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When Should Facelift Sutures Be Removed?

asked 1 year ago by BrookeinCO in Colorado
Latest answer by Sam Naficy, MD
Question viewed 1,113 times
Tags: ears, sutures

How Many Days Post Op from a Facelift Should Sutures in Front of Ears Be Removed, for the best possible chance of limited scarring? Thank you

43 answers to When Should Facelift Sutures Be Removed?

+2

Facelift: sutures

Generally pre/ post auricular sutures are removed 5 - 7 days after surgery. Everybody's case is unique and you should follow the orders of the surgeon.
Philip Miller, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drphilipmiller.com

+2

Suture removal following face lift

Hello and thank you for the question. Pre-auricular sutures or those in front of the ears, are generally removed at 5-6 days following your procedure. Your surgeon will make the determination as to when the sutures should be removed based on the suture type, the method of closure, and how your healing is progressing. Best of luck, Glenn Vallecillos, M.D., F.A.C.S. 
Glenn Vallecillos, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+2

Suture Removalf after Face Lift or Necklift

We like to remove the potentially visible sutures 6 days after facelifting. I do not think that 1 day plus or minus will make a dramatic difference. Appropriate incision placement and careful incision suturing is of superior importance. Personally, I believe that the suture material chosen will have an impact on the final scarline, too.
Frank P. Fechner, MD

Worcester Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drfechner.com

+2

Suture Removal After Facelift

I generally remove preauricular (in front of ear) sutures 4-6 days after surgery.   We being scar massage therapy 2-3 weeks later.
C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+2

Suture Removal on Facelift

I typically remove my skin sutures at 4-5 days after surgery.   Depending on a patients skin characteristics and wound healing capabilities, I may wait until a week if it is in the best interest of the patient.   I do place several deep dissolvable sutures to take tension off the skin closure.   I find that this significantly reduces scar widening due to tension and allows me to remove the skin level sutures early enough to minimize the railroad track appearance. I wish... more
Paul S. Gill, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+2

Face lift Suture removal

Dear BrookeinCO, In general, the timing of suture (stitch) removal is a balance between allowing the skin to heal sufficiently, but not allowing the sutures to make a (potentially) permanent mark on the skin. Face lift sutures that are visible may only be the 'top layer' of stitching. That means there are deeper, dissolving stitches that also help to hold the closure together. If this is the case, the visible stitches could be removed in early as 3 - 5 days. If there are no deep... more
Lawrence Tong, MD

Toronto Plastic Surgeon
+2

Five to seven days is optimal.

Dear Brookien I personally use a combination of running and interrupted sutures in front of the ears where things are very visible.  That way I can remove most of the running suture on the 4th day and take out the interrupted surgery a couple of days later.  This works very well in my hands.  But here is the thing.  Things work differently for different surgeons.  Certainly I would personally be concerned if the bulk of the these sutures are not out be day 7.... more
Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon
+2

Sutures after facelift

Sutures after a facelift are removed between 5-7 days. There are many more absorbable sutures beneath the skin which do most of the hard work and dissolve over time.
Frank Agullo, MD

El Paso Plastic Surgeon
+2

Facelift suture removal

In this age sutures in front of the ear are less common.  Now with buried sutures and tissue glue there are very few sutures to remove.  I typically remove the limited skin sutures out in one week. All the best, Tal Raine MD FACS
Talmage J. Raine, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+2

Suture Removal Timing for Best Results

The timing for suture removal after Facelift is important to set up the incision line for minimal scar: too soon and incision may separate and the scar may spread.  If we leave the sutures in too long, there can be marks from the sutures or foreign body irritation that leads to scar thickening. Most Facelift surgeons will use a low reactive suture material (polypropylene or nylon) of relatively delicate caliber in front of the ear and then remove the sutures at 5-7 days... more
Paul C. Zwiebel, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+2

Suture Removal After Facelift

Hi BrookeinCO- It depends on the type of suture used to close the skin. Generally speaking 5-7 days. Sincerely, Tom Kaniff
Thomas E. Kaniff, MD

Sacramento Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.facialcosmeticsurg.com

+1

Facelift Suture Removal

Each situation is unique and only your surgeon knows the specific details of your procedure and should be the person commenting on post-operative questions such as this - but as a general rule 5 to 7 days.
Sam Naficy, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Sutures & Facelift

Most of the time, the optimal way to minimize facelift incision appearance is to put the incision in the natural crease lines pre and post auricular area which are in normal areas of concavity to convexity along the ear in post auricular and to place deep sutures and remove the sutures early in 7-10 days or less.
Rod J. Rohrich, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift

We typically remove sutures in front of the face at 7-10 days, at 5-7 days around the eyes, and 14 days posterior ear and hairline. Thank you for your question and good luck with everything.
Vivek Bansal, MD

