Get Some Rest Getting a lot of sleep can help wounds heal more quickly. Why? Well, research says that sleep restriction can lead to higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and delayed healing. So, make sure to put down your smartphone early and get to bed.
Now data show that getting enough Z's might also get your cuts to heal more promptly. In fact, sleep was more important than good nutrition in speeding wound healing.
After the first 24 to 48 hours, wash around the cut with clean water 2 times a day. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the cut with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.
This is consistent with other research showing that sleep deprivation slows the healing process. Sleep has a powerful effect on the immune system, so it's not just wound healing, but all forms of recovery from illness, injury, and disease that are affected by sleep.
Factors that can slow the wound healing process include: Dead skin (necrosis) – dead skin and foreign materials interfere with the healing process. Infection – an open wound may develop a bacterial infection. The body fights the infection rather than healing the wound.
This is important because it is yet another key observation that sleep reduces inflammation and, conversely, that sleep interruption increases inflammation,” says lead author Filip Swirski, PhD, Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at Icahn Mount Sinai.
"It takes about four to six weeks for tissue to rebuild to its maximum strength, during which time it's best to avoid tension, stretching or shearing forces at the suture site," explains Dr. Yaakovian.
Wound healing
Water also helps blood take waste products away from cells and out of the body. After a plastic surgery, hydration is even more important for healing incision sites and helping wounds drain properly.
As a guide, on the face, sutures should be removed in 5-7 days; on the neck, 7 days; on the scalp, 10 days; on the trunk and upper extremities, 10-14 days; and on the lower extremities, 14-21 days. Sutures in wounds under greater tension may have to be left in place slightly longer.
Between the times of 10:00 pm and 2:00 am the body goes through a dramatic process of physical repair. Between roughly 2:00 am and 6:00 am the body will go through a process of psychological repair. A disrupted sleep pattern will cause the Cortisol to elevate and negatively affect the regenerative process.
“While all the stages of sleep are important to the cycle, stage 3 is the deepest, most restful sleep. During this stage, your body releases hormones that help repair muscles, bones and tissues, and your brain works on consolidating your memories,” says Dr. Ghacibeh.
Specifically, sleeping on the side or back is considered more beneficial than sleeping on the stomach. In either of these sleep positions, it's easier to keep your spine supported and balanced, which relieves pressure on the spine and enables your muscles to relax and recover.
In most cases, the stitches or staples should be removed within about 4 days to two weeks.
Stitches are often removed after 5 to 10 days, but this depends on where they are situated. Your doctor or nurse will advise you on the right time to remove your stitches. If the stitches are taken out too soon, the wound might not have healed properly.
Depending on the wound's location, it may be shorter. Stitches on the face can be removed within three to five days to help minimize scarring. Stitches over areas that move, such as joints, may need the full two weeks. Some types of suture materials are able to dissolve once healing is complete.
You should be able to wash normally after your stitches, dressings and clips have been removed. It's usually better to have a shower until the wound has healed to avoid soaking it completely. Afterwards, pat your wound and the area around it dry.
After 48 hours, surgical wounds can get wet without increasing the risk of infection. After this time, you can get your stitches wet briefly with a light spray (such as in the shower), but they should not be soaked (for example, in the bath). Make sure you pat the area dry afterwards.
Stitches and staples are used to keep wounds together during healing. They need to be removed within 4-14 days. The specific removal date depends on the location of the stitches or staples. Removal should not be delayed.
Most types should start to dissolve or fall out within a week or two, although it may be a few weeks before they disappear completely. Some may last for several months. Ask your doctor about the type of stitches you have been given and how long they should take to dissolve.
Air dries out the wound and promotes cell death, not healing. Covering the wound maintains the natural moisture that helps keep cells alive. An exposed cut will pick up dirt and debris from the air. A wound that heals in a moist environment is less likely to leave a scar.
Napping may help reduce stress and the levels of inflammatory cytokines and norepinephrine in the body. Studies suggest that reducing these chemicals with a nap may help restore balance to the immune system.
But excessive sleepiness can be a harbinger of underlying health problems or insomnia—if you're napping for long hours each day for no apparent reason, get checked by a doctor. Napping can reduce inflammation in the body.
Your levels of cortisol, a hormone that helps control inflammation, are lower at night. Lying down can cause inflammatory chemicals to pool in the fluid that cushions your joints, which makes them stiffen up.
The stitches in the skin should heal in 5-10 days. The underlying stitches in your muscle layer will take longer to heal. These won't completely heal for 12 weeks. For the stitches that you can see, make sure to watch for any signs of infection.