WIBU to remove my own stitches?

[WayfaringStranger]

My dissolvable stitches won't dissolve! They're irritating because they're on my hand and they're catching on everything. I can't get a nurse's appointment to get them removed for another 10 days and they're driving me spare. I can feel them pulling as I type! WIBU to carefully remove them myself? The wound is healed and looks good and I checked with my pharmacist to ensure that it's fine before I take matters into my own hands.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

I really wouldn't. My doctors surgery gave me a same day appointment recently for a wound issue. Don't they do any urgent appointments?

[gamerchick]

I would, they're only stitches.

[Jimcanna]

I did. I cut out disolvable stitches in my mouth that didn't disolve.

I once had one in my mouth that didn't disolve for weeks. It was very stinky.

[WayfaringStranger]

Would the GP remove them? I just assumed s/he would just refer me to the nurse. Plus, getting a same day appointment is a mission in itself. I've held on for an hour before and not got one because they've all gone!

[isupposeitsverynice]

Wasn't there a huge thread around yesterday about all the gross things, including stitches, that people have extracted from themselves? Get yourself over to sporners corner they'll talk you through it. I couldn't do it, personally

[PossumInAPearTree]

I would.

IME the practice nurse wouldn't remove them, not their job apparantly because it was from a hospital operation. So a GP wouldn't do it. Budgets and politics. Had to be a district type nurse. Pita sorting that out.

[vixo]

If the wound is all healed then you're fine to remove them yourself. I'd give it a bit of a clean with something first, and then snip them with (clean) scissors or nail clippers and pull them out. There's nothing clever or special about removing stitches!

[PossumInAPearTree]

Just sterilise some scissors in boiling water. Snip and then pull with some tweezers.

[flibberdy]

I would, and I have done. From my foof!!

Go for it

[TroysMammy]

Our Nurse would remove them and she would fit you in between patients.

How silly that a Practice Nurse won't remove stitches from a hospital operation. Maybe not major surgery like a hip replacement but if people are mobile enough to get to the surgery our PN has removed staples, clips and stitches after people have had ops.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Has it been 10 days since you got them?

if they are separate stitches pull the knot up and slice just one of the strands going to it, that way you can pull them out. Apparently if you cut them and the rest of the stitch vanishes inside the wound that's fine, it will either dissolve or poke its way out.

No baths for 24 hours after as you've left a teeny little hole that's an infection risk.

I carefully took internal notes when I had some stitches removed.

[CatThiefKeith]

from your foof? That's hardcore!

[Wando1986]

Just snip them carefully by the knot with clean nailclippers and pull out the other way. Then treat as any small open cut. They're like a temporary piercing. I cut my own out a few years ago because they were taking weeks to give me a removal date.

[WayfaringStranger]

I thought I was brave but I'm not feeling so brave now. Removing stitches from your fanjo is super hardcore - wow!

I think our practice nurse will remove stitches from hospital ops but getting any appointment at my surgery is like finding a needle in a haystack. I'm actually looking at new surgeries.

Would it be ok if I just trimmed the edges?

[bimbobaggins]

I had stitches in over Christmas and a couple were removed by the practice nurse but a couple hadn't healed and were due to be removed when they were closed for the festive period so she gave me the equipment home to do it myself

[bimbobaggins]

Plus my stitches were from the hospital and I was told to go to my own practice

[RoganJosh]

I did my DH's from his testicals 😀

[YellowDinosaur]

What vixo said:

If the wound is all healed then you're fine to remove them yourself. I'd give it a bit of a clean with something first, and then snip them with (clean) scissors or nail clippers and pull them out. There's nothing clever or special about removing stitches

And I'm a surgeon

[PeaFaceMcgee]

Ah give it a go. It's not a specialist skill.

[YellowDinosaur]

And I agree not to worry if some bits are left as they will eventually dissolve. Don't with the don't have a bath for 24 hours though. That is similar to advising not to have a bath after a vaccination or blood test which would be ridiculous.

Make sure it's healed and stitches have been in at least 7 days, make sure the scissors you use are clean, and crack on.

[YellowDinosaur]

Don't agree with

[LakieLady]

I absolutely LOATHE the sensation of stitches being drawn through my skin, so I always remove my own. It doesn't freak me out when I do it to myself, for some reason.

[paulapantsdown]

I've done it a few times on myself, including my face! Give the area an wipe with antiseptics before and after, clean nail scissors and pull out with tweezers. One minute job.

I also did some on a neighbours head recently when his wife was too squeamish!

[paulapantsdown]

There is an actual surgeon replying above telling you it's fine, so I'd say it is!

[YellowDinosaur]

The other thing you could do if you really don't want to remove them is to rub them gently with something like e45 cream (or similar unfragranced cream) a couple of times a day, which will pull on the stitches slightly and if the internal stitches are nearly dissolved, encourage them to detach naturally a little sooner than they might otherwise