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First Aid Kits

Be Prepared

Almost everyone will need to use a first aid kit at some time. Take the time to prepare a kit to have available for home and travel. First aid kits may be basic or comprehensive. What you need depends on your medical training and how far you are from professional medical help. Ready-made first aid kits are commercially available from chain stores or outdoor retailers. But you can make a simple and inexpensive first aid kit yourself.



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First Aid Kits

Removing Stitches Introduction

Among the many methods for closing wounds of the skin, stitching, or suturing, is the most common form of repairing a wound. Other methods include surgical staples, skin closure tapes, and adhesives.

Removing stitches or other skin-closure devices is a procedure that many people dread. Understanding the various skin-closure procedures and knowing how they are put in and what to expect when they are removed can help overcome much of this anxiety.

  • Stitches (also called sutures) are used to close cuts and wounds in skin. They can be used in nearly every part of the body, internally and externally. Doctors literally "sew" the skin together with individual sutures and tie a secure knot. Stitches then allow the skin to heal naturally when it otherwise may not come together.

    Stitches are used to close a variety of wound types. Accidental cuts or lacerations are often closed with stitches. Also, surgeons use stitches d...

Read the Removing Stitches article »



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An estimated more than 800 million travelers worldwide cross international boundaries each year.

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