Which ointment is best for stitches? (2023)

What is the best ointment to put on stitches?

If you have sutures (stitches): -Apply Vaseline or Aquaphor healing ointment to the sutured site 3-4x/ day for the next three to four days. The ointment will help the wound heal more quickly and minimize scarring.

After the first 24 to 48 hours, wash around the cut with clean water 2 times a day. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the cut with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.

Please DO NOT use Neosporin, Polysporin or Double or Triple Antibiotic ointment. These products can cause irritation. 5. Apply a bandage or band aid large enough to prevent adhesive from sticking to the open wound.

Acceptable products to place over the open wound include: Plain petroleum jelly, ♦ A&D Ointment ♦ Bacitracin, or generic triple-antibiotic ointment ♦ Calmoseptine Ointment. Apply these to the wound with a cotton swab, or clean finger with each dressing change.

Apply an antibiotic cream or ointment, such as Aquaphor or Vaseline, to your incision site, and keep it covered with appropriate bandaging to prevent dirt, bacteria, and other irritants from entering the wound. A moist environment helps the cells to replicate and properly bond together to close up the incision faster.

It's important to keep sutures clean and dry, especially for the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, you can wet the sutured area gently and quickly, for example in a sink or in the shower. Carefully pat the stitches dry immediately, as moisture can slow down the healing process.

These are the usual time periods: stitches on your head – you'll need to return after 3 to 5 days. stitches over joints, such as your knees or elbows – you'll need to return after 10 to 14 days. stitches on other parts of your body – you'll need to return after 7 to 10 days.

Helps Wounds Heal

That's because it seals water into your skin. That's good for your wounds because they need a moist place to heal. It may take up to twice as long for dry injured skin to get better. This oily moisturizer may also ease the redness of a new scar and lower your chances of infection.

But, says Macrene, it's worth considering making the switch to Aquaphor: "A study showed that using bacitracin or neomycin [both present in Neosporin] as compared to Aquaphor caused resistant bacteria in wounds." Aquaphor. Both derms agree: This is your best bet for wound care treatment.

How long to use Neosporin on stitches?

Answer: Neosporin on stitches

You may certainly place an antibiotic ointment on the suture line during the first few days of healing. I usually suggest this for the first week or two and then switch to silicone scar gel once the wound has primarily healed.

Petroleum jelly products, such as Vaseline, can be good alternatives to bacitracin or Neosporin. The jelly keeps wounds from drying out, which can prevent or ease itching and other unpleasant symptoms.

A sterile dressing is usually placed over your closed incision to keep it clean and dry while the wound heals.

If dissolvable stitches have been used, then after 7 days, and as long as the wound is closed with no oozing, you should lightly massage the suture line with a non-perfumed moisturiser to encourage the stitches to fall out. You need to apply the cream and massage at least twice a day.

You may cover the cut with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.

In general, creams are better than ointments for treating oozing or wet skin conditions like eczema. Creams evaporate much quickly than ointments and thus heals such conditions faster. Ointments are thicker. Since they stay longer on your skin's surface, they can add moisture to your skin and keep it hydrated.

An ointment to support and accelerate the natural healing of minor superficial wounds such as cuts, abrasions, scrapes and first and second degree burns. Omederm wound healing ointment can be used at any stage of the healing process for superficial open wounds and damaged skin.

Use a normal saline solution (salt water) or mild soapy water. Soak the gauze or cloth in the saline solution or soapy water, and gently dab or wipe the skin with it. Try to remove all drainage and any dried blood or other matter that may have built up on the skin.

Covering the wound maintains the natural moisture that helps keep cells alive. An exposed cut will pick up dirt and debris from the air. A wound that heals in a moist environment is less likely to leave a scar.

A non-healing surgical wound can occur after surgery when a wound caused by an incision doesn't heal as expected. This is usually caused by infection – a rare but serious complication. Causes of poor wound-healing depend on the type and location of the procedure, health condition and other factors.

Do stitches heal faster covered?

A handful of studies have found that when wounds are kept moist and covered, blood vessels regenerate faster and the number of cells that cause inflammation drop more rapidly than they do in wounds allowed to air out. It is best to keep a wound moist and covered for at least five days.

Vaseline might be better for wound healing

A 2013 study found that surgical wounds treated with Aquaphor had a higher incidence of redness at the wound site when compared with surgical wounds treated with Vaseline. So, if you're healing after surgery, you may want to reach for Vaseline.

Compared to Aquaphor, which has moisturizing ingredients, Vaseline is a pure occlusive and will not add moisture to the skin. Rather, Vaseline is a good final step in a complete skincare routine to lock in all the products applied to the skin.

How long do I apply Vaseline and a bandaid? 1-2 weeks until the sutures are removed, then for 1 week after just apply Vaseline. If you hate the bandage, you can go without it, but you must reapply the Vaseline 5-10 times a day, the wound must not dry out.

Do not use this medicine on deep wounds, puncture wounds, animal bites, or serious burns.

Healing injured skin

You should only apply Aquaphor to minor wounds like shallow cuts and mild burns (more serious wounds require medical attention). Aquaphor helps heal wounds by preventing them from drying out and scabbing, minimizing healing time. It can also prevent extensive scarring when applied to a minor wound.

Aquaphor is a safe and effective treatment that exhibited faster and better healing of wounds than did antibiotic-based topical treatments, which can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Antibiotic ointments are not necessary and may be unwarranted for minor clinical wounds.

Keep the wound bandaged and dry for the first day. After the first day, wash around the wound with clean water 2 times a day. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the wound with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage.

A layer of polysporin or bacitracin ointment must be kept over the sutures until they are removed. You may leave the incision site covered or uncovered during the day it is your preference, however, we do recommend that a layer of the antibiotic ointment be kept over the sutures at all times.

When do you put antibiotic ointment on stitches?

After you've removed any crusting and debris, use the other end of the q-tip® to apply a thin layer of ointment to the wound and any stitches. For facial wounds, use antibiotic ointment for the first 48 hours then switch to petroleum ointment.

Bacitracin, Polysporin, and Neosporin are all OTC antibiotic ointments that generally work well in treating minor cuts and scrapes. Bactroban (mupirocin) is a prescription antibacterial ointment that can kill more types of bacteria than the OTC ointments.

What is better: Neosporin or Bacitracin ointment? Both bacitracin and Neosporin are over-the-counter topical antibiotic products. However, bacitracin ointment contains only one antibiotic, while Neosporin contains three antibiotics. Therefore, Neosporin offers broader coverage against bacteria.

Studies show that petroleum jelly is just as effective as an antibiotic ointment for non-infected wounds. Don't douse a minor wound with antiseptics like iodine or hydrogen peroxide. They're actually harmful to the skin and can delay healing.

Massage the wound after sutures have been removed using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E or Aloe. Gently massage the skin around the wound twice daily for the first two weeks, and then once a day for a month. This will increase the blood flow in the area and prevent scar tissue build up.

Keep the area clean and dry for the first 24 to 48 hours after stitches have been placed. Then, you can start to gently wash around the site 1 to 2 times daily. Wash with cool water and soap. Clean as close to the stitches as you can.

If the wound environment is dry, the cells will have to find moisture deep in the wound bed so that they can migrate. This slows down the healing process. In fact, studies show that moist wounds heal 50 % faster than dry wounds.

A greasy ointment, e.g. Vaseline, can be applied directly over the stitches twice daily. The wound should be washed prior to applying Vaseline. This helps to prevent and lift crusting; massaging gently over the wound may help to improve the appearance of scarring.

Is Vaseline good for healing stitches?

Clean & Bandage the Wound

After cleaning apply white petrolatum (Vaseline) or bacitracin (Polysporin) to keep the area moist. If using Vaseline, buy new Vaseline if the supply you already have is more than three months old. Then cover with a band-aid.

Try to keep your stitches dry for at least 48 hours after surgery. A doctor or nurse will tell you when you can get your stitches wet or if they need to be kept dry.

3. One week after suture removal you may begin to massage the scar using Vaseline or Aquaphor along the suture line.

A layer of polysporin or bacitracin ointment must be kept over the sutures until they are removed. You may leave the incision site covered or uncovered during the day it is your preference, however, we do recommend that a layer of the antibiotic ointment be kept over the sutures at all times.