Laceration (Body)

Lacerations occur when the skin and underlying tissues are torn or cut by a sharp object or blunt force trauma, leading to an open wound. This can cause damage to blood vessels, nerves, and muscles, resulting in bleeding, pain, and potential complications like infection or scarring.

There are different ways to repair a laceration on the body, depending on the type and location of the injury. Having a plastic surgeon stitch up lacerations with fine thin sutures remains the best treatment for most cuts and wounds. This gives the surgeon a precise ability to reorient jagged wounds and place “deep sutures” that may be required to reduce the wound tension.

Wound tension refers to the amount of pull or stress on the edges of a wound. After a cut, the skin edges tend to pull apart because of the skin’s natural elasticity. Just like a rubber band that is stretched out, your skin wants to spring back. In laceration repair, reducing wound tension helps align the skin edges neatly and closely. This minimizes the risk of poor scarring, allowing the wound to heal more smoothly and uniformly.

Dissolvable sutures are often the preferred option for toddlers and very young children. Tissue adhesives such as Dermabond™, Histoacryl®, and SurgiSeal® should also be considered for small, clean, low-tension lacerations, offering a quick and painless alternative without requiring anesthesia. Although tissue adhesives are effective alternatives for younger children and some adults, they carry a slightly higher risk of wound separation compared to traditional sutures.

These two treatment methods should not be used together. Traditional sutures provide strong, deep tissue closure, while adhesives are only for surface closure. Although both are effective on their own, combining superficial sutures and adhesives can create uneven tension, disrupt the adhesive bond, and elevate the risk of infection or improper wound healing.

Laceration wound treatment has historically been thought to be a simple procedure, but time has proven that the best results are obtained by the most meticulous plastic surgery closure. Be sure to work with an experienced physician as you optimize the healing of your skin.

Timing is crucial for effectively managing a laceration and optimizing the healing process. A laceration should ideally be repaired within six to eight hours after the injury to reduce the risk of infection and ensure smooth healing. Beyond promptly addressing the wound, thoroughly cleaning the laceration, suturing it properly, and removing sutures in a timely manner can also minimize potential scarring.

It is also important to examine the laceration in the following days to ensure it is healing properly and not becoming infected. If there are signs of infection, the sutures will usually need to be removed to drain and treat the infection. In many cases, antibiotics will also be needed.

Some lacerations are so contaminated when they happen that after they are thoroughly cleaned, a decision is made to leave them open to drain and treat them with dressing changes — and no sutures — so that they can heal from the bottom up and minimize the risk of infection. These wounds often require repair once healing has been completed, typically through scar revision or more involved tissue reconstruction.

Before you go

The timing of laceration repair is crucial for optimal healing; ideally, it is performed within a few hours after the injury to reduce the risk of infection and ensure better cosmetic results. Delayed repair, especially after 12 hours, can increase the likelihood of complications and may result in less favorable healing and scarring.

Simple lacerations can typically be treated by a physician at an urgent care center or emergency room. However, as the complexity and sensitivity of the laceration increase — particularly if it involves deeper tissues, muscles, or nerves — it is crucial to seek the expertise of a plastic surgeon. Plastic surgeons are skilled in managing more complex wounds, ensuring proper alignment and healing, and minimizing scarring. In cases where lacerations are highly contaminated, they may be left open to heal from the bottom up, requiring later repair.

During the procedure

During a laceration repair, the area will be cleaned with saline irrigation to prevent infection. Local anesthesia will be administered to numb the area, ensuring that you experience minimal pain during the procedure.

Once the area is numb, your surgeon will carefully align the wound edges and close the laceration in multiple layers using sutures or tissue adhesives, depending on the wound’s location and severity. You might feel pressure or tugging but should not feel pain. After the wound is closed, a dressing will be applied to protect it and keep it clean.

Your surgeon will give you instructions on wound care, signs of infection to watch for, and when to return for a follow-up appointment or suture removal.

Laceration Treatment (Body) Aftercare 

In the first week following laceration repair, you may be given antibiotic ointment to be applied several times a day and asked to gently clean the crusting around the incision with saline daily. Lacerations repaired with tissue adhesives are left alone. Sutures are typically removed in five to eight days.

Freshly treated skin is highly vulnerable to UV rays, which can delay healing and cause hyperpigmentation and worsened scarring. To protect your skin, avoid sun exposure or use high-SPF sunscreen and protective clothing during the healing period. Additionally, smoking, vaping, and nicotine use should be completely avoided, as they can impair blood supply and hinder the healing process.

Effective long-term management of a laceration plays a crucial role in the healing process, comparable in importance to the surgery itself. This may include using silicone scar gels or sheets, laser therapy, dermabrasion, or even scar revision. Final healing after laceration repair may take up to one to two years.