What do you do if you got a deep cut on your finger and do i need stiches?

Answer 1

Short answer:

If you are afraid of tools, afraid of blood, afraid of glue, afraid of doing a lot of things yourself, then you would be better off going to a doctor no matter what.

If you however are familiar with tools and you have basic knowledge about many things, and you do not faint by watching blood, then the wordy approach is for you.

Wordy approach:

This depends on the damage caused by the wound.

If it is a "flesh" wound and your finger works as it should (bending etc) then the answer is most likely "no you don't need stitches" although it still might be advised.

Make sure the wound is clean. No dirt inside, but don't go mad about rinsing it, It hurts and is often not needed. Blood "flowing" out is a "good" sign because alien elements then don't go in :-)

You would need to put the edges of the wound together in a way so that it can heal properly. For it to heal, it is utmost important that you do not hinder the flow of blood too much, and of course you will need to hold your finger still for a while afterwards (several days, at least a week) so that it can form new tissue and repair.

Stitches help by forcing the edges together, but one can also actually put the edges together with some clean cotton cloth, then apply a Tiny amount of superglue on each side of the wound. Put a drop or two of superglue on a plate, then break a toothpick in two and use the broken end as a brush to apply the superglue with.

Superglue sticks like anything to bare skin, and does not cause a harmful chemical reaction to the cotton cloth. A synthetic cloth might melt and etch down into the skin, causing further damage!

Be advised NOT to get the glue into the wound, only on nice dry skin.

After the glue has dried, cut off the excessive cloth on both sides.

Secure edges of cloth with more glue if you feel like it, but don't go mad.

The cloth does not come off for a few days, and do not try to force it off. Keep your finger still.

As long as the cloth and the wound looks good, you can apply more superglue at edges if it starts to come loose. Be sensible. Little is good. Much is problems.

Keep the area dry. Moisture attracts bacteria.

you can also apply some antibacterial stuff to it. I always use a powder called "Bacemycin". It is dry, so that I don't bring moisture into it.

One week, and the wound should no longer open up if you remove the cloth carefully, but depending on the wound I would keep it on for a bit longer.

If you decide to take it off, and it is really stuck (as it should be), try using some fine sandpaper to actually rub it away slowly where the glue is. If soaking it in lukewarm soapy water, the crust will be very soft and can easily be removed with the remaining cloth if needed/wanted. 5-10 min of soaking should do the trick, depending on the crust maybe a bit longer.

This method is what I have used whenever I have cut myself in the past, and I will continue to do so on myself depending on future wounds :-)

Pro:

No need for stitches

Keeps wound closed up nice and tight without pressure that hinders the flow of blood.

Lets the wound dry up and form a crust. much like the way stitches would.

The wound heals fast because it can breathe and blood flow is not hindered..

If method is used properly, edges aligned properly, then you are less likely to get a noticeable scar, most likely just a thin and hardly visible line after a few months.

Con:

The cotton cloth will most likely become stuck in the crust forming.

If you get an infection, it can only be removed very carefully and slowly.

Can only be used on dry skin. with a dry cotton cloth.

Superglue is a bad thing to put into a wound.

Some doctors might consider this a very bad idea, (I just do not always listen to them).

The method described is not intended for "deep" wounds on other part of the body.

We have several layers of tissue at other parts. Even if putting the skin back together to make a nice surface, one can still have an open wound below, and that would most likely need deep stitches in order to be held properly together.

If you are in doubt of this method, then do not use it.

I can not and will not take responsibility for people not understanding what they are actually doing :-)

It is what I do, not what I claim to be the right approach for everybody.