Same-Day Wound Care

Cuts, Wounds, and Stitches in Elstree

Same-day wound assessment, cleaning, and closure — sutures, tissue glue, or steri-strips, depending on the wound. Tetanus boosters, antibiotic decisions per BNF, and minor surgery on site. Adults and children aged 1 and over.

Adult consultation £110 · child consultation £95 (ages 1–15) · closure materials and tetanus charged additionally. For heavy bleeding that won’t stop, suspected tendon or nerve injury, or large/deep wounds — call 999or attend A&E.

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When We Can Help

When Same-Day Wound Care Helps

Most cuts and minor wounds heal best with prompt cleaning and the right closure technique. Common presentations:

Lacerations needing closure

Cuts that gape open, are deeper than superficial, or won't stop bleeding with simple pressure — assessment, cleaning, and closure (sutures, glue, or steri-strips depending on the wound).

Minor burns

Small thermal burns (contact with hot surface, oil splash, brief flame) — cooling, dressing, pain management, and clear infection-watch advice.

Wounds from a fall or impact

Grazes, scrapes, and shallow lacerations after a sports injury, cycling fall, or domestic accident — cleaning to prevent infection, dressing.

Glass or foreign body in a wound

Suspected glass, splinter, or other foreign material — examination, removal where possible, imaging if needed (radio-opaque foreign bodies show on X-ray).

Wound infection developing

An older wound (yours or one cleaned elsewhere) showing redness, swelling, warmth, or discharge — assessment and antibiotic decision per BNF guidance.

Suture removal

Stitches placed elsewhere that need removing — quick consultation to remove and check the wound has healed.

Important Safety Information

When You Should Go to A&E, Not Us

Some wounds need hospital-level care or specialist surgery. Call 999 or attend A&E directly if any of these apply:

Red flags — A&E directly:

  • Heavy bleeding that won't stop with 10 minutes of firm direct pressure
  • Deep facial laceration, particularly through the lip or eyelid — best closed by plastic surgery
  • Suspected tendon, nerve, or major blood vessel injury (loss of finger movement, numbness past the cut, pulsatile bleeding)
  • Wounds older than 12-24 hours that haven't been cleaned
  • Large, deep wounds requiring exploration under anaesthesia
  • Animal or human bite wounds — see our bites and stings page; some still suitable for us, depending on size and location
  • Burns larger than the size of the patient's palm, or any burn involving face, hands, feet, genitals, or major joints
  • Chemical or electrical burns, or burns with airway involvement (singed nose hair, voice change, soot in mouth)

Antibiotic decisions follow BNF guidance. Tetanus follows UKHSA Green Book. If you’re unsure, call NHS 111.

Call 999

Your Visit

What Happens at Your Visit

Triage and assessment

Quick history of how the wound happened, when, what's been done so far. Examination of wound depth, length, and location, with checks for tendon, nerve, or vascular involvement.

Cleaning and closure

Local anaesthetic where needed, thorough irrigation, foreign body removal, and closure using whichever technique suits the wound: dissolvable or removable sutures, tissue glue, or steri-strips.

Decision and plan

  • Wound cleaning and assessment: Thorough irrigation under appropriate analgesia, examination for foreign material, depth assessment, and tendon/nerve check.
  • Closure on site: Sutures (dissolvable or removable), tissue glue (good for clean facial wounds in cooperative patients), or steri-strips (for low-tension superficial wounds). Choice depends on location, depth, age of wound, and cosmetic priority.
  • Tetanus assessment per UKHSA: Vaccination history reviewed; booster given on site if clinically indicated and the wound is high-risk (deep, contaminated, animal bite).
  • Onward referral when needed: Complex facial lacerations to plastic surgery; suspected tendon or nerve injury to hand surgery; large or deep wounds needing operative closure to A&E. Centennial's specialist consultants are arranged during your visit.

Transparent Pricing

What It Costs and How Long It Takes

Consultation fee: £110 adult / £95 child — covers assessment.

Closure materials (sutures, glue, dressings): charged separately at cost.

Tetanus booster (if needed): charged additionally.

Time on site: typically 30–60 minutes for simple closure, longer for complex wounds.

Suture removal: brief consultation if you've had stitches placed elsewhere — quick and inexpensive.

Insurance: detailed receipts provided.

After Your Visit

Aftercare and Follow-Up

  • Wound care instructions — when to keep dry, when to change dressings, when to leave open
  • Specific suture removal date and where to have it done
  • Activity guidance — bathing, exercise, work, sport
  • Scar minimisation advice (sun protection, massage from 2 weeks)
  • Red-flag symptoms: spreading redness, increasing pain, fever, pus, wound separation, or red lines from the wound

Common Questions

Common Questions about Wound Care

Can I walk in for stitches?

Yes. Walk-in or book online — same-day. The doctor will assess the wound during your consultation and decide whether stitches, glue, or steri-strips is the right approach. Most simple lacerations are closed within the visit.

How quickly do I need stitches after a cut?

Sooner is better. Most lacerations are best closed within 6-12 hours of injury — beyond that, infection risk rises and we may opt to leave the wound open to heal naturally (delayed closure). For facial wounds we extend the window slightly given cosmetic priority. If your wound is more than a day old, we can still help — assessment, cleaning, and an honest conversation about options.

Will it scar?

Some scarring is unavoidable on any wound that's needed closure. The visible result depends on wound location (face heals differently to back), tension across the wound, your skin type, and how the closure is done. We use the technique most likely to give the best cosmetic result for the wound type. For high-cosmetic-priority wounds (face, particularly children), referral to plastic surgery may be the right call.

When do stitches come out?

Depends where they are. Face: usually 4-7 days. Scalp: 7-10 days. Trunk and limbs: 10-14 days. Hands and feet: 10-14 days. Joints under tension: longer, sometimes with reinforcement. Your discharge letter specifies the exact date and where to have them removed (with us, your GP, or any UK healthcare provider).

Can you do this for children?

Yes — children aged 1 and over. Children's wounds often respond well to glue closure (less distressing than sutures) where the wound type allows. Our team is trained in distraction techniques and child-friendly wound care. We don't see children under 1; for younger infants with any laceration, contact your GP, NHS 111, or call 999 if there's heavy bleeding.

What does it cost?

Adult consultation £110, child £95 — covers the doctor's assessment. Closure materials (sutures, glue, dressing) are charged separately at cost. We'll explain the total before proceeding so there are no surprises. If a tetanus booster is needed, that's also additional.

Walk In or Book Online

Same-Day Wound Closure

GMC-registered emergency medicine doctors. CQC registered, part of Centennial Medical Care.

Open seven days: Mon–Fri 8am–8pm · Sat–Sun 9am–6pm

Centennial Park, Centennial Ave, Elstree, Borehamwood WD6 3FG · Free parking

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Last reviewed: 5 May 2026

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