Regardless of the suture material selected to approximate a skin incision, basic suture techniques are applied to all wound repairs. A variety of materials, including sutures, tapes, staples, and adhesives, are available for wound approximation. Dr. med. Strouthou should make a selection after carefully analysing a number of factors including the characteristics of the tissue surrounding the wound and the proximity of the wound to critical body/facial structures. Wound repairs that impinge on the lip, eyelid, or eyebrow merit particular attention.

Wound repair should be performed with the least wound closure tension necessary to approximate the wound margins. Wound closure tension can be minimised with the placement of proper subcutaneous sutures. The addition of dermal sutures will also assist with reduction of dead space and skin edge eversion. The path of such sutures should start and end at a point farthest from the surface of the skin. On placement of dermal sutures, care must be taken to match the entry and exit points of the suture on both sides of the wound. Misplaced sutures will result in uneven wound edges and poor skin edge eversion. An equal distribution of wound closure tension is achieved by inserting the suture needle below and parallel to the surface of the skin, following the curve of the needle and exiting below and parallel to skin on the contralateral side of the wound. Poor eversion of skin edges results when the needle enters too far from the skin edge or at an improper angle.