Danville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Generally 1 week after surgery

Generally I remove sutures 1 week after surgery, but be sure to ask your surgeon as he/she may have his/her own technique. see video
Babak Azizzadeh, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift sutures removal

Facelift sutures can be removed anytime between 4-7 days depending on the type of suture and type of closure performed by the surgeon. The 3 days difference in the range doesn't make much difference as we remove sutures for individuals at 4 days if they have to leave town and wait until 7 days if they live out of town to minimize their return visits. Follow the instructions of your surgeon and depending on the above factors, he or she will guide you as to the appropriate time... more
Mike Majmundar, MD

Atlanta Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift suture removal

Suture removal following a Facelift depends on the type of suture used by the plastic surgeon. Many surgeons use nylon or prolene suture for a meticulous closer of the skin in front of the ear. We typically remove this type of suture within 3-5 following surgery to avoid any marks (railroad tracks) from the suture. For patients who are unable to return within that time frame, we will typically use an absorbable suture underneath the skin that does not require removal.... more
Steven L. Ringler, MD

Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon

www.stevenringlermd.com

+1

Facial Cosmetic Suture Removal Principals

For the best cosmetic results, sutures are removed anywhere between 5-10 days. If left in too long, they can leave marks on the skin, but if taken out too skin the incision may not be strong enough to hold itself. The range is variable based on surgeon’s different preferences and based on the fact that we may use different types of sutures and techniques. In my facelifts, because we are tightening the SMAS underneath the skin, the skin incisions themselves are not left under much... more
Manu Gujrati, MD

San Jose Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Visible skin Facelift sutures removed day 5/6-those in hair 10 days to two weeks

Suture removal after Facelift is dependent on your wound healing and the quality of the skin closure at the time of Facelift. On average visible skin sutures are removed at 5 days and those hidden in the hairline or behind the ear are removed later from 10-12 days up to 14 days if necessary.
Brooke R. Seckel, MD

Boston Plastic Surgeon

www.drseckel.com

+1

Timing of Facelift Suture Removal

Usually, I will remove preauricular sutures in a facelift at 5-7 days following the surgery. This may vary depending on how quickly one is healing. If a subcuticular or intradermal suture is used (a suture which runs under the surface of the skin and does not show above it) the suture could be left in longer without causing "railroad track" scarring. If I have a patient who may heal more slowly I suggest this type of closure. more
Vincent D. Lepore, MD

San Jose Plastic Surgeon
+1

Removing Facelift Sutures / Stitches

I routinely remove sutures in front of the ears from a facelift at seven days post-op. I get great results at this timetable but be sure to ask your plastic surgeon what they specifically recommend for you.
Richard Galitz, MD

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Faceift

Usually facelift sutures are removed about 5-7 days after the surgery. Although some variation can happen depending on swelling and if you smoke
David L. Abramson, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift sutures generally removed after 5 to 7 days

I personally use dissolving stitches that vanish a few days after the Facelift procedure.  If you have sutures that do not dissolve they will generally be removed 5 to 7 days after surgery.  It is best to ask you surgeon what types of sutures will be used and when they will be removed.  
Ross A. Clevens, MD

Melbourne Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drclevens.com

+1

Facelift sutures should be removed...

In most cases after a Facelift, there may be some sutures to be removed in one week in front of the ear to minimize suture marks.  We use a tissue glue with our facelift patients so sutures in front of the ear are not needed.  Small clips also need to be removed one week post operatively from behind both ears in the hairline.  Two weeks postop there are a few sutures above and behind the ears within the hairline to be removed also.  After the... more
Andrew Miller, MD

Edison Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.associatesinplasticsurgery.com

+1

When should sutures in front of ears be removed.

Anywhere from 5-7 days is reasonable.  Usually these incisions are closed with very fine sutures.  However, there are always deep disolvable sutures that support the closure.  However, I'm sure you plastic surgeon would have told you this.  In general, you should feel comfortable asking him/her these questions.  I'm sure he/she would be happy to explain all post-op instructions and what to expect to you. Dr. Cat Begovic M.D.
Catherine Huang-Begovic, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

When to remove facelift sutures

The sutures I use for facelift are all dissolving and therefore, do not need to be removed.  If using non-dissolving sutures, typically 5 days is a good number.  SJR
Stephen J Ronan, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

When to remove facelift sutures in front of ears

As you can see, there is a bit of a range in how long the pre-auricular sutures are left in place. I usually leave them in about 7 days. Incision design, closure technique and individual healing variances often play more of a role in scarring than how long the sutures are in place.
Thomas A Lamperti, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift Stitches

I usually remove the facelift sutures in front of the ear at 6-7 days and find the incision in front of the ear heels quite nicely. However, it does depend on the suture material and the type of suture used and this varies with the surgeon.
Anita Mandal, MD

Palm Beach Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Face Lift, Mini Face Lift, The Palmer Celebrity Face Lift, Beverly Hills Face Lift

The sutures, a plastic and comsetic surgeon uses during a face Lift, can be different types and sizes.  Each surgeon also has his/her post face Lift routine for when they are removed.  Some use dissolvable other start taking stitches out at 5 days post-op from the Face Lift.  In the hairline, if surgical clips are used, these may remai for 8-10 days.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

When Should Facelift Sutures Be Removed?

