Stitches are typically removed by a healthcare professional. But if you need to remove them yourself, using sterilized tools and keeping the area clean can help to minimize risks. Stitches are ...

Dissolvable stitches are used to close wounds or surgical incisions in procedures where follow-up wound care isn’t needed. They’re designed to absorb into the skin. Find out what dissolvable ...

Many patients ask me why we don’t use dissolvable sutures on the outside of the skin so a return visit to the doctor for removal of the sutures would not be necessary. There are three reasons.

A medical professional must remove stitches to ensure proper wound healing and reduce infection risk. It is not safe to remove stitches at home. Surgeons also use stitches, or sutures, to close an ...

The body breaks down dissolvable stitches over time, so they do not require removal. Find out why doctors use them, how to care for them, and more.

‌You should never remove your stitches unless your doctor has given you clear instructions to do so. Dissolvable stitches generally don’t need to be removed because they dissolve on their own.

Proper Removal of Butterfly Stitches. After 12 days, the butterfly stitches can be safely removed. To prevent the risk of reopening the wound, don’t pull the stitches off.

Creating advanced sutures. Thousands of years ago, the Romans developed “catgut” sutures made from the twisted intestines of plant-eating animals. They are designed to be gradually dissolved by the ...