Wound Care and Stitches in Point Cook

Call 000 or go to hospital

Healthdirect advises calling an ambulance for a wound with:

• severe bleeding, or blood spurting from the wound
• something stuck in it, such as glass; leave it in place and press around it
• bleeding that will not stop with pressure on a deep wound, or if you take blood-thinning medicines
• feeling faint, dizzy or confused, chest pain, shortness of breath, or passing out
• an injury to the eye

Go to an emergency department for a suspected broken bone. If you are alone, call an ambulance rather than driving yourself.

Cuts that need a doctor within hours

See a doctor within 2 to 6 hours for a wound that:

• keeps bleeding
• is on or near the eyelid
• is dirty or happened in dirty water
• gets more painful after the first hour
• is over a joint such as a knee or knuckle
• came from an animal or human bite

A deep wound should be seen within 2 hours.

Getting stitches in Point Cook

The GP cleans the wound, checks for dirt or anything left inside, and numbs the area with local anaesthetic. Depending on the cut, it is closed with stitches, skin glue, adhesive strips or staples, then covered with a dressing. Dissolving stitches are often used inside the mouth or under the skin; others need removing later. Wound repair is a procedure, so it attracts a fee, and reception can confirm the cost.

Check your tetanus cover

Deep or puncture wounds, cuts contaminated with soil or manure, and wounds with something left in them carry a tetanus risk. If you are not sure your vaccination is up to date, the GP can give a booster at the same visit. Adults can usually have a version that also covers whooping cough, explained on the whooping cough vaccine page.

Caring for stitches at home

Healthdirect recommends:

• keep the stitches clean and dry for the first 48 hours
• after that, wet them briefly, then pat dry straight away
• no baths or swimming until the stitches are out or dissolved
• do not pick at stitches or scabs
• avoid activity that might reopen the wound

Most stitches come out after 5 to 10 days, depending on where they are. Book that visit when the stitches go in, and use sunscreen or cover the healed area for at least a year to help the scar fade.

Signs of a problem

Come back if redness spreads, the wound opens, the area becomes swollen or warm, there is pus or a bad smell, pain is not improving, or you develop a fever. A wound that has not healed after 4 weeks also needs review, and ongoing dressings can be managed at the clinic. Our minor skin procedures use the same aftercare.

Common questions