Sutures

A bandage may not stop the bleeding if you have a split in your skin or a large wound. Shruti Patel, MD, Jose Ruiz, PA-C, and Roberto Guillen, PA, at Low Cost Health Clinics, with seven offices in Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Ana, Corona, Costa Mesa, Cathedral City, and Indio, California, provide immediate care and use sutures to close wounds. The family practice and urgent care clinics are open seven days a week and welcome walk-ins for laceration repairs. Call the office nearest you or use the online scheduling tool to make an appointment now.

What do I need to know about sutures?

Sutures are medical treatments that hold the edges of a wound or surgical incision together so it can heal. By closing the open area, sutures also prevent infections. Sutures are sometimes called stitches.

Low Cost Health Clinics is a family practice and urgent care clinic with offices throughout Southern California. The skilled medical providers include urgent care experts who use sutures for laceration repairs. 

The clinic welcomes walk-ins and has staff that speaks English and Spanish at all locations to better meet the health needs of the diverse community they serve. 

How do I know if I need sutures?

You can treat minor cuts at home with a bandage. However, you may need sutures if your cut is:

• Split or large
• Longer than a half inch
• On the face
• Jagged
• Bleeding longer than 10 minutes with pressure

Low Cost Health Clinics also recommends coming to the clinic for laceration repair if your cut is from a dog bite. Dog bites tend to cause jagged lacerations and are at risk of infection.

People with diabetes should also visit the urgent care clinic for cuts and wounds. Having diabetes affects wound healing and increases the risk of infection.

What types of sutures are used for laceration repairs?

Low Cost Health Clinics may use different suturing techniques to repair specific types of lacerations. Types of sutures include:

Interrupted sutures

Interrupted sutures are single sutures used to repair simple wounds. 

Continuous sutures

Continuous sutures close longer lacerations using one thread. This method is fast and effective.

Buried sutures

Buried sutures involve tying the knot under the skin of the wound. When using this technique, your provider uses a dissolvable thread. This method works best for large wounds.

Staples

If your wound is dirty and requires drainage, your provider may use staples to close the area. 

Wound adhesive strips

Wound adhesive strips are bandages that use force to keep the edges of the wound closed. These types of sutures are used for small and even cuts. 

Tissue adhesive

Tissue adhesive is a glue that holds the edges of the wound together. Your medical provider may use tissue adhesive if you have a small and clean wound.

Accidents happen and some cuts need sutures. For urgent care from medical providers who put you and your health first, call Low Cost Health Clinics. Walk-ins are welcome. You can also use the online booking tool to schedule a visit.