How Long Before Breast Lift and Tummy Tuck Stitches Dissolve?

I had a Tummy Tuck and Breast Lift 2 weeks ago. How long will it take before the stitches dissolve?

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9 Doctor Answers | Asked by dmr in Chesterfiled, SC

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Months

I'm fascinated with some of the answers from othe surgeons. Okay here is some useful information. The three sutures typically used by plastic surgeons are PDS, Monocryl and Vicryl. PDS and Monocryl are probably the most used. Monocryl has a short "half-life" as far as strength is concerned losing half of its strength by the end of one week. However, it isn't fully hydrolized or dissolved for 3-4 months. PDS is longer lasting with 50% loss of tensile strenght by 28 days but is... more

Dissolving stitches after a breast lift and tummy tuck

The combination of a tummy tuck and breast lift is a wonderful way to rejuvenate the torso and to create a balanced look. For great results, and for the patient convenience and comfort we used absorbable sutures throughout these surgeries. The time in which it takes the sutures dissolve deep runs on the specific suture that was used. In our practice, we typically use thicker and stronger absorbable sutures in the deep layers and a thinner absorbable suture in the skin. Therefore, the... more

Suture dissolving

Sutures that are absorbable are usually placed underneath the skin. Most of the time these sutures hold reasonable strength for a few weeks. Long enough for the wounds to become solid. The sutures gradually dissolve over a period of several months.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Absorbably sutures for breast lift or tummy tuck

As stated below sutures for the tummy tuck differ from the mastopexy. Some sutures/staples are permanent but generally removed by 3 weeks at most with the exception of the muscle tightening stitch which may be left in place forever. Absorbable sutures vary in the amount of time they lose strength and are subsequently absorbed which is usually twice as long as losing strength. Some are absorbed by 3 weeks whereas others can easily persist for up to and beyond 6 months. Generally by 9 months... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Suture dissolve rates

Thanks for your question - As several of the other doctors have mentioned - it depends on the type of material. Your muscle plication may have been performed with sutures that don't dissolve or dissolve very slowly while sutures used in a subdermal or subcuticular closure may dissolve in one to two months. Ask your surgeon what they used and they should be able to give you an accurate time frame. I hope this helps.

Different sutures dissolve at different rates

Different sutures dissolve at different rates. If they are under the skin, you actually want them to stick around for awhile to hold the tension while your skin is healing. In most cases the sutures are dissolve in 2 to 3 months. If for some reason your surgeon put absorbable sutures on the outside, you should have them removed in 7 to 10 days to prevent any scaring from developing. Good luck with your recovery.

Depends on the stitches...

You should ask your surgeon since there are different types of dissolable sutures that dissolve at differnt rate. Some surgeons use these only under the skin and some use them in the skin itself. Fast-absorbing sutures can dissolve in a matter of days although most sututres used in abdominoplasy will last from a few weeks to a few months.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Depends on suture material

A tummy tuck involves the use of different suture material. Some can be meant not to dissolve such as the ones that tighten your muscles. Others used to close your incision will dissolve and that may take several months. Just ask your surgeon and he/she will be able to answer your question with more detail depending on the material they use. If you have visible sutures on the outside of your skin, they will need to be removed by two weeks to avoid leaving suture marks. So discuss this... more