How many stitches does a wound need per inch?
It so depends upon type of laceration (straight or jagged) depthv ( multiple levels of suture), and location. Over a moving part, lots more. On a visible area like face, lots and little stitches. Leg? A few big ones. Most common wounds that I sutured required about 2 stitches per centimeter, so that would be about 5 per inch.
Remember:
For example, if you want a lap blanket that is 24 inches wide and your gauge is 4 stitches per inch, then you would need to cast on 96 stitches. A 96 stitch cast on would result in a small lap blanket. If you want a medium sized blanket, then try casting on 120 stitches. For a large lap blanket, cast on 160 stitches.
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.
In some cases the bandage can be removed after 24 to 48 hours, and the wound can then be gently washed to remove the crust. Do not scrub or soak the wound during the first 48 hours. If you did not get instructions, follow this general advice: Keep the wound bandaged and dry for the first day.
It is normal to feel pain at the incision site. The pain decreases as the wound heals. Most of the pain and soreness where the skin was cut should go away by the time the stitches or staples are removed. Soreness and pain from deeper tissues may last another week or two.
It is normal to have some clear or bloody discharge on the wound covering or bandage (dressing) for the first few days after surgery. If your wound was stitched closed, you should not have to change the dressing more than 3 times a day in the first few days.
The needle size you use to get 5 stitches per inch could be the same for both yarns (an average knitter would usually get 5 stitches per inch on a US 7 / 4.5 mm needle), but sometimes the weight of the yarn affects how tightly or loosely you knit.
Keep the wound bandaged and dry for the first day. After the first day, wash around the wound with clean water 2 times a day. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing. You may cover the wound with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a nonstick bandage.
Treatment by a doctor is more likely to be needed for: Wounds that are more than 0.25 in. (6.5 mm) deep, that have jagged edges, or that gape open. Deep wounds that go down to the fat, muscle, bone, or other deep structures.
Each stitch resembles a little V. To count stitches, count the number of V’s horizontally. Here there are 5.5 stitches in one inch.
Average – 6 stitches per inch.
