Laceration Repair
& Stitches

You likely need stitches if the cut is deeper than a quarter inch, the edges do not stay together on their own, bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes of steady direct pressure, or the wound is on the face, hands, or over a joint. Gaping wounds, jagged edges, and cuts from a dirty or rusty object also need professional closure to lower the risk of infection and scarring. If you are unsure, walk in and a physician will assess it for you.

There is a golden window for closing a wound. Most lacerations should be repaired within about 6 to 8 hours, and facial wounds can often be closed for up to 24 hours because of the rich blood supply in the face. The sooner a clean wound is closed, the lower the infection risk and the better the cosmetic result. If you are past the window, do not skip care: a physician can still clean the wound, manage it safely, and reduce complications.

Yes, especially on the face and hands. Dr. Uri Gedalia is a board-certified general surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, so wound closure is core to his training, not an occasional task. A surgical eye on layered repair, tension, and edge alignment is what gives a clean, cosmetically aware result and a finer scar. For a visible cut, that experience is the difference between a wound that simply closes and one that closes well.

We numb the area with local anesthesia before any suturing, so you should feel little to nothing during the repair itself. The numbing injection causes a brief sting that passes in seconds. For children and for many smaller wounds, skin glue or adhesive strips often avoid needles altogether, which makes the visit far easier on younger patients.

It depends on the wound. Sutures (stitches) give the strongest, most precise closure and are used for deeper cuts, the hands, and high-tension areas. Skin glue is a pain-free, no-needle option for clean, low-tension cuts and is popular for children and small facial wounds. Staples are fast and well suited to the scalp. Your physician selects the method that best fits the wound’s location, depth, and the cosmetic result you want.

Possibly. We review your tetanus history during the visit. A booster is recommended if it has been more than 5 years for a dirty, deep, or puncture wound, or more than 10 years for a clean minor cut. Wounds from rusty or contaminated objects raise the priority. If you need a booster, we can give it during the same visit.

Removal timing depends on the location: face stitches usually come out in 5 to 7 days, body stitches in 7 to 10 days, and stitches on the hands or over a joint in 10 to 14 days. Skin glue sloughs off on its own. We schedule your removal visit before you leave and send you home with clear wound care instructions to keep the area clean and minimize scarring.

Yes. We provide pediatric laceration care for children, and for suitable wounds we use skin glue, which is painless and works well for kids. Our team is experienced at keeping young patients calm, and we choose the gentlest closure method that still gives a strong, clean repair. For infants under six months with a significant cut, we may direct you to the pediatric emergency room.

We accept most major insurance plans, and your visit is billed to your carrier. For self-pay patients, a physician visit starts at $195, with the laceration repair itself quoted up front based on the wound’s size and complexity before any work begins, so there are no surprise bills. This is a fraction of a typical emergency room charge for the same care. Ask our front desk and we will give you a clear quote.

Go to the emergency room or call 911 for heavy bleeding that will not stop, a deep wound to the chest or abdomen, a possible severed tendon or nerve, numbness or loss of movement past the cut, an amputated or partially amputated finger or limb, or a wound with a broken bone visible through the skin. For almost everything else that needs stitches, urgent care is faster, far less expensive, and the right level of care.