Discharge Instructions for Suture Removal to the Finger

General Guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends sutures on fingers should be removed after 7-10 days, with proper hand hygiene before and after the procedure, and patients should be instructed to monitor for signs of infection including increased pain, redness, swelling, or drainage 1
Patients should perform hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub before touching the wound, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2

The Clinical Infectious Diseases guidelines suggest cleaning the suture line with antiseptic solution before removal 1
After suture removal, the wound should be cleaned again with antiseptic solution, as recommended by the Clinical Infectious Diseases guidelines 1

Patients should seek immediate medical attention if they notice increased pain, redness, or swelling extending beyond the wound edges, purulent drainage or discharge, fever or systemic symptoms, wound dehiscence, or red streaking from the wound site, as instructed by the Clinical Infectious Diseases guidelines 1

The Clinical Infectious Diseases guidelines recommend avoiding soaking the wound in water until sutures are removed, and avoiding activities that place tension on the wound 1

Protect the wound from direct sunlight for several months to prevent discoloration 3
Apply sunscreen (SPF 30+) to the healed wound when exposed to sunlight for at least 6 months to prevent hyperpigmentation 3