AIBU to ask if you think these sticthes look infected?

[MrsClausTechnicolouredTeapot]

Had a mole removed 7 days ago and am due to have the stitches removed this coming Wednesday but they are very painful and red. I clean it every day but can't shift the scabs, I have been putting germoline on it after cleaning. I'm trying to wait it out until my appointment on Wednesday as I don't want to waste time if they're fine. I've attached a photo.

Yes signs of infection redness swelling heat and pain do get antibiotics

Definitely looks infected. Seek medical help from GP, out of hours or walk in center

Definitely looks infected to me. I’d get seen asap

Yeah, that does look a bit infected. Honestly, just stop cleaning it and make some pen marks round the edges to ensure it isn't spreading.

I am pretty laid back about this kind of thing and personally if I felt well, I would just see how I went over the weekend but if you're worried, I would seek an OOH appointment as you may well need some oral antibiotic cover.

Is it hot to touch?

It does look infected.

They look infected. Contact out of hours

Looks infected.

But is it hot to the touch. Has the redness spread?

If not then it could be that you’re over cleaning it.

We’ve got stitches here at the moment and have been advised just to clean with boiled cooled salted water and leave to dry.

Looks infected. But have you been trying to remove the scabs? Don't do that.

It is a little hot to the touch but not alarmingly hot. I've been cleaning once a day using cooled boiled water with a cotton pad and then putting a little germoline on afterwards. I've not been picking at or trying to scrape the scabs off, just noticed that the build up around the stitches come off. It's mostly the pain that's bothering me, it's quite a sharp pain constantly.

Ouch - looks sore and does look infected. Definitely see out of hours gp if poss, and as pp said, draw outline and check if red area gets bigger or starts tracking.

I would get that check first thing tomorrow definitely looks infected

You need to get it seen.

There looks like spots of pus at base if stitches. It needs to be looked at

Leave it alone and stop using the germolene. See what it’s like tomorrow morning. Ask advice from the pharmacist if no better.

It looks like pus is on them, so I would say yes

Yes that doesn’t look like a healthy wound at all. I’d definitely get that looked at. It looks like it’s opened up too. Where on your body is that? Has tension pulled that open by movement?

Ok, I'll leave it be and will look at going to the pharmacy tomorrow to see what the think before contacting out of hours. Thanks for the responses.

It's on my upper back so could have been caused by movement as it's a tricky area to keep still!

I'm a nurse and that definitely looks infected, is there a walk in centre near you that will be open in the morning? Get it looked at ASAP.

pharmacy won't really be able to do anything, ring out of hours in the morning.

Yes it looks infected and the stitches are not keeping wound closed - you need some antibiotics ( surgeon here)

I’d get someone to cover that wound for you ( with a sterile dressing ) and then don’t touch it until the doctor looks at it.

I wouldn't bother going to a pharmacy or ringing out of hours tbh, straight to walk in centre, you probably need antibiotics.

Absolutely infected. Looks 'angry', as my mum would say. You can see pus where the stitches are, and skin shouldn't be that colour.

Has the wound pulled apart?