Stitches Did Not Dissolve After Breast Reduction?

It’s not unusual to use long lasting absorbable sutures when performing breast reduction surgery.  These sutures typically last six to nine months, and are buried beneath the skin.  They are used in an effort to avoid spread of the scar.  They provide support to the wound closure, until the wound has gained adequate strength.
Occasionally these sutures work their way through the skin before they can absorb.  When this happens, it’s not unusual to develop an infection around the stitch.  This can result in a stitch abscess or granuloma.  This is the pimple you describe.
This situation usually requires drainage of the abscess, removal of the suture remnant and possibly antibiotics.  This is a relatively simple problem to deal with if treated early.  If diagnosis and treatment are delayed, then more significant problems can result.
It’s not unusual to have absorbable sutures protrude through the skin following breast reduction surgery. With appropriate care this should represent a minor problem with no long term consequences.  If you have protruding absorbable sutures, follow-up with your plastic surgeon is indicated.

Hello and thank you for your question!
You should see your surgeon again to have it removed. This may continue to happen, it is not uncommon. Contact your surgeon with any concerns. Best wishes!

You are having a reaction to your stitch or a small stitch abscess. This happens more commonly with non-absorbable sutures but happens with absorbable sutures as well. 8 weeks after surgery there are still sutures that remain that have not fully dissolved, and that appears to be your case. There is nothing you can do to make them dissolve faster. If they become problematic they can be dealt with as your surgeon did.
-Dr. David Mattos, New York Plastic Surgical Group