A quill suture poked through my armpit incisions after brachioplasty, now concerned over other areas. What should I do?

Hi, TrickOfTheTail in Asheville. Thank you for your question regarding a quill suture that poked through your armpit incisions after your brachioplasty and what you should do. Most experienced plastic surgeons on not use quill sutures because the quill sutures are painful, often rejected, lead to suboptimal healing, and deliver poor overall scar appearance. Fortunately, the quill sutures used for the arm lift are dissolvable; therefore, your brachioplasty or arm lift quill sutures will eventually dissolve. Most plastic surgeons would not remove the remaining quill sutures in your arm if there are no problems. First, two months after an arm lift, the arm lift tissue is not healed enough to support the closure of the incision without sutures in place. Second, removing the quill sutures is not indicated since you are not having active problems with the quill suture. Active problems include complications like infection, wound opening, and visible and or palpable quill sutures. Worrying about possible future pain from a quill suture is not an active problem. The thought pattern for most plastic surgeons would be, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The cure or treatment (removing the quill arm lift sutures) may be worse than your current situation. Good lick. Thank you for your question regarding a quill suture that poked through your armpit incisions after your brachioplasty and what you should do.
Since a brachioplasty or arm lift surgery is difficult, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing these types of arm lifts. Do your research. Make sure your chosen plastic surgeon has performed at least 100 arm lifts. Make sure they have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

The stitches are deep but can come to the surface of your skin. If you find them very painful you should follow up with your surgeon who could remove them for you. 

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. You should absolutely see your plastic surgeon and address your concerns. I'm not sure that any more sutures will poke out (most likely), but having a professional take a look and examine you is the way to go!Best wishes, Dr. ALDO