Purpose: Despite plenty of evidence that the healing of skin wounds is fostered by the use of skin tape and early suture removal, the technique has not been widely practiced. In order to investigate the combined technique of early suture removal using skin tape, we compared it with conventional suture removal. Methods: We analyzed, retrospectively, 260 patients who underwent on appendectomy during 1999 to compare the two methods on the basis of age, sex, wound infection by class and incision type, cosmetic effect, and other suture site complication, including seroma, hematoma, dehiscence, and pain. Results: Out of these 260 patients, 124 had conventional suture removal while 136 had early suture removal using skin tape. In the group of early suture removal using skin tape, thee were a lower incidence of seroma, hematoma, and wound infection, a shorter period of postoperative wound pain, and superior cosmetic results and patient acceptability. Conclusion: We have found the combined technique to have advantages that produce a lower incidence of wound complication with a superior cosmetic result and an excellent patient acceptance. (J Korean Surg Soc 2001;60:200-203)