3 weeks and 2 days post trimmed labiaplasty and my sutures have not dissolved at all. Instead, my body is spitting them out. I asked my surgeon and he said they will fully dissolve in 3 months if my body doesn’t fully spit them out. I feel that is not right. Is it okay to have sutures in for that long? Does that explain why my labia are still very tender and firm?
September 25, 2018
Answer: Dissolving stitches Your surgeon is telling you the truth. The stitches, depending on type, usually take 6 to 8 weeks to dissolve. But, seeing stitches at a post operative appointment is not unusual. If the stitches are causing tenderness, they can be trimmed. Spitting of the sutures are dependent on the type of material they are made with, and your bodies reaction to it. But, if your concern is that they are simply there, they should be. Firmness and tenderness in the area is also a normal part of the healing process. Good luck.
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September 25, 2018
Answer: Dissolving stitches Your surgeon is telling you the truth. The stitches, depending on type, usually take 6 to 8 weeks to dissolve. But, seeing stitches at a post operative appointment is not unusual. If the stitches are causing tenderness, they can be trimmed. Spitting of the sutures are dependent on the type of material they are made with, and your bodies reaction to it. But, if your concern is that they are simply there, they should be. Firmness and tenderness in the area is also a normal part of the healing process. Good luck.
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September 21, 2018
Answer: Absorbable sutures can take quite a while to completely dissolve Thanks for your question. Absorbable sutures are one of the great advancements of surgery, and modern semi-synthetic sutures can be significantly stronger and last significantly longer than old-fashioned "catgut" sutures did. Indeed, some absorbable sutures can have strength that lasts up to six months, and any absorbable suture will still be present even after it has lost its strength, until the body finally absorbs it.Obviously, I don't know what sutures were used in your surgery, but I use two layers of absorbable sutures when I perform labiaplasty, because I want the closure to be solid (especially important for the wedge-type labiaplasty that I usually perform), and don't want to put the patient through the discomfort of removing non-absorbable sutures, especially in that area.The deeper absorbable sutures generally retain some strength for four to six weeks, but can, indeed, take three months to completely dissolve. Usually, they can no longer be detected long before that, but I would expect that some of the suture material is still present for three months.Therefore, although I know nothing about how your procedure was done, I can still answer your question: I do believe that it is OK for sutures to take three months to completely absorb.Hope that helps!
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September 21, 2018
Answer: Absorbable sutures can take quite a while to completely dissolve Thanks for your question. Absorbable sutures are one of the great advancements of surgery, and modern semi-synthetic sutures can be significantly stronger and last significantly longer than old-fashioned "catgut" sutures did. Indeed, some absorbable sutures can have strength that lasts up to six months, and any absorbable suture will still be present even after it has lost its strength, until the body finally absorbs it.Obviously, I don't know what sutures were used in your surgery, but I use two layers of absorbable sutures when I perform labiaplasty, because I want the closure to be solid (especially important for the wedge-type labiaplasty that I usually perform), and don't want to put the patient through the discomfort of removing non-absorbable sutures, especially in that area.The deeper absorbable sutures generally retain some strength for four to six weeks, but can, indeed, take three months to completely dissolve. Usually, they can no longer be detected long before that, but I would expect that some of the suture material is still present for three months.Therefore, although I know nothing about how your procedure was done, I can still answer your question: I do believe that it is OK for sutures to take three months to completely absorb.Hope that helps!
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