• Select appropriate suture material - the finest suture compatible with holding the skin edges together
• Suture deeper layers with absorbable suture

• Insert needle through the skin at right angles including enough subcutaneous tissue to aid in everting the skin edges
• Exit through skin of the opposite edge at the same angle including a comparable volume of subcutaneous tissue.

Click here for a short video clip demonstrating a mattress skin suture

Click here for a short video clip demonstrating a simple skin suture

2. Simple continuous

• Insert needle as in [1]
• Continue suturing without tying ,over and over at fixed intervals and tie at the end.

• Used mainly to aid in everting skin edges in areas with a tendency to invert.
• Insert needle as in [1], at least 1cm away from the edge and exit through the opposite edge at the same width and depth
• Using a backhand grip reinsert needle through the skin close to the edges in the reverse fashion.

•  Starting from one end of the incision, insert needle through the dermis taking small bites alternately on one side and then the other
• Maintain sutures at same depth from the edge on both sides.
• At the end the sutures can be taped to the skin or tied over a dressing.