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Wound Closure Strips, Skin Glue or Stitches: What to Do With a Cut at Home
Wound closure strips hold the edges of a cut together while it heals, but a strip isn't the answer for every cut. Before anything gets closed, the bleeding has to stop, the cut has to be clean, and you need to decide whether it should be seen by a doctor or nurse instead.
healthdirect, the national health information service, sets out clear signs for that decision. This guide puts them first, then explains what butterfly stitches, skin glue and stitches each do, and who should be using each one.
Stop the bleeding and clean the cut first
The Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR), in Guideline 9.1.1, First Aid for Management of Bleeding, states that firm pressure on or around the wound is the most effective way to stop most bleeding.
For a minor cut, healthdirect's self-care advice is to press firmly with a clean cloth or bandage for 5 minutes, or until the bleeding stops. Then wash your hands, rinse the cut with clean water or saline, remove any dirt with tweezers or a clean cloth, and pat the surrounding skin dry. Our guide on how to clean and dress a wound covers the dressing side.
When does a cut need stitches?
healthdirect advises seeing a doctor or nurse within 2 to 6 hours if a cut won't stop bleeding, is near the eye, is dirty, gets more painful after the first hour, is over a joint or is from a bite. It also says to see a doctor if a cut is gaping or more than a few millimetres deep. Call Triple Zero (000) for severe bleeding or any of the emergency signs below.
healthdirect's page on wounds, cuts and grazes says to see a doctor or nurse within 2 to 6 hours if the wound:
- doesn't stop bleeding
- is on your eyelid or near your eye
- is dirty or happened in dirty water
- gets more painful after the first hour
- is over a joint, like your knee or knuckle
- is from a bite, whether by an animal or another person
It also says to see a doctor if you're not sure your tetanus shots are up to date, if the wound is more than a few millimetres deep, or if the cut is gaping, meaning the sides don't sit together well by themselves. healthdirect notes that these kinds of wounds may need to be closed with stitches, tissue glue or staples. If a wound is deep, it says a nurse or doctor should look at it within 2 hours.
healthdirect says to call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance if there's a wound or cut and any of these apply:
- there's severe bleeding
- the person feels faint, dizzy or confused
- the person has chest pain or is short of breath
- the wound is in the eye
- the person is losing consciousness (passing out)
- a deep wound doesn't stop bleeding when you put pressure on it
- the person has a deep wound and is taking blood-thinning medicines
- blood is spurting from the wound (call 000 immediately, and keep putting pressure on it)
- something is sticking out of the wound, like glass (call 000 immediately, don't try to remove it, and keep putting pressure around the wound)
Still unsure whether your cut needs stitches? That doubt is a fair reason to get it looked at. You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria) to talk it through with a registered nurse, 24 hours a day.
How to use wound closure strips (butterfly stitches)
Wound closure strips, often called butterfly stitches, are thin adhesive strips that sit across a cut and hold its edges together. healthdirect lists them alongside skin glue and staples, and describes them as falling off after some time.
If the sides of the cut don't sit together well by themselves, healthdirect says to see a doctor, because it may need stitches, tissue glue or staples. In the clinical judgement of our clinical reviewer, Marcus Hando, closure strips at home suit only a small, clean, shallow cut whose edges sit together on their own, once the bleeding has stopped and the cut is clean. Any other cut, or one that meets any of the healthdirect signs above, should be seen by a doctor or nurse.
If you're wondering how to use butterfly strips, the instructions on the pack are the authority on how to apply them, so read them before you need them. Strips come in different widths: we stock 3mm wound closure strips for smaller cuts and a wider 6mm version.
Skin glue for cuts: who it's for
Skin glue, also called tissue adhesive, holds the edges of a cut together and, in healthdirect's words, falls off by itself in a few weeks.
Leukosan skin glue isn't something we suggest using on a cut at home. A doctor or nurse may use skin glue on a suitable wound. healthdirect notes that Medicare urgent care clinics can help with small cuts that need stitches or glue.
What to expect if the cut needs stitches
healthdirect's page on caring for stitches describes stitches as special threads that health professionals use to close a wound.
It says stitches are often removed after 5 to 10 days, depending on the type of wound and where it is. Keep them clean and dry for the first 48 hours. After that you can wet the area gently and briefly, but don't soak in a bath or swim until they're out or dissolved, and don't pick at them.
Aftercare and signs of infection
healthdirect's caring for stitches page says that in the first few weeks after a wound is stitched or glued, the skin is still weaker than normal, and it takes several months to fully heal. healthdirect's wounds page adds: rest the area so it doesn't open again, keep it clean and covered, and keep the dressing dry.
healthdirect advises seeing a doctor right away if there are signs of infection, including:
- redness or swelling around the wound
- a high temperature (fever)
- the wound not healing after about 5 days
- the wound oozing pus
- pain that is getting worse
- heat around the wound
healthdirect's caring for stitches page also says to see your doctor if there are signs a wound isn't healing properly, including the wound starting to open or separate, and discharge, pus or a bad smell.
A tetanus booster may be needed after a cut. healthdirect's wounds page explains when, and a doctor or nurse can check your records. For deeper reading on dressings and healing, see our wound care and injury guidance.
What to keep at home for cuts
Adhesive dressings (plasters) are among the items we find missing when kits come back to us for servicing. A home kit set up for cuts needs a way to apply pressure, something to clean with and non-stick dressings. If you keep closure strips for the small, clean, shallow cuts described above, check the pack is still sealed and in date.
Our home first aid kit basics covers the rest of the contents, and choosing a first aid kit for your home helps match a kit to your household. We assemble and check our home first aid kits in Bendigo before they're sent. Our first aid myths piece is worth a read too.
For the small, clean, shallow cuts our clinical reviewer considers suitable, keep a pack of wound closure strips in your home kit, and restock from our wound care range when you use them. For help choosing what to keep at home, call us on 03 5443 2239. There's more on building a well-stocked kit in our home and family first aid guide.