Help Do I have to worry about stitches?

[AngelTear]

I hope this is the best place to ask this...

So I cut myself deeper today
The cut was past the white stuff, idk what it's called
And the texture looks almost like beans?

The size of the cut isn't very long but the depth is much deeper than any I've done before on my arm
I'm just wondering if this will need stitches or anything
And just some general tips for healing/wound care would help

And no I wasn't trying to kill myself, slitting my wrist IS NOT and option for me

 

[Forveleth]

You vuy into the fat later below your skin. Thus us TOO DEEP. You should seek medical assistance once you cut this deep as you may need stitches. Cutting this deep also greatly increases your risk of infection. Please keep your wounc covered and clean.

 

[AngelTear]

You vuy into the fat later below your skin. Thus us TOO DEEP. You should seek medical assistance once you cut this deep as you may need stitches. Cutting this deep also greatly increases your risk of infection. Please keep your wounc covered and clean.

So what I'm seeing is fat??? :o
That's the bean texture I'm seeing???

It's covered right now and I already cleaned it and put neosporin on it
That's my typical care routine since what I have in my possession is limited
I'm not in position to see a doctor though, I have to do all I can at home
And honestly a part of me doesn't care either :/

 

[Forveleth]

So what I'm seeing is fat??? :o
That's the bean texture I'm seeing???

It's covered right now and I already cleaned it and put neosporin on it
That's my typical care routine since what I have in my possession is limited
I'm not in position to see a doctor though, I have to do all I can at home
And honestly a part of me doesn't care either :/

If it is a shortcut, you could be fine. Just be sure to check it once a day to make sure it is not getting infected. The Neosporin will help.

 

[lonergirl_26]

That's definitely beans.
How are you feeling? Physically and mentally?
It can be a shocking and scary experience.
I know medical attention isn't an option for a lot of people but if you can you should.
I'm not a doctor or an expert on aftercare.
Try your best to keep it clean and covered. Keep an eye out for signs of infection.
I'm not good at after care I just put a plaster on and hope for the best but never had any issues so far. So just try your best at keeping it clean.

 

[ilovenewyork]

If you get an infection from a cut that deep they sometimes amputate. So you should go to a medic and get it properly treated and dressed

 

[lonergirl_26]

If you get an infection from a cut that deep they sometimes amputate. So you should go to a medic and get it properly treated and dressed

Is that true?!!

 

[AngelTear]

That's definitely beans.
How are you feeling? Physically and mentally?
It can be a shocking and scary experience.
I know medical attention isn't an option for a lot of people but if you can you should.
I'm not a doctor or an expert on aftercare.
Try your best to keep it clean and covered. Keep an eye out for signs of infection.
I'm not good at after care I just put a plaster on and hope for the best but never had any issues so far. So just try your best at keeping it clean.

Psychically I feel ok, the cut stings is all but no serious pain
Mentally I feel alright, I felt instantly better after cutting

Yes I will clean it
I'm sure I have cuts like this before elsewhere on my body but I didn't realize it
It's the first time I cut that deep on my arm though

Sadly I have very little resources to give better care

Is that true?!!

Yes its possible but the infect would have to get terribly bad
If you seek medical attention in time you have a better chance of avoiding that

I just cleaned up my wound again
The air is super cold so it irritates everything
The skin felt taut, I really fucked myself up this time XD

luckily the other cuts are superficial
I have cut myself more in this week than I ever had before
And idk if I can stop now :/

 

[ilovenewyork]

It is true yes and the infection can progress quite quickly. You can also cause nerve damage and have numbness in your fingers and legs forever. Perhaps now is a good time to get some therapy for the cutting? They'll give you options at the hospital when they dress the wound

 

[AngelTear]

It is true yes and the infection can progress quite quickly. You can also cause nerve damage and have numbness in your fingers and legs forever. Perhaps now is a good time to get some therapy for the cutting? They'll give you options at the hospital when they dress the wound

Healthcare here is so bad
Everything would be booked
And all they would do is send me home anyways and never fix the problem in the first place

 

[ilovenewyork]

I'm sure they can dress a wound at the ER. You might have to wait a few hours. Better than risking losing a limb

How about throwing away all your razor blades / knives? It would be a good start.

