Stitches getting infected? (poss SI trig)
 

I had to get a cut stitched last Friday, and the stitches are supposed to come out this friday (two days from now). The stitches look "odd" to me, though. There is no pus or anything, but the area around and between the stitches is swollen and red. It's not so swollen that the stitches can't move or are tight into the wound (I checked) but the area is definitely raised from the rest of my skin, and a pink color (not dark red.)

Could this be the start of an infection, or is it normal for it to be like that after five days? I've had stitches before, and I don't think they were like this, but it was on a different area of the body.

Thank you so much!!

Is the wound hot to touch? Are there any red lines running up your arm?

Some swelling is normal with stitches, as is bruising. If the stitches are tight/digging into your arm, the wound is hot to touch or the area feels firm underneath the skin when you press on it, it might be infected and getting it checked out would be a good idea.

Make sure you get the stitches taken out by a doctor or nurse too, they can check how well the wound has healed and whether the stitches need more time.

Thank you for your advice =)

There are no red lines, but the skin is hot to the touch and quite firm, and it does hurt to touch it. Also, the skin around the stitch-holes (where the thread goes through?) is extra-red and swollen. I am concerned, so I suppose I will get it checked out.

Thanks for everything!

It could be, and sounds like, your body is reacting to the material they've used to stitch you up. Without seeing it though I can't be sure but that is a relatively common problem. Get it looked at as the reaction can keep worsening and cause problems such as the swelling tightening the stitches which could lead to the stitches becoming embedded into your skin.

It could also be that the holes that the stitches are coming out of are infected but unless they sutured you with dirty instruments/ old suture material then this shouldn't be happen unless you've got the wound dirty of course and then it might