Overview
An incision may be closed with: 1. Sutures (stitches) on the outside of the body. 2. Surgical staples, which provide added strength to the incision. 3. Sutures on the inside, underneath the skin. Small sticky strips (called Steri-strips) may be placed on your skin across the incision line. These strips will fall off when the incision has healed.
Review Date 4/20/2022
Updated by: Debra G. Wechter, MD, FACS, General Surgery Practice Specializing in Breast Cancer, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.