 

[AngelTear]

I'm sure they can dress a wound at the ER. You might have to wait a few hours. Better than risking losing a limb

How about throwing away all your razor blades / knives? It would be a good start.

Can't do that, I don't wanna part from them yet
I could make an appointment for tomorrow but I really don't want to go to the doctor tbh
At this point I can only this destroy body

 

[ilovenewyork]

Why not go see the doctor they're there to help and I'm sure they've seen it all. Better to nip this issue in the bud. You don't want to end up disabled

 

[AngelTear]

Why not go see the doctor they're there to help and I'm sure they've seen it all. Better to nip this issue in the bud. You don't want to end up disabled

I prefer to be dead tbh which might not be too long from now

Yeah I guess I might as well get checked out, I'm not guaranteeing anything though

 

[EternallyCold]

I hope this is the best place to ask this...

So I cut myself deeper today
The cut was past the white stuff, idk what it's called
And the texture looks almost like beans?

The size of the cut isn't very long but the depth is much deeper than any I've done before on my arm
I'm just wondering if this will need stitches or anything
And just some general tips for healing/wound care would help

And no I wasn't trying to kill myself, slitting my wrist IS NOT and option for me

I cut myself too, and usually my wounds are hypodermis or fascia, and i heal them on my own. Though, i really recommend getting stitches for yours since you're not experienced in caring for such deep wounds. The white part is called the dermis, which is the second layer of the skin. That bean stuff you described is the subcutaneous fat (or hypordermis), the third layer of the skin. If you're not able to get stitches, i recommend reading this google doc on wound care: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CsvJs8qNCVkHWHKekMSmCn6qn0GBEcgnq9fIqlA6Uv0/edit?usp=drivesdk
I would definitely recommend getting stitches though since there's a lower chance of infection and the wound will heal a lot faster

 

[AngelTear]

I cut myself too, and usually my wounds are hypodermis or fascia, and i heal them on my own. Though, i really recommend getting stitches for yours since you're not experienced in caring for such deep wounds. The white part is called the dermis, which is the second layer of the skin. That bean stuff you described is the subcutaneous fat (or hypordermis), the third layer of the skin. If you're not able to get stitches, i recommend reading this google doc on wound care: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CsvJs8qNCVkHWHKekMSmCn6qn0GBEcgnq9fIqlA6Uv0/edit?usp=drivesdk
I would definitely recommend getting stitches though since there's a lower chance of infection and the wound will heal a lot faster

Wait the 3rd layer of the skin isn't that deep? Like...I'm just shocked it's not very deep
The cut itself isn't near an inch deep more like less than a millimeter and I got to the fat?? Wow I know nothing about anatomy...

What's fascia? Also I think I upset some of the wounds from moving around too much
And I don't have proper medical equipment to care for it since I have no money to buy it
I also can't go to the hospital at this moment or doctor because my mom's having another fucking meltdown so I'm fucked while she's like this

Thank you for the info though!

 

[gunmetalblue11]

Can you maybe buy plastic stitches? They sell them at pharmacies (in Europe) for like 5€. They might not work very well depending on the size of the wound. But could to the job. They are easy to apply. If you have Betadine, dont hesitate to use it on the bandaging and to clean around the area during wound care. Don't keep the cut too damp, that will help bacteria grow. It should be always patted dry (with a sterile swab, or paper towel, no cotton that carries bacteria often) after whatever you use to clean it, saline water is the best (you can make some at home). You can keep it, if it's bandaged well, for two days without changing the dressing.
Also after generally 48 hours stitches won't make much of a difference anymore since the wound has started to heal.
But like above, I would advise medical care. The ER is maybe your best bet, even if your mother may be a hindrance. It's your health on the line.

Edit: theses are tips I'm sharing as I have had to treat bad wounds with no money for proper dressings or a doctor in the past.

 

[EternallyCold]

Wait the 3rd layer of the skin isn't that deep? Like...I'm just shocked it's not very deep
The cut itself isn't near an inch deep more like less than a millimeter and I got to the fat?? Wow I know nothing about anatomy...

