Taking stitches out....

[DustinHoffman]

Name changer here...I have 7 stitches in my finger and am due to get them taken out tommorrow...thing is I really can't afford to go to the Doctor and get them taken out....It can't be that much of a big deal to just take them out myself, can it?

Or is it a really bad idea?

I reckon it's a bad idea to take them out yourself. Even if you had the stitches as a result of planned surgery, where precautions would have been taken for a sterile operating area (rather than surgery following an accident where bacteria would already have been introduced into the wound), removal of stitches without care can introduce bacteria.

There is very little between the skin on the fingers and important structures such as blood vessels, muscles, and tendons. If you introduce bacteria into those structures by taking out the sutures yourself, you could end up with more problems.

Why can't you afford to go to the doctor?

It's a bad idea. Although it looks simple, and it is, there is a particular technique to taking stiches out to reduce the risk of introducing infection.

Any nurse would/should be able to remove them though, assuming you are not in UK, so would a visit to a nurse be cheaper?

You really shouldn't. You can either introduce infection, or end up 'losing' a bit of stitch, which gets embedded and infected all at the same time.

i take it your name changing as you recognise that you are being totally stupid?

DIY suture removal - yeah you go for it love, knock yourself out. i mean - why actually get a nurse to stitch you up in the first place? next time just get the old sewing kit out and bobs your uncle!

for the first time ever im going to use this emoticon

there. ive christened my face.

My uncle removed his wife's stitches after she had her appendix removed.

But then again, he is a vet.

ROFL @piprabbit. I bet he made a lovely job of it too.

I took my stitches out, I think the midwife forgot I had them and discharged me, I got a little pissed off after a few weeks of having them in, it's really easy, boil some scissors, wash your hands, cut the stitch as close to to skin as you can and pull from the other end. I was young(er), what can I say?

Not in UK, Dr./nurse visit would be E50. Realise it's a bit silly but did it this morning anyway...I didn't have surgery, just cut my finger with a knife. (In work, so boss paid for E100 casualty visit.)

Was very careful, sterilised scissors and tweezers, doused finger in iodine after. I am super clumsy and have has lots of stitches before, so have some experience in watching the Dr. remove them. Thanks for the input everyone, think I had my mind made up before I posted.

Vicar, I'm glad you got to christen your face!

Belle! Would not take stitches out of there!
ouch! Glad I got the dissolvable ones for that!

ohhhhh i didnt realise you werent in UK!

couldnt your boss have stumped up the £50 for removal aswell if it was an accident at work?

i think they should have.

Probably should have asked but they already paid me for the days I was off, for casualty and taxi home. Don't want to be taking advantage of them because they are super nice. Feel like a bit of an idiot though because it's my fault, I'm the idiot who cut my finger. Oh well.

If finger falls off Dustin Hoffman will return to inform you all.