# How long does it take a big wound to heal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 19, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-a-big-wound-to-heal/133014 "2002-10-19T21:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kriss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kriss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kriss)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-a-big-wound-to-heal/133014/1 "2002-10-19T21:34:23Z")
I had pilodinla cyst and had surgery on July 12th. So far the top part of the wound has closed but the bottom part is still open. its about 1 inch long and maybe 4 cm apart or something. Anyways it wont close! my doctor keeps on telling me it will close in 3 weeks but so far about almost 3 months and no closing. How long does it take, on average, to close and should I eat alot of meat containing protein and some multi-vitamin pills to speed the healing process? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-a-big-wound-to-heal/133014/2 "2002-10-19T22:00:36Z")
It’s “pilonidal”. [http://www.hemorrhoid.net/pruritisani.htm](http://www.hemorrhoid.net/pruritisani.htm) [http://www.dekalbsurgical.com/pilonidal\_cyst.html](http://www.dekalbsurgical.com/pilonidal_cyst.html) [http://www.pedisurg.com/PtEduc/Pilonidal\_Cyst.htm](http://www.pedisurg.com/PtEduc/Pilonidal_Cyst.htm) > [@](#): > > A pilonidal cyst or sinus is an abscess (localized collection of pus) or a chronic draining sinus (canal or passage leading to an abscess) located in the opening between the buttocks muscles. This cyst may have a deep cavity containing hair and may be without symptoms unless it becomes infected. > > Treatment consists of antibiotics if the area is infected. After the infection is cleared, a day surgery procedure to remove the cyst is performed. The cyst may be a simple abscess or may be draining from sinus tracts that need to be closed. The process of raising the borders of the emptied cyst and stitching them to form a pouch is called marsupialization. The interior of the pouch then empties the collection of pus and gradually closes. Several weeks of packing the pouch with gauze is needed to collect the pus while the pouch closes. Has your doctor actually looked at it, to make sure it isn’t infected again? Or is it like where you call him up on the phone and say, “Doctor, this thing isn’t healing up”, and he says, “It’s okay, it’ll heal up, be patient”, but he hasn’t actually looked at it, to see how it’s coming along? ---
**Author:** ![Kriss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kriss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kriss)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-a-big-wound-to-heal/133014/3 "2002-10-19T22:21:20Z")
He looked at it and gave me some antibiotic medicine. he said it might need to be drained again. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-a-big-wound-to-heal/133014/4 "2002-10-20T00:02:30Z")
Yeah, that’s kinda what I thought from reading those websites. “Chronic draining sinus” means “a hole or opening that always has pus coming out of it”, and it needs a doctor’s attention–it’s not something you just wait until it heals. ---
**Author:** ![lk1932](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@lk1932](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lk1932)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-does-it-take-a-big-wound-to-heal/133014/5 "2002-10-24T21:47:37Z")
I had back surgery because I had plates and screws inserted about ten years ago. I got an infection under the plates so had to have them removed. The wound was 11 inches long, 4 1/2 inches deep and 2 1/12 inches wide. No stitches or staples were used to close the wound as this would have caused the wound to close from the outs in and that would have sealed the infection in. I ran around that way for 6 1/2 months before the wound finally closed. If you have an infection there is no way the wound will close until the infection is cleared up.