Keep in mind that when you go to the doctor, adhesive strips are often placed on the skin after stitch removal to continue to facilitate the healing process. If you do it at home, you may not be getting the care you require. If you want to double check whether it’s OK to remove your stitches, give your doctor a call. They will let you know whether it’s safe enough to do it yourself. However, they will likely recommend you come into the office to get your stitches removed. If your wound looks as if it’s getting red or more sore, do not remove your stitches—go to your doctor. You may have an infection. Keep in mind that in many cases, you can get your stitches removed without going through the regular doctor’s appointment process. You might be able to walk right in for a quick stitch removal. It’s likely that a nurse can check your wound and remove the stitches if the wound has healed. Call your doctor and ask.
Use sterilized tongs or chopsticks to take the tools out of the pot so that you don’t burn your hands or contaminate the tools.
If your hands aren’t visibly dirty or greasy, you can also clean them with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Rub the sanitizer over all surfaces of your hands and fingers for at least 20-30 seconds, then let your hands air dry.
Cleaning and disinfecting the area will help prevent an infection. It will also help remove any dried blood or crusted fluids around the wound and make it easier to remove the stitches. [5] X Research source
If there isn’t enough natural light available, sit near a bright lamp so you can see what you’re doing.
Do not pull the knot through your skin. It will catch on your skin and cause bleeding to occur. To avoid this, hold onto the knot itself with the tweezers as you pull out the stitch. If the skin starts to bleed when you remove the stitch, your stitches are not ready to come out. Stop what you’re doing and see a doctor to remove the remaining stitches.
To reduce the chance of scarring, put a gentle moisturizer, such as petroleum jelly or Vaseline, on the wound.
For instance, you may need to avoid doing any heavy lifting until your doctor says it’s safe, since too much strain could cause the wound to reopen. If you’re concerned about the wound opening up again, put a series of Steri-Strips along the incision where the stitches used to be. These will help keep the edges of the wound together as it heals. [14] X Research source
You can protect the area even more effectively if you also cover the scar with protective clothing (such as long sleeves or pants) and stay in the shade as much as possible.