All surgeons have their preferences, however if you have sutures that are visible, they should be removed at day 4-5 so that you are not left with "railroad track" marks where the sutures go in and out.  I prefer to bury the sutures below the skin so that there are no visible sutures, but not all surgeons prefer this method.
Amy T. Bandy, DO

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon
+1

When to remove facelift sutures for the best scar?

Usually, the best time to remove sutures after a facelif is 4 - 6 days after the surgery.  Of course keep in mind that your body is the boss when it comes to what the scar looks like!
Bivik Rajnikant Shah, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon
+1

Timing of suture removal following facelift surgery

I typically remove the non-bioabsorbable sutures from the incision in front of the ear between 5 and 7 days postoperatively.  I have found this to provide the best aesthetic result with respect ot scar healing.  Absorbable sutures (sutures that do not need to be removed) should never be used to close the incision in front of the ear.
Andrew B. Denton, MD

Vancouver Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Removing Facelift Sutures

The timing of facelift suture removal will vary depending on the surgeon's preference and the suture materal which is used.  I use permanent sutures in the deep layers if the skin. The sutures in tne epidermis are removed 5-6 days after surgery.
Richard W. Fleming, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

When to remove facelift sutures

Facelift incisions, as with most deep incisions, are sutured together in many layers, both at deep & skin level. Therefore, the skin sutures can be removed as the deeper sutures are absorbing. Depending on your healing, anywhere from 5-7 days is appropriate.
Kristin Egan, MD

Manhattan Beach Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Face Lift Sutures

I would remove non-absorbable sutures from the front of the ear at 3-5 days. Anchor sutures below the skin are absorbable and are holding things in place until healing occurs
Douglas L. Gervais, MD

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Suture removal after facelift

I prefer to use non-dissolving sutures that are removed one week after surgery. Leaving sutures longer than one week can lead to "railroad tracks" which are more noticeable. In some patients who are unable to return for suture removal, I have used dissolving stitches. However, it is my experience that as the stitch dissolves, it can cause some local skin irritation that leads to redness along the incision line. I think that in the long-term, there is probably no difference between... more
Gregory J. Vipond, MD

Pasadena Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift suture removal, five to seven days

The use of sutures which need to be removed after facelift can vary, and we currently use only four sutures which we need to remove, two in front and two behind the ears. Results are excellent with a dissolving or other suture which call for removal, and suture removal for most is five to seven days to avoid marking the skin. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd
Peter E. Johnson, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facelift suture removal

It really depends on the suture used and the age of the patient. Most surgeons remove between 5 and 7 days.
Peter T. Truong, MD

Fresno Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.facialsurgerydr.com

+1

Suture removal after 5 days preferrably

IF there are sutures they must be removed within a week! (Personally I plan sutureremoval in the face for any procedure after 5 days max 7 days.) But in the facelift patient i tend to plan the sutureline partly in the ear and close the wound intracutaneously so that there is no need for removal because theydissolve. Off course there are a lot of doctors, all with there personal habits, so the best is to ask your doctor.
Ivar van Heijningen, MD

Belgium Plastic Surgeon
+1

Sutures are a friend and foe, removal timing is key.

We use sutures to hold the skin in perfecto opposition, but they are foreign bodies to the skin and will cause inflammation and scarring if left in too long.  Removal time depends on size and type of suture used, suture technique, and the amount of tension on the skin.  Also factors to consider is the patients' speed of healing. Diabetics, smokers and the elderly take longer to heal.  The best authority on when to remove the sutures is likely to be the person who placed... more
Ritu Chopra, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Removal Of Facelift Sutures

Since I use fine mono filament (6-0 prolene) nonreactive sutures to close Facelift incisions, I feel comfortable leaving them in for up to 7 days.
Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drprendiville.com

+1

When should facelift sutures be removed for best scar results?

The sutures placed in front of the ear are to bring the skin edges together gently. I personally remove them in 5-6 days to avoid creating permanent suture marks. I support the incision with fine disolvable sutures under the skin.
George Marosan, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

When Should Facelift Sutures Be Removed?

There are average times for removal of preauricular sutures. In most cases as early a 3 days but no later than 7 days post operatively. But the operative surgeon examines the healing incision to determine the best timing. From MIAMI 
Darryl J. Blinski, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon

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