Yes. Closing cuts is one of the most common things urgent care does. Maxem Health handles cuts and lacerations, wound care, incision and drainage, and suture or staple removal at all clinics.
The harder question is whether your cut needs closing at all, and how long you have to decide.
Does this cut need stitches?
Lean toward getting it looked at if any of these are true:
- It gapes. If the edges do not fall together on their own, or you can see yellow fat or anything deeper, it needs closure.
- It is longer than about half an inch and more than superficially deep.
- Bleeding has not stopped after ten minutes of firm, continuous direct pressure.
- It is on the face, near the eye, or anywhere the scar will show. Closure changes the cosmetic result.
- It crosses a joint, a knuckle or a knee, where movement will keep pulling it open.
- It was caused by something dirty or rusty, by glass, or by a bite.
- Numbness or weakness past the cut, which can mean nerve or tendon involvement.
Shallow scrapes, paper cuts and small nicks that stop bleeding on their own generally do not need stitches. Clean them, cover them, and watch for infection.
The timing window
This is the part people get wrong. Wounds are not closed indefinitely. The longer a cut stays open, the higher the infection risk once it is sealed, and past a certain point a provider will deliberately leave it open to heal rather than trap bacteria inside.
That window is measured in hours, not days, and it is shorter for wounds on the hands and feet than on the face. If you think a cut might need stitches, the same day matters. Do not wait to see how it looks in the morning.
What happens at the clinic
A provider examines the wound, checks how deep it goes, and tests for nerve and tendon function past the injury. The wound is cleaned and irrigated, which is the step that actually prevents infection. Local anaesthetic numbs the area, then the wound is closed with sutures, staples, skin adhesive or adhesive strips depending on where it is and how it sits.
You will be asked when your last tetanus shot was. Maxem Health gives tetanus shots on site, so an out-of-date booster is handled during the same visit.
If the cut is over a bone and the mechanism was forceful, on-site X-ray can check for an underlying fracture or retained glass before anything is closed.
Getting them out again
Sutures and staples come out on a schedule that depends on location: a few days for the face, longer for a joint or the lower leg. Maxem Health does suture and staple removal as a walk-in service, including for stitches placed somewhere else. If you were closed up in an emergency room out of town, you do not need to go back there to have them removed.
When to skip urgent care and go to the ER
Some wounds belong in an emergency room rather than urgent care. Go to the ER or call 9-1-1 for:
- Life-threatening conditions
- Heart attack or stroke
- Open fractures
- Severe bleeding
- Chest pain
- Head injury or other major trauma
- One-sided weakness or numbness
- Loss of consciousness
- Severe abdominal pain
If you are experiencing any of these, call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not drive yourself.
Also go to the ER for deep wounds to the chest, abdomen or neck, for anything with arterial bleeding that spurts rather than oozes, and for amputations.
Frequently asked questions
Can urgent care do stitches, or only the ER?
Urgent care closes most simple lacerations. Maxem Health lists cuts and lacerations, wound care and suture removal among its injury services. Deep wounds involving arteries, tendons, nerves or body cavities go to an emergency room.
How late is too late for stitches?
It depends on the wound and its location, but the window is hours rather than days, and it is shortest for the hands and feet. Same-day is the rule. A wound closed too late traps bacteria and is more likely to get infected.
Will I need a tetanus shot?
Possibly, depending on when you last had one and how the wound happened. Maxem Health gives tetanus shots on site. Note that immunisations are excluded from the Discount Program.
Can I get stitches out at urgent care if I got them somewhere else?
Yes. Suture and staple removal is a walk-in service at Maxem Health regardless of where the wound was originally closed.
Walk in at a Maxem Health clinic
Maxem Health Urgent Care has 15 clinics across Mississippi, Louisiana and Oregon, open seven days a week including holidays. Most clinics run Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm and Sunday 9am to 6pm, though hours vary by location. No appointment needed. Walk in, or save your spot online before you leave the house.
Save your spot at your nearest Maxem Health clinic, or find clinic addresses and hours.
This article is general health information, not medical advice. It does not replace an evaluation by a licensed provider. If you are worried about your symptoms, get seen.