When do you need stitches - upper lip cut?

[newfsmith]

Generally speaking, a wound more than 4 or 5 hours old is considered contaminated and can't just be sutured. Maybe they will stretch that with some of the newer antibiotics. If you are concerned about the cosmetics, contact a plastic surgeon, some will see you on a same day basis for a small wound. Otherwise you go the the ER & request a referral to a plastic surgeon, if there is not one covering.

[leslieo]

Thanks for the info. I went ahead and went to the ER last night, and I'm glad I did. They felt I didn't need stitches, but I had glass and junk in the cuts, so they numbed it and scrubbed it out, trimmed hanging skin, etc. Didn't take but an hour or so.