Stitches and Laceration Repair in Bang Tao
Wet tiles by the pool, a slip on the steps, a coral edge you did not see. The cut is deeper than you expected and the edges will not stay together. There is a window here that matters — stitches in Bang Tao work best within about six hours of the injury, and after roughly twelve the risk of sealing infection inside the wound gets too high to close it at all.
Which cuts need closing
Not every cut needs stitches, but these usually do:
- Anything deeper than about half a centimetre, or where the edges gape when you relax the skin
- Cuts longer than two centimetres
- Wounds where you can see fat, muscle or bone
- Cuts across a joint, on the palm, or on the sole of the foot
- Any facial cut, where the scar matters
- Bleeding that restarts every time you take the pressure off
If you can pinch the wound closed and it stays, it may heal fine with a dressing. If it springs open, come in.
Stitches, glue or strips
There are three ways to close a wound and they are not interchangeable. Stitches are strongest and are used for anything deep, gaping, or on a part of the body that moves and stretches.
Skin glue suits short, clean, straight cuts with edges that sit together on their own, and it is the usual choice for children’s foreheads because there is nothing to remove afterwards. Adhesive strips work for shallow cuts in skin that is not under tension. The doctor picks based on the wound, not on what is quickest.
What happens during the procedure
The wound is cleaned and numbed with local anaesthetic. The injection stings for a few seconds and after that you feel pressure but no pain. The wound is washed out thoroughly — this is the step that prevents infection, and it takes longer than the stitching itself.
Closing a typical cut takes ten to twenty minutes. You leave with a dressing, written aftercare, and a date for suture removal.
When stitches come out
Timing depends on where the wound is, because skin heals at different speeds and tension varies:
- Face: 5 days
- Scalp and neck: 7 days
- Arms and hands: 10 days
- Trunk and back: 10 to 14 days
- Legs, knees and feet: 14 days
Leaving them in too long leaves visible marks either side of the scar. Taking them out early risks the wound opening. If you are flying home mid-way, we will tell you the date and give you a letter so any clinic can remove them.
Aftercare, and when to come straight back
Keep it dry for forty-eight hours, then you may shower briefly and pat it dry. No swimming pool, no sea and no long baths until the stitches are out — this is the rule people break, and it is the reason wounds get infected here.
Come back the same day if the wound reopens, if pain increases after day two, if redness spreads outward, if there is yellow discharge, or if you develop a fever. Keep the scar out of direct sun for six months, or it will darken permanently.
Frequently asked questions
How much do stitches cost in Bang Tao?
The cost depends on the size and depth of the wound and how many sutures it takes. You are given the price after the doctor has looked at it and before any work starts. Removal at the end is a small separate charge.
Is it too late to get stitched?
If the injury happened within six hours, closing it is straightforward. Between six and twelve hours it depends on the wound and how clean it is. Beyond that we usually clean and dress it and let it heal open, because sealing bacteria inside is worse than a slightly wider scar.
Can I still swim?
Not until the stitches are out. Sea and pool water both carry organisms that infect fresh wounds easily, and a wet dressing on a stitched cut is worse than none.
Will it scar?
Every wound that needs stitches leaves some mark. Early, clean closure and keeping the scar out of the sun for six months make the biggest difference to how it eventually looks.
Can the doctor stitch a wound at my hotel?
Minor closures can be done on a doctor hotel visit, but the clinic has better light, better positioning and full sterile equipment. For anything deep or on the face, come in if you possibly can.
Come in, or we come to you
Take Care Medical Clinic Bang Tao is open open 24 hours, 7 days a week on Bandon Road in Cherng Talay, a few minutes from Bang Tao Beach and Laguna Phuket. Walk in without an appointment, call +66 81 718 9080, or message us on WhatsApp. If you would rather not move, ask for a doctor hotel visit and we will come to your room.