Does Urgent Care Do Stitches? Everything You Need to Know

Cuts can happen in seconds. Maybe you nick your finger while cooking, scrape your knee on concrete, or your child falls at the playground, and you notice a split on their chin. At that moment, it’s normal to feel unsure. The biggest question people ask is simple: Does urgent care do stitches, or do you need to go to the ER?

The good news is that urgent care can often treat common cuts safely. The key is knowing which wounds are appropriate for urgent care and which ones should go straight to emergency care. This guide walks you through that decision, explains what happens during the visit, and helps you protect your healing afterward.

Can Urgent Care Do Stitches?

Yes, urgent care can do stitches for many cuts, especially when the injury is not life-threatening, and bleeding is under control. For many everyday accidents, urgent care is a convenient place to have a wound assessed, cleaned, and closed properly. However, when a cut is severe, bleeding heavily, or involves damage to nerves, tendons, or muscles, the emergency room is the safer option.

Cuts in urgent care can be treated.

Urgent care commonly treats moderate-sized, deep cuts where the edges don’t heal on their own. These wounds often result from simple accidents, such as slips with a kitchen knife, minor glass cuts, or sports-related falls. If the bleeding slows down with pressure, you can move the area normally, and there’s no numbness, urgent care stitches may be appropriate.

A cut is often appropriate for urgent care when you can answer “yes” to most of these:

• Bleeding slows down or stops with firm pressure
  
• The wound looks clean enough to rinse well (no heavy debris stuck inside)
  
• You can move the area normally (fingers, wrist, ankle)
  
• You still have normal feeling around the cut (no numb patches)
  
• The cut edges could come together with closure support.

Cuts that require ER care

Some wounds require the higher level of care an ER provides. If the bleeding won’t stop after firm pressure, if you can see deeper tissue beneath the skin, or if the injury affects movement and sensation, the safest move is emergency care. Injuries caused by significant trauma, like a car accident, wounds with foreign objects embedded inside, should also be evaluated in an ER. A deep cut caused by an animal bite should be evaluated promptly, as the risk of infection may be higher.

Go to the ER if any of the following are true:

• Bleeding won’t stop after about 10 minutes of firm pressure
  
• You can see fat, muscle, or other deeper tissue.
  
• The wound is profound, jagged, or the edges look torn.
  
• The injury causes numbness, tingling, or weakness.
  
• You can’t move a finger/toe normally (possible tendon injury)
  
• There may be something embedded (wood, glass, metal)
  
• The cut happened during a major trauma (car accident, serious fall, crush injury)
  

If you’re torn between urgent care vs ER for cuts, a simple rule is:
If it looks dangerous, feels abnormal, or bleeds uncontrollably, choose the ER.

When Does a Cut Need Stitches?

Not every cut needs stitches. Many minor, shallow cuts heal fine with cleaning and a bandage. Stitches become essential when the wound is deep enough or open enough that it won’t heal neatly on its own.

Signs Your Wound Needs Professional Care

A cut may need stitches if it stays open when you relax the skin, continues bleeding for a long time, or is on a high-movement area, such as a knuckle, knee, or elbow. Face cuts are another important category, because alignment matters more for healing and appearance. If the wound is dirty, caused by glass, or occurred outdoors, it’s also smart to get checked, as the risk of infection may be higher. If you’re unsure, it’s safest to let a medical professional examine the wound and recommend the proper closure.

What Can Happen If You Skip Stitches

Skipping stitches when they’re truly needed doesn’t always cause a disaster, but it can lead to problems that show up later. The wound may heal more slowly, reopen during normal movement, or leave a wider scar because the edges weren’t supported. In some cases, infection risk increases because a deeper, open wound is more complex to keep clean at home.

Common Causes of Cuts That Need Stitches

Most people don’t need stitches for anything dramatic; they need them for everyday life. Cooking injuries, cuts from broken glass, cuts, sports falls, and workplace accidents are prevalent. Kids often need stitches from playground falls, especially on the chin, forehead, or eyebrow.

Urgent Care vs. ER: Where Should You Go for Stitches?

Choosing between urgent care and the ER depends on severity, safety, and what the wound might involve beneath the surface. The goal is to go to the place that can treat your wound properly without delays or unnecessary risk.

Severity of the Wound: How to Decide

Urgent care is often the right choice when bleeding is controlled, the cut is not extremely deep, and you have normal movement and normal sensation around the injury. The ER is the better option when bleeding won’t stop, deeper layers of tissue are visible, the wound is badly jagged, or there’s concern about tendon or nerve damage. If the injury happened due to severe trauma or a significant fall, emergency care is usually the safest route.

Costs & Wait Times: Urgent Care vs. the ER

Many people choose urgent care because it can be more cost-effective for non-emergency cuts, and the overall experience may be faster and simpler than the ER. Costs vary widely depending on wound complexity, location, and closure type, so it’s not something that can be accurately priced in a blog. Generally, urgent care is designed for injuries that need attention soon but do not require emergency-level resources.

What Urgent Care Can’t Treat

Urgent care typically isn’t equipped for severe injuries like uncontrolled bleeding, serious head trauma symptoms, significant tendon damage requiring complex repair, or wounds that need surgical-level cleaning. In some cases, providers may still evaluate you and recommend radiology services

 to check for deeper injury concerns before directing you to the ER for the safest treatment.

What Happens When You Get Stitches at Urgent Care?

If you’ve never had stitches, it’s normal to feel anxious. The process is usually straightforward and done with comfort in mind. Most visits follow a predictable routine that focuses on safety and comfort.

Wound exam and cleaning

The provider will examine the wound to see how deep it is, whether the edges can close cleanly, and whether there’s debris inside. They may also check for nearby movement and sensation, especially for hand and finger injuries. Cleaning is one of the most critical steps because even a small cut can become a problem if bacteria or debris remain inside.

Numbing and pain control

Stitches are usually done with local anesthesia. Most people feel a brief sting with the numbing injection, and then the area goes quiet. After that, you may feel pressure or tugging, but you shouldn’t feel sharp pain. If something hurts during the procedure, it’s okay to speak up; more numbing can be added.

Stitches vs glue vs strips

Not every cut needs stitches. Some wounds heal best with skin glue or Steri-Strips, especially when the cut is small and the edges naturally meet. Stitches are usually chosen for deeper wounds, gaping cuts, or areas that move a lot, where glue might fail. The goal is to keep the wound closed long enough for it to heal safely.

Bandage and tetanus check

After the wound is closed, the provider will cover it with a dressing and explain how to care for it at home. You’ll also be told when to return for stitch removal if needed. Depending on the type of cut and your vaccine history, the clinic may discuss tetanus protection.

Stitches Aftercare and Infection Signs

Aftercare matters because even a well-stitched cut can run into trouble if it’s not protected during healing. Once you leave urgent care, your job is simple: keep the area clean, avoid pulling it, and watch for signs of infection.

Basic care at home

Most stitches do best when the wound is kept clean and protected from friction. You’ll usually be asked to change dressings as instructed, avoid pulling or stretching the area, and keep an eye on how the wound looks each day. Healing should gradually feel better, not worse.

Can stitches get wet?

This depends on your provider’s instructions, but in general, gentle showering may be allowed after a specific period, while soaking is discouraged early on. Baths, pools, and hot tubs can soften the skin and make healing harder, especially if the wound is still fresh.

Infection warning signs

Watch for redness that spreads outward, increasing swelling or warmth, pus or drainage, fever, or pain that gets worse instead of better. If any of these appear, get checked quickly. If any of these appear, get checked quicklyyour provider may recommend lab diagnostic services to help identify infection concerns early.

Stitch Removal and Timeline

Stitches are a temporary support. They should stay in long enough to allow healing, but not so long that they irritate the skin. Timing depends on where the cut is and how much movement that area gets.

How long do stitches stay in

Face stitches are typically removed sooner, while joints, hands, and feet often require more time. Your provider will give you a timeline based on the specific wound, which is always more accurate than guessing.

Does urgent care remove stitches?

Yes, urgent care often removes stitches and checks the healing progress. This follow-up is helpful if you’re unsure whether the wound is ready or you want reassurance that it’s healing normally.

What removal feels like

Stitch removal is usually quick and mildly uncomfortable at most. Most people feel a slight tug or pinch as the stitch slides out. It’s usually more strange than painful.

Time Limit for Stitches

If stitches are needed, earlier evaluation is better. The longer a wound stays open, the more likely it is to become irritated, contaminated, or harder to close neatly. It’s best to get evaluated the same day, especially for deep or gaping cuts. If the wound is gaping or bleeding and doesn’t stop, it’s best to visit urgent care the same day for evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Stitches at Urgent Care

Can I Get Stitches at Urgent Care Without Insurance?

Yes, many urgent care clinics accept self-pay patients. The cost depends on the cut and the type of closure needed, but you can still receive treatment without insurance.

How Long Do Stitches Stay In?

Most stitches stay in for about 4–14 days, depending on the body area. Face stitches come out sooner, while joints and hands often take longer.

Can I Shower with Stitches?

Many people can shower carefully, but soaking is often discouraged early on. Follow the instructions provided for your specific wound.

What If My Stitches Come Out Early?

If stitches come out early, cover the wound with a clean bandage and get checked, especially if the cut opens back up or starts bleeding again.

Does Getting Stitches Hurt?

The numbing injection may sting briefly, but once numb, most people feel pressure rather than sharp pain. If you feel pain during the procedure, you can ask for more numbing.

How Soon Should You Remove Stitches?

Removal depends on wound location. Removing stitches too early can cause reopening, and leaving them in too long can irritate the skin. Follow your provider’s timeline.

Urgent Care Of Texas Serving the Central Arlington Community and Beyond in Arlington, TX

Urgent Care Of Texas is dedicated to serving the diverse healthcare needs of the local community of Arlington, including individuals and families residing in neighborhoods like Central Arlington. With its convenient location near landmarks such as The University of Texas at Arlington and major intersections like Smith Ln × S Fielder Rd (coordinates: 32.727759, -97.133652), we proudly provide fast, reliable urgent care services for walk-in patients.

Whether you need treatment for minor injuries, illnesses, physicals, or same-day medical care, our experienced medical team is here to help you feel better without long ER wait times.

Navigate from Central Arlington to Urgent Care Of Texas Now

Why Choose Urgent Care Texas for Stitches?

Urgent care can be a practical choice for non-life-threatening cuts because it focuses on fast evaluation, safe closure, and clear aftercare instructions. When choosing a clinic, look for a team experienced in laceration care, proper wound cleaning, multiple closure options, and follow-up support, such as stitch removal. If your cut is stable but needs professional closure, urgent care may be the right next step for safe healing and peace of mind.