When are stitches removed? Usual timescales and what to expect

You have been discharged, you go home with stitches or staples and someone told you: “come back in a few days to have them removed”. And now you wonder how many days, who removes them and whether it hurts.

The summary: it depends on the part of the body, usually between 5 and 14 days, and the exact date is set by whoever operated on you or closed the wound. Here I explain the usual timescales, how they are removed and what to look after afterwards.

Usual timescales by area

Each part of the body takes a different time to close. Where the skin is thin and well supplied with blood, such as the face, it closes quickly. Where the skin is thick or moves a lot, such as a knee, it needs longer. These are the guide timescales used in clinical guidelines:

• Face: 4 to 5 days (sometimes 3).
• Eyelids: 3 to 7 days, depending on the tension of the wound.
• Neck: 5 to 7 days.
• Scalp: 7 to 10 days.
• Trunk (chest, abdomen, back): 7 to 14 days.
• Arms: 7 to 12 days.
• Legs: 8 to 14 days.
• Fingers, palms and soles of the feet: 10 to 14 days, and sometimes longer.

Be careful with this: these are reference figures, not a rule. What counts is the area, the thickness of the skin, the type of closure and the tension of the wound. The date your doctor or surgeon gave you always takes precedence. If your discharge report says another one, that is the one.

And there is no point in bringing it forward or delaying it: if they are removed too soon, the wound can open, and if they are left too long, the skin becomes irritated around the thread and the scar is more marked.

What about the ones that do not need removing?

Not all stitches are removed. Absorbable ones dissolve on their own over time. Non-absorbable ones and staples do have to be removed. If you are not sure what you were given, check the discharge report or ask.

How stitches and staples are removed

The first thing I do is not cut anything. First I look at the wound: it has to be well closed, with no spreading redness, no pus and no separated edges. If I see that it is not ready, I do not remove them and I explain what to do.

If all is well, the process is this:

• I clean the wound with saline solution and an antiseptic.
• I lift the thread with forceps, cut it next to the knot and pull gently. It is cut on one side only, because if both ends are cut, a piece of thread stays inside the skin.
• I count the stitches I remove. That is why it helps if you tell me how many were put in.
• If I am unsure the wound will hold, I remove the stitches alternately: one yes, one no, and see how it responds.
• Staples are removed with a special instrument, one at a time, squeezing and lifting.
• If needed, I apply adhesive strips (steri-strips) to hold the edges together for a few more days.
• I finish with a dressing and, if appropriate, a pad.

Does it hurt? It is normal to feel a small tug or a pinch as each stitch comes out, and little more. If you are someone who faints easily, tell me and we will do it sitting or lying down.

And one more thing: do not remove them yourself at home. A thread cut badly stays inside, and non-sterile scissors are an infection risk.

What to look after afterwards

• Adhesive strips: do not pull them off. They usually fall off on their own during the first week. If the edges lift, you can trim them with scissors.
• Showering: you can shower letting water and soap run gently over the wound, and pat it dry with a gauze or a clean towel, without rubbing. Ask first exactly when, because it depends on the wound.
• Beach and pool: no swimming or bathing, not in the sea, a pool or a hot tub, until the wound has healed and you are allowed to. In Mallorca this is what we forget most often.
• Exercise: avoid strenuous effort for the weeks you are told, especially if the wound is in an area that stretches with movement.
• Sun: protect the scar from the sun for about 6 months, with clothing or high-factor sunscreen, so that it does not darken.

If we remove them at home

To remove stitches you do not need to make an appointment at a centre, wait in a room or ask for time off work. I come to your home, check the wound, remove the stitches or staples and explain how to look after it in the following days.

To make it quick, have the discharge report to hand, it says how many were put in and for when.

→ See the home stitches and staples removal service

Informational content. It does not replace the assessment of a healthcare professional or a medical consultation.

Last reviewed: 29 October 2026