Stitches suture line split open

[sweetblubrry4]

I had two moles removed on my back through stitches, mildly dysplastic.

Both my moles removed, the one on my upper back healed pefectly. Just a fine line of where the scar is. However the one on my forehead (i don't know if its from laying on it on my pillow and rubbing it) and another one on my back (lower and in a more bendable area) have kind of split a little. The head one seems to be just fine and healed up even though its not a perfect line. The one on my back more so split. So now its more like an open wound again as part of it isn't closed all the way. Its not bleeding, I didn't feel the split, so now I am wondering what to do? Should I keep putting neoporin on it to prevent infection or should I go get it restitched up? I am concerned about a larger scar, will it heal up pretty well? My derm told me when he put the stitches in to avoid suddent movements like playing golf or something. Well I obviously didn't play golf but must have done something. The stitches were in for two weeks and the other one was large (but in a less movement area) and that one healed just fine. Should I just apply neosporin and be okay? I am tired of being in and out of the derm's office.

[123midnight]

Thank you my stiches open on the bottom   of my foot it hurts so.I'm on antibiotic hope all goes well...

[mamapapalong]

I have that kind of experience once. I was very young and I had a tumour on my leg. After removing it, the doctor stitched the wound and left for fortnight.But then it wasn't healing well and when removed the stitches, the wound split open, so doctor restitched again for another fortnight. But then it spit again after a fortnight and my doctor restitched for the third time and he said it would be the last time and if it was still not healing well again after that, he was gonna let it open but I would have to come to the outpatient unit to have it clean daily. So the worst thing happen, it split again after that. So I had it clean daily and have the same thing too, a very fine strip to hold the wound close and it just had to heal inside out. It took nearly two to three months to heal because of the wound's size and the leg muscle surrounding holding the wound wide open...it was ok, just a bit more trouble to have it heal. I was under a lot of antibiotics. I still remember every time I went to wash the wound by the nurse, he will have to clean it with lots of cold saline and anti-bacterial wash and then let it dry under a red light that was very warm and I had to let the red light shone on it for about half an hour before the nurse covered it with a fine semi-transparent strips and then gauze....  but I did get to be friend with that nurse and he was providing me with all sort of health care advice with the wound for the next six months because of the fragility of the wound even after healing three months later....  we stayed in touch for the next couple of years until after I went to study overseas then we lost touch... :P

Anyway, I hope that helpful to you... and good luck, don't freak... even the wound split open, it will still heal as long as you keep it clean and keep it warm, just the scar will be bigger than expected and the healing time will be faster considering now you have a bigger hole to heal...

[sweetblubrry4]

To anyone who reads this in the future, I went back to the derm and they couldn't restitch it. Instead they put some strong steri strips (not the crummy otc ones) and they've been holding the wound together and covering it. They also put some kind of liquid on it before hand (i guess to prevent infection?) But nonetheless, it will heal inward for the most part anyway as that is what the body does but it may be just a slightly bigger scar. I just have to leave the strips on for 3-4 days and shower like normal. Just letting anyone know who may come across this!

[sweetblubrry4]

Thank you for your response. Okay just to clarify this happened AFTER the stitches were taken out. Probably within a few days. The stitches stayed in the whole time just fine. But same advice?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
After reading your symptoms, I feel that a gaping of the wound/incision line has occurred. The main cause of gaping of the wound is infection and sudden jolt to the wound which opens the stitches. Most cases require only dressings with antibiotic ointment but severe cases of wound gaping may require dressings for a longer period of time or even a resurgery to stitch the incision line together. My advice would eb to consult your dermatologist.

Hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.

[sweetblubrry4]

I am just wondering if I should get it restitched up or if it will heal on its own. They were in for two weeks, isn't that enough time? My other one was larger and it healed just fine. Its not terribly large but less than the size of a penny. The skin isn't bleeding or sensitive or anything, but leaves residue on the bandage just like the biopsies I've had to. Will the scar heal up nicely as long as I put mederma/neosporin on it?