Do I Need to Be Concerned with This Small Hole in my Incision?

The minor problems with the one should heal uneventfully provided they are kept clean in the interim. These are fairly common after abdominoplasty.

Suture reactions are incredibly common after tummy tuck surgery and typically occurs between 3 and 6 weeks after surgery. It would be good to see your plastic surgein as the suture most likely needs to be removed for the hole to heal.

This could be an infected suture or an ingrown hair.  Most likely it is an infected suture knot.  In order for the wound to heal the suture knot needs to be removed since it is acting like a foreign body.

Small wounds such as that are more of a nuisance than a concern.  If your procedure involved implants, it would be a little more alarming if it progressed.  Simple wound care should allow it to resolve and if its from spitting sutures, don't be surprised if more of them develop.

Sometimes dissolving suture will work to the surface and spit like a pimple rather than dissolve neatly and they are called suture abscesses. If all the suture material doesn't come out you can have a small hole until the suture is gone. Keep the area clean and covered, and see your surgeon to clean out the remaining suture to help speed healing.

Dear SC,

thank you for your post.  Most patients absorb the dissolvable sutures that are placed during an abdominoplasty, but some patients push the sutures to the surface like a pimple or ingrown hair and reject them, especially if the sutures are relatively superficial.  You may have other sutures that do the same thing.  Ask your surgeon to remove any remnant suture in that hole and follow his wound care instructions.  This will heal relatively quickly.

Best Wishes, 

Pablo Prichard, MD

Yes, but your concern should be modest.

This appears to be reaction to the dissolving sutures which have come to the surface. It looks like a few others are involved besides the one you note. 

This is a self-limiting problem, but your surgeon can hasten the recovery by removing the involved sutures. Call and arrange to be seen. All the best. 

This is likely a suture reaction but I would see your surgeon to make sure you do not have anything else going on.  

The small hole is from internal sutures dissolving and your body's reaction to the sutures. These small holes will usually heal with minimal scarring. You may see your plastic surgeon to remove any additional sutures. Good Luck.

Thank you for the question and pictures. It is probable that you are experiencing localized issues with sutures. Sometimes, these sutures “spit” leaving patients with small holes that go on to heal. Best to have your plastic surgeon look at the incision line; sometimes, removal of these offending sutures may allow for healing to occur expeditiously.

 Best wishes.