My child's face is cut: should we go to the emergency room or a plastic surgery clinic?
When a child's face is cut, this guide separates the signs that call for an emergency room from cuts a plastic surgery clinic can treat, and explains how many hours you have. Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic in Myeongji-dong, Busan covers the choice inside and outside clinic hours and care before the visit.
Quick answer
Go to an emergency room right now if bleeding does not stop after more than 10 minutes of pressure, feeling or movement is abnormal, an object is embedded, or other parts of the body are seriously injured as well. Without those signs, a facial cut that has stopped bleeding can be assessed for suturing at a plastic surgery clinic, and Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic advises visiting within 6–24 hours when possible. Weekday hours are 10:00–19:30, with registration closing at 19:00; Saturday hours are 10:00–15:00. Outside those hours, or if the next clinic session is more than 24 hours away, use an emergency room first.
Why it matters now
Facial cuts sit where scars show, so precise suturing matters, but if there is bleeding, nerve damage, or an embedded object to deal with first, assessing the injury comes before the scar. Whether to choose the emergency room or a plastic surgery clinic depends not on how the cut looks but on whether there are danger signs right now and how soon care is available.
What are the signs that mean going to the emergency room right now?
If bleeding does not stop after more than 10 minutes of pressure or blood is spurting out, go to the emergency room right away. If the injured area has no feeling or moves abnormally, an object such as a shard of glass is embedded, or other parts of the body are seriously injured too, assessing the whole body comes before the facial cut.
| If this is the situation | What is considered | Basis and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Bleeding does not stop after more than 10 minutes of pressure, or blood is spurting | What is consideredEmergency room right now | Basis and limitsMedlinePlus and the NHS list bleeding that cannot be stopped as a criterion for immediate emergency care. |
| No feeling or abnormal movement, an embedded object, or serious injury elsewhere | What is consideredEmergency room right now; do not remove the object | Basis and limitsNerve and blood vessel damage and serious injuries elsewhere must be checked before suturing. |
| Bitten by a person or animal, or soiled with dirt or saliva and still dirty after cleaning | What is consideredSame-day care (emergency room or plastic surgery clinic) | Basis and limitsInfection risk is high, so cleaning and wound assessment come first, and whether to suture depends on the wound's condition. |
| Bleeding has stopped, but the cut gapes 3 mm or more, shows the dermis or fat layer, or is around the eyes, lips, forehead, or nose | What is consideredPlastic surgery clinic visit, ideally within 6–24 hours | Basis and limitsThese are Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic's suturing criteria. Depth must be confirmed by a clinician. |
| Shallow, not gaping, and bleeding stops soon | What is consideredClean, cover, and watch | Basis and limitsIf redness, warmth, pus, or fever develops, the wound should be checked for infection. |
Which cuts can go to a plastic surgery clinic instead of the emergency room?
If none of the emergency signs above are present, pressure has stopped the bleeding, and the child is responding normally, a plastic surgery clinic can assess whether suturing is needed. Microsuturing matters on the face, around the eyes, and on the lips, where scars show or movement is frequent, so scar-conscious suturing and follow-up care in one place is an advantage.
Cuts suited to a plastic surgery clinic
Facial lacerations that have stopped bleeding, cuts gaping 3 mm or more, cuts showing the dermis or fat layer, and cuts around the eyes, lips, forehead, or nose
Cuts where the emergency room comes first
Bleeding that will not stop, abnormal feeling or movement, an embedded object, or serious injury to other parts of the body
Same-day care wherever it is available
Bites from a person or animal, wounds still dirty after cleaning, and cases where the last tetanus shot was more than 10 years ago or is uncertain
How many hours do we have, and what if the injury happens at night or on the weekend?
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic advises visiting within 6–24 hours for a child's facial cut when possible and having it sutured within 24 hours of the injury. Weekday hours are 10:00–19:30, with registration closing at 19:00; Saturday hours are 10:00–15:00. The clinic is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
If the injury happens outside clinic hours but there are no emergency signs and the bleeding has stopped, rinse the cut, cover it with gauze or a bandage, and come in as soon as the next session opens; that keeps you within 24 hours. If the next session is more than 24 hours away, as on Saturday afternoon, Sunday, or a public holiday, or the cut is deep and gapes widely, do not wait and go to the emergency room.
