in your experience does it hurt more to have stitches put in or taken out?

[disney world dreamer]

i'm becoming nervous for the removal of my stitches on tuesday morning.

after the numbing shots which didn't really hurt as bad as i thought they would i didn't feel the stiches going in at all.

i assume my doctor will not be numbing me to take them out.

its scabbing up around the stiches which i fear will make it more painful.

not to mention i have a terrible bruise there now along with a bump that i'm not sure if its just an under the skin bump or a bump on my actual bone.

so in your experience does it hurt more to have them put in or taken out?

 

[sasywtch]

I didn't feel the stitches coming out at all in my finger. My son had some on his forehead and was perfectly fine getting those taken out without any shots when he was small.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I had a staple or two and a few stitches removed after a surgery. I didn't feel anything except for a tug from the scab around one of the staples. I think you thinking about it this early is going to make you very apprehensive about it. I was scared to death about it but pleasantly surprised there was no pain at all.

 

[anelson81993]

Had a cut on my palm that needed stitches last September. Stitches didn't hurt going in after the numbing shots, which were quite unpleasant, but still not worse than the cut itself. Removal was a little uncomfortable--little bit of tugging--but otherwise did not hurt at all. I did have some bruising and some scabbing around the stitches, but it was surprisingly not painful. Good luck!

 

[kimblebee]

Sorry but mine hurt way more coming out. The skin had started to grow around the stitches and I had no numbing when they came out. I had seven come out and the doctor was not gentle. They also could have probably used a few more days so that may have played a part in it too. Also, they were my first stitches so I didn't know what to expect. Sorry for being so honest but it's better that you really know what to expect, right?

I will say that it wasn't brutally painful, just more than a pinch and way more than I was expecting. Not more than I could handle though.

I'll stop now lol

 

[macraven]

finally a subject i can relate to !!

stitches i have had 5 times now. all for different body parts...

the numbing solutions put on for when they do the stitches is not bad at all.
you feel very little of the sensation.

each separate four times they were removed, i said a lot of real bad words under my breathe.
so for me, it only hurt when they were removed.

the surgery i had march 5 of this year the stitches were at the bottom of my mouth for stinting the salivary gland.
had those stitches in for 12 days and it hurt like a mother taking them out as they stuck to the skin at the bottom of my mouth

but i have to tell you that once they were all out, pain subsided as i was walking out of the medical building.

you can do this.
it is over in less than one minute to take them out.
you wil have such great relief they are gone, it will become a past memory.

only time i had a problem was when the stitches were left in too long.
a bit of tugging and a sharp feeling until they were completely removed

i could suggest to drink some vodka before you have it done but don't think the doc woud truly understand

 

[mamamary]

I've never had a problem but my son had 8 stitches under his eye last year and his hurt coming out. But it was quick and once they were out he was fine. Wasn't gonna tell you that his hurt but I figured you would want to know to be prepared. I think under his eye was a sensitive area so maybe that's why. Good luck.

 

[anniemae]

My son had stitches above his eyebrow. Didn't hurt him at all, they just snipped and pulled them out. I had stitches in my back when i had a mole removed, I don't think it hurt too much that I remember, just felt weird when she pulled them out, and I did have some scabbing.

 

[IndyRnRfan]

Stitches don't hurt going in or coming out IMO.

 

[suzimar57]

Coming from someone who's had hundreds of stitches in my lifetime, it's the removal that hurts more

(One time alone got badly cut on my leg from broken glass in trash bag some tenants put out when I was superintendent - cut me so bad, I "saw" the cutaway of what's in your leg - damn near fainted right there - that alone was 130 stitches to close it up, that's how bad it was - got a large 3 inch scar here forever on my calf....)

Usually, you're either unconscious from surgery, heavily medicated or the area involved is totally numb when getting the stitches initially

Removal is more that "tugging" feeling when they're being pulled out...

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I recently had gallbladder surgery that required a 10" open incision that was closed with staples and a few stitches. The nerve damage around my incision made the removal of the staples and stitches completely painless during the process. I don't know why you had stitches placed but I can tell you that, more than likely, it will be a non-issue at removal.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

The only time stitches have ever hurt coming out was when I was "spitting stiches". Not spLitting stiches, but basically some internal sutures worked their way to the surface and I got a little infection. That was horrible, but removing regular ones has never hurt me.

 

[aprilchem]

I'm surprised people are saying this hurts - I've had stitches 4 times, and I've never had any pain getting them out. The last 3 times I took them out myself because it's such an easy process. The only time I've ever had pain is with my 3rd c-section - they use metal staples for that, and my staples weren't ready to come out when I left the hospital so my OB took them out a few days later. She didn't have the right tool, I think, because it hurt a lot - it never hurt with any of the others.

 

[lorimay]

I cut my finger last week with a knife, 3 stitches :/.
Well the numbing needle was awful. The cut is close to my nail on the side of my finger.
BUT I felt the needle each time he made a stitch OMG, it hurt so much.
I am afraid when I go back Wednesday for removal.

Gotta add though not having to cook for a week hasn't been too bad.

 

[John VN]

Carpal tunnel surgery last year, felt nothing going in thanks to Propofol, and had a little spray numbing stuff when coming out. Felt the tugging. Just had surgery 2 weeks ago tomorrow and took the 8 stitches out myself on Friday. They were dissolving type and weren't quite ready but I took care of them. No pain and just a smidgen of blood.

 

[ronandannette]

The only stitches I've ever had I took out myself...one end sort of "came undone" so I just pulled them out like you would a seam in clothing. I could feel the silk as it slid through the skin but it hadn't adhered at all and it didn't hurt.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You could take some tylenol or motrin about an hour before if you want to.

Hope it's not too bad!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

I had 4 stitches in my finger and I cut them and took them out myself after the wound healed. No pain at all. I was supposed to go back to my PCP for removal but couldn't get there without taking time off work which I didn't want to do.

 

[BrianL]

I just had stitches taken out last week and I was expecting it to hurt but it didn't at all. Last time I had stitches, which was like 15 years ago, they just yanked them out hard and it did hurt, more than going in, more than the actual cut that precipitated the need for them! Maybe it has to do with the location on the body, or maybe the person performing the procedure. I felt nothing this most recent time. It was a very easy experience. The most painful part of the whole thing was soaking the wound in the pink anti-bacterial solution. That stuff burned!

My experience with medical people is that when they say "this will hurt or sting a bit," it won't at all, and when they say "this won't hurt at all," then it will!

 

[Feralpeg]

I've had approximately 600 stitches from various surgeries. I was asleep when the majority of them were put in. The only slight discomfort was the removal of some accompanying staples. The removal of the stitches was never a problem.