What's fascia? Also I think I upset some of the wounds from moving around too much
And I don't have proper medical equipment to care for it since I have no money to buy it
I also can't go to the hospital at this moment or doctor because my mom's having another fucking meltdown so I'm fucked while she's like this

Thank you for the info though!

The 3rd layer of the skin IS deep, it's the last layer! Fascia is a thin white layer that separates hypodermis from muscle, I don't think I've ever gotten past that. Self-harm care doesn't require much equipment. You would need saline, antiseptic cream and plasters/bandages. Even though they can be expensive, i really recommend getting them as you wouldn't want to risk an infection, which would be even more costly. Since you can't see a doctor, you can try closing the wound with steri strips, they can be found in pharmacies. If not, wash the wound with saline, put some cream around the edges of the wound (not directly on the wound), put petroleum jelly on the plaster/bandage and place it on your wound. Remember to change the dressings every 24 hours. Once your wound starts to scar around the edges, that's when you know to start letting it heal without a plaster/bandage. Below Ive attached some products I usually use. Stay safe, read the docs for signs of infections and for more information. Feel free to ask me any questions

 

[AngelTear]

Can you maybe buy plastic stitches? They sell them at pharmacies (in Europe) for like 5€. They might not work very well depending on the size of the wound. But could to the job. They are easy to apply. If you have Betadine, dont hesitate to use it on the bandaging and to clean around the area during wound care. Don't keep the cut too damp, that will help bacteria grow. It should be always patted dry (with a sterile swab, or paper towel, no cotton that carries bacteria often) after whatever you use to clean it, saline water is the best (you can make some at home). You can keep it, if it's bandaged well, for two days without changing the dressing.
Also after generally 48 hours stitches won't make much of a difference anymore since the wound has started to heal.
But like above, I would advise medical care. The ER is maybe your best bet, even if your mother may be a hindrance. It's your health on the line.

Edit: theses are tips I'm sharing as I have had to treat bad wounds with no money for proper dressings or a doctor in the past.

I'm not European but I managed to fin these things called butterfly stitches??
The only problem is that the deeper cut is surrounded by smaller cuts so its in a tricky position

 

[gunmetalblue11]

butterfly stitches??

Yep that's them.

The only problem is that the deeper cut is surrounded by smaller cuts so its in a tricky position

Your priority is the larger cut, so just clean and sanitise the entire area. Betadine for example is great for this, if you don't have that whatever you've used for care to this point. Pat dry with either a clean paper towel or preferably a sterile swab, they won't stick if the skin isn't dry. Then place the stitches and if they have to slightly overlay other cuts to work, so be it i'd say.

 

[Blueberry Panic]

I hope this is the best place to ask this...

So I cut myself deeper today
The cut was past the white stuff, idk what it's called
And the texture looks almost like beans?

The size of the cut isn't very long but the depth is much deeper than any I've done before on my arm
I'm just wondering if this will need stitches or anything
And just some general tips for healing/wound care would help

And no I wasn't trying to kill myself, slitting my wrist IS NOT and option for me

It honestly would be best to get stitches especially if it keeps opening and bleeding

 

[AngelTear]

@EternallyCold
I tried to message you privately but it wouldn't let me
Anyways, I used one of the butterfly stitch things over the larger cut
The adhesive overlaps on a cut above it

But I'm just wondering if I did it correctly. I didn't put any tension on the stitch as the box directed. the thin middle line sits over the largest width of the cut. That's how I'm supposed to do it right?

 

[EternallyCold]

I didn't put any tension on the stitch as the box directed.

That's good, you did the right thing. The idea behind butterfly stitches is to bring the edges of the wound together without pulling them too tightly coz that would cause damage and discomfort.

the thin middle line sits over the largest width of the cut.

The thin middle line should align with the widest part of the cut (the deepest part or largest opening). That sounds like what you did so that's good.

The adhesive overlaps on a cut above it

That shouldn't be a problem, as long as it's not pulling on the tissue or making it difficult for the wound to heal. It might even help secure the stitch better, just make sure the skin is not compressed or too strained.

It sounds like you got the basic idea down, just make sure to keep the wound clean and dry and avoid getting water in it (like when showering or bathing) and be cautious when moving it so you don't put stress on the area. Covering the entire area with a large bandaid or pad of gauze can be helpful.