Is it normal to have to wait 6 weeks for stitches to be removed around my areola?

Hi.  When I perform a breast reduction, I use a layered closure of stitches that are buried underneath the skin and dissolve on their own.  I like the way this typically heals, and it also means that the patient does not have to have stitches removed.  Your surgeon may have closed your incisions in a similar fashion, so you may want to ask him/her to put your mind at ease.  As far as the "dog ears", you will typically need to wait weeks to months to allow things to heal and settle out before you and your surgeon will decide if anything needs to be done.  Good luck and take care.  Dr. Howell

Congratulations on having undergone the breast reduction procedure.  You will find there is no "normal" when it comes to details such as suture removal; in other words, different plastic surgeons will have different practices.  You are correct in that it is too early to evaluate the long-term outcome of the procedure performed and whether revisionary surgery will be necessary/helpful. Generally, "dog ears" tend to settle out with time;  they tend to improve in appearance over the course of the first year. Often, if revision is necessary it can be done under local anesthesia (a relatively minor procedure). Your plastic surgeon will always be your best resource when it comes to accurate assessment, advice, and/or meaningful reassurance. Best wishes for