How do you tell if you need stitches?

One of the ways to tell if a wound requires stitches is to pinch the wound together after it has been cleaned and bleeding has decreased, according to WebMD. If the edges of the wound come together and it looks better, then it may require stitches.

Other wounds that may require stitches, according to WebMD, are deep wounds with jagged edges, wounds that go down to the muscle, fat or bone, and wounds that continue to bleed after 15 minutes of pressure. Wounds over a certain location may also need medical attention, including deep wounds on the fingers or hands and wounds on top of joints, especially if the wound opens when the joint is moved and fat or bone is exposed.