After 7:30 pm on a weekday
If there are no emergency signs, rinse and cover the cut and come in when the clinic opens at 10 am the next day.
After 3 pm on Saturday, Sunday, or a public holiday
The next session is more than 24 hours away, so emergency room care is recommended.
A cut that is already hours old
Even past 24 hours, do not leave it; have the wound assessed so the closure method can be decided.
How does Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic assess a child's facial cut, and what does it cost?
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic checks wound depth, how far it gapes, the bleeding pattern, and the direction of skin tension lines before deciding on microsuturing, and sutures layer by layer down to the dermis, fat layer, and muscle layer depending on depth. Local anesthesia or a syrup sedative is used depending on age and weight, and stitches are removed after 7 or 10 days.
The published non-covered fee table does not list a single price for pediatric microsuturing (checked October 22, 2026). The total cost is confirmed after examination based on wound length and depth, anesthesia or sedation, and aftercare, and non-covered fees are subject to change.
- STEP 01
Before the visit
Rinse with running water or saline and cover with gauze or a bandage. Avoid alcohol and alcohol swabs.
- STEP 02
Wound check
Depth, how far the wound gapes, the bleeding pattern, and the direction of skin tension lines are checked.
- STEP 03
Anesthesia and suturing
After anesthesia suited to age and weight, deeper tissue is sutured first, layer by layer.
- STEP 04
Follow-up care
Care continues in the order of dressing, stitch removal, scar ointment, sun protection, and scar laser if needed.
Anesthesia, suturing, stitch removal, and scar-care plans can vary with age, weight, and wound depth and condition, so the medical team's diagnosis and instructions take priority.
Are there numbers comparing suturing results between emergency rooms and plastic surgery clinics?
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic has no published statistics on pediatric facial suturing results or complications, and we found no study directly comparing scar outcomes between emergency rooms and plastic surgery clinics. The data we confirmed cover the relationship between time to closure and infection rates, and 3-month scar scores for facial cuts sutured in a pediatric emergency department.
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic data
Suturing results and complication statistics: no published data
Zehtabchi et al., 2012 (4 studies, 3,724 patients)
In simple emergency department lacerations, infection rates for wounds that presented late ranged from 1.4% to 32% across studies, and no evidence supported the textbook closure window of 3–24 hours. Only the smallest study, limited to hand and forearm wounds, found a 4.8-fold higher infection risk for wounds older than 12 hours.
Luck et al., 2008 (47 completed)
For facial lacerations sutured in a pediatric emergency department, 3-month scar scores out of 100 were 92.3 for absorbable sutures and 93.7 for nylon sutures. Infection, wound opening, and keloid rates did not differ.
What to keep in mind about these numbers
Both sources are either low-quality evidence or a small single-center study, and neither measured differences by which department did the suturing.
If the emergency room treated the cut first, where does follow-up care happen?
If the cut was sutured or glued in the emergency room, the wound should be checked and stitches removed on the date you were given. Care after suturing continues in the order of dressing, stitch removal, scar ointment, sun protection, and scar laser if needed, and Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic follows progress for 2–3 months with scar ointment and proceeds to scar treatment if necessary.
Before stitch removal
Keep the sutured area clean and dry for the first 24–48 hours, then wash around it without rubbing the stitches directly.
Signs to return right away
Redness, pain, or yellow pus; bleeding that does not stop after 10 minutes of pressure; new numbness; fever of 37.7°C or higher; or a wound that has split open or stitches that came out too soon
Starting scar care
After stitch removal, continue scar ointment and sun protection, and after 2–3 months of follow-up consider scar laser if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Child's face is cut, emergency room or plastic surgery clinic
If bleeding does not stop after more than 10 minutes of pressure, feeling or movement is abnormal, or an object is embedded, go to the emergency room. If the bleeding has stopped and the child is responding normally, a plastic surgery clinic can assess whether suturing is needed, and Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic advises visiting within 6–24 hours when possible.
Child cut their face at night, can we go to the clinic in the morning
If there are no emergency signs and the bleeding has stopped, rinse the cut, cover it with gauze or a bandage, and come in when the clinic opens the next day; that keeps you within 24 hours. If the cut is deep and gapes widely, or the next session is more than 24 hours away, going to the emergency room is safer.
Plastic surgery clinic hours for stitching a child's face
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic is open 10:00–19:30 on weekdays, with registration closing at 19:00, and 10:00–15:00 on Saturdays. The clinic is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Outside clinic hours, or if bleeding does not stop, use an emergency room first.
About the clinic behind this article
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic is a board-certified plastic surgery clinic in Myeongji-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan. Dr. Hyungseok Noh, board-certified plastic surgeon and medical director, provides care.
- Address
- Units 302–305, Building 1, 3 Myeongji-gukje 2-ro 28beon-gil, Gangseo-gu, Busan
- Main Line
- 051-711-7991
- Clinic Hours
- Weekdays AM 10:00 ~ PM 07:30Saturday AM 10:00 ~ PM 03:00Sundays & Public Holidays Closed
- Treatment guide
- View the Pediatric Microsuturing page
- Booking
- Naver Booking
REFERENCES
References
This article uses the clinic’s published information together with authoritative medical sources.
- Myongji Best Plastic Surgery ClinicPediatric Microsuturing guide
Supports: Suturing criteria, assessment items, the recommended 6–24 hour visit window, anesthesia, stitch-removal timing, and the order of scar care
Wound depth, how far it gapes, the bleeding pattern, and the direction of skin tension lines are checked before deciding on microsuturing.
- Myongji Best Plastic Surgery ClinicWound Suturing guide
Supports: Suturing recommended within 24 hours of injury, and the importance of microsuturing on the face, around the eyes, and on the lips
Microsuturing matters on areas where scars show or movement is frequent, such as the face, around the eyes, and the lips.
- Myongji Best Plastic Surgery ClinicClinic hours and emergency guidance
Supports: Weekday and Saturday clinic hours and guidance to use an emergency room outside those hours
Weekday hours are 10:00–19:30, with registration closing at 19:00; Saturday hours are 10:00–15:00. Outside those hours, or if bleeding does not stop, use an emergency room first.
- MedlinePlusCuts and puncture wounds
Supports: Criteria for immediate emergency care (bleeding, sensation, function), the possible need for stitches on facial cuts, and criteria for bites, embedded objects, and tetanus
The wound is more than a quarter inch (0.64 centimeter) deep, on the face, or reaching the bone. Stitches may be needed.
- NHSCuts and grazes
Supports: Emergency criteria (bleeding that will not stop, abnormal feeling or movement, a bad facial cut, an embedded object) and same-day care criteria (bites, dirty wounds)
there's something stuck in the cut, such as a shard of glass – do not try to take it out yourself
- MedlinePlusLaceration - sutures or staples - at home
Supports: Care in the first 24–48 hours after suturing and signs to return
Keep the area clean and dry for the first 24 to 48 hours after stitches have been placed.
- PubMedThe impact of wound age on the infection rate of simple lacerations repaired in the emergency department
Zehtabchi S, Tan A, Yadav K, Badawy A, Lucchesi M. Injury. 2012;43(11):1793-1798. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2012.02.018. PMID: 22424703
Supports: The relationship between time to closure and infection rates, and the limits of evidence for a closure window
The existing evidence does not support the existence of a golden period nor does it support the role of wound age on infection rate in simple lacerations.
- PubMedCosmetic outcomes of absorbable versus nonabsorbable sutures in pediatric facial lacerations
Luck RP, Flood R, Eyal D, Saludades J, Hayes C, Gaughan J. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2008;24(3):137-142. doi:10.1097/PEC.0b013e3181666f87. PMID: 18347489
Supports: 3-month scar scores for 47 children with facial lacerations sutured in a pediatric emergency department
The observers' mean VAS for the catgut group was 92.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 89.1-95.4) and that for the nylon group was 93.7 (95% CI, 91.4-96.0)
Published 2026.10.23Last updated 2026.10.23