If you wish to remove your minor stitches yourself, you can. It's recommended that you let your physician or other health care professional do it, but if that's not possible and the required healing time has passed, here's what to do.


Steps

1. Assemble your "tools" (see "Things You'll Need").
2. Wash your hands and everything else that will be involved in the proceedings. Everything should be as sterile as possible to reduce the risk of infection.
3. Snip the suture (thread) as close to the knot as possible. If the cut opens a bit, you'll have the knot still showing for thread removal. (If you have a helper, just have them hold the thread with tweezers as it is cut.)
4. Pull out thread with tweezers, knot first.
5. Clean the wound area and bandage as necessary. Try to not get the area wet for a few more days. Cuts love to open in hot, wet environments!

Tips

• Don't get sutured (stitched) cuts wet if you have been advised not to and do not wash them with soap. Keep them clean. Change bandages often. If it looks as if it's getting red or more sore, go to your doctor. You may have an infection. Leave stitches in for the whole time your physician suggests.

Warnings

• Removing surgery stitches yourself is a bad idea. This is really for minor stitches only.