TBH Medical is a direct primary care (DPC) provider in Colorado Springs, CO. Aja Hardesty, MSN, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, is a double board-certified Nurse Practitioner in Colorado Springs with 15+ years of emergency room, urgent care, and primary care experience. With direct primary care, you skip the hassles of insurance and pay a low-cost monthly membership fee to have faster and more personalized access to essential primary care services – Same-Day or Next-Day Appointments – No Copays. No Deductibles. No Surprise Bills – Clear Upfront Pricing and Great Personalized Care!
Direct Primary Care is a great option if you don’t currently have medical coverage or wish to pair it with a high-deductible plan or a military plan. And you’ll definitely enjoy the much shorter wait times to be seen!
We want your suturing to be as simple and quick as possible for you.
Suturing is the process of repairing damaged tissue using a suture needle and sterile thread (stitches). The purpose of sutures is to hold tissue together while it heals. Stitches can speed up wound healing, reduce the chance of infection, and minimize scarring.
Sutures are needed when a wound extends through the skin and into the underlying fatty or muscle layers of the body. This can include:
All of these should be assessed by a provider at TBH Medical in Colorado Springs.
Minor injuries that have scraped or sliced the skin can often be treated with first aid and a bandage. You may need to get stitches if:
When you come to our office, our nurse practitioner (NP) will usually examine and clean the wound. Then the wound is flushed out with water to remove dirt or foreign objects. We will also apply a numbing solution to minimize any discomfort during the procedure. A needle and thread are used to pull the wound edges together.
There should be very little pain with a wound that requires stitches, though it can vary depending on the wound, its location, and how it’s sutured. Before beginning the suturing procedure, your nurse practitioner will numb the area. So the only sensation during the procedure is a slight pinch when the local anesthetic is applied, and maybe some tugging as the needle is inserted through your skin. You have the stitches removed when they are no longer needed.
Cleaning, numbing the wound, suturing, and covering it up typically take 15 to 45 minutes, depending upon the size, depth, and type of laceration and on its location on the body.
Sutures can be:
The material that makes up the suture can range from specially-treated natural material to strong synthetic material.
Your nurse practitioner will select the suture type for your wound based on its location, depth, and the tension the surrounding skin is likely to experience as it heals.
Keep the sutured area clean and dry for the first 24 to 48 hours as directed after your visit to our office. Afterward, gently wash the area with soap and water, dry it with a clean towel, and apply any topical antibiotic ointment and new bandage your provider advised to help prevent contamination.
For the majority of superficial wounds, the body can heal sufficiently to allow the sutures to be safely removed by your provider in five to 14 days, depending on where on your body the wound is located. Wounds on the face can usually have sutures removed in 5 days because they heal faster. Joints and hands may require as much as two weeks because of the higher mechanical stresses they experience during movement.
Stitches should be removed only by your provider. Removing sutures before the optimal time for your specific wound can cause it to dehisce. The longer they remain in the skin, the higher the risk of infection and scarring, especially if left in longer than necessary.
The stitch removal process itself is quick and usually pretty comfortable. Most patients report a slight tickling or a light tugging sensation. Since there is no anesthesia required, the nurse practitioner will use small specialized scissors to clip off the thread and slowly pull it through the scar tissue once the incision line has fully healed.
Leaving stitches in the skin for longer than advised can cause the skin to heal and grow over the threads. In these cases, the sutures may become more difficult to remove and potentially quite painful. It can also cause the wound to become locally infected and more inflamed, which can lead to track marks or linear scarring.
Redness and swelling should gradually lessen, but signs of infection include the wound area becoming redder, warmer to the touch, and increasingly painful. Should you notice foul-smelling discharge or yellow colored fluid (purulence), or if you develop a fever, reach out to TBH Medical for an immediate appointment.
If you are not in the hospital when the stitch breaks or comes loose, do not attempt to fix or tie the stitch or attempt to pull it from the skin. Cover the wound with a sterile bandage and contact our office right away so we can decide on next steps (i.e., replacing the suture or closing the wound with another method).
Any wound deep enough to warrant stitches will scar to some extent, but using proper suture techniques will minimize the size of any scar after the procedure. You can also minimize scarring by:
An allergy to certain materials is rare, but it can still occur. It will look like a heightened reaction, including itchiness, redness, or even blisters. If you are concerned that you may have a reaction, please contact us right away, and we will evaluate the site and, if necessary, replace the suture.
Sensitive wounds in visible areas, such as the hands and face, require careful handling and very-thin-suture techniques for optimal appearance and function. As your direct primary care provider, we take the time needed to close any sensitive wounds so you can heal well and not have to worry about the final appearance.
At TBH Medical, the fee for minor office procedures like suturing is affordable and included in your monthly membership fee, with the added expense of medical supplies. This takes the fear of medical bills, like in emergency rooms and urgent care settings, out of the equation.
Yes, assessing and treating simple lacerations, including placing and eventually removing sutures, is included in your TBH Medical membership. Our direct primary care model is designed to ensure you have quick access to your own nurse practitioner, who provides immediate, personalized attention when an unexpected physical injury occurs.
Yes! We will care for you from the moment of injury through the resolution of the issue. Suturing and suture removal will occur here at the Colorado Springs office with the same NP who placed the suture, providing a true continuum of care.
The way to avoid severe lacerations is to use appropriate protective gear, such as gloves and protective eyewear, when using dangerous tools. Avoid severe cuts by keeping your home safe from falls, which cause many severe lacerations, by keeping areas well-lit and minimizing tripping hazards.
Other options are tissue adhesives like glue, steri-strips, or surgical staples. These can be used instead of sutures, depending on how large and deep the wound is and where it is located on your body. We will assess the wound you have and discuss with you the safest method for closure of the wound.