white sticky tapes butterfly bandages over the stitches to give them extra strength. These tapes loosen in a few days and fall off on their own. Most cuts, even those fixed by stitches, leave a small scar. That's because when the deeper layer of the skin is injured, the body uses the protein collagen to help fill in the cut area. The filled-in area becomes a scar. Over time, some scars fade or get smaller. Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.

How can I tell if my child needs stitches for a cut? Your child may need stitches if a cut: is still bleeding after you apply pressure for 5 minutes is gaping or wide looks deep is on your child's face, lips, or neck has glass or other debris in it has an object sticking out of it, such as a twig spurts blood If a cut is spurting blood, an artery might have been nicked.

Dried blood acts like glue holding the skin together until the wound heals. But if movement reopens it, the healing process takes longer. Short answer, yes. The skin should close up with a small amount of pressure. As stated above, this helps the blood turn to glue. If you do, you have gone quite deep. Joints, as you know, have less insulation.

They have less because insulation prevents free movement. The fingers, elbows, and knees have less skin coverage than most solid bones. Most cuts or injuries in these places need a medical examination at the very least. This can be a sign of something being in the early stages of infection. Inflammation needs special attention. For very minor or shallow injuries, like paper cuts, simply clean the cut and apply a bandage, if necessary, to keep it clean.

If you believe you may need medical attention, seek it within six to eight hours of getting the injury. Your wound may need stitches or other medical treatment if it meets any of the following criteria:. If you are uncertain about the severity of your injury, seek immediate medical attention. Only a doctor can assess whether a cut requires stitches or an adhesive closure — and they can help you minimize your risk of infection and other complications.

Emergencies can happen in the blink of an eye or the beat of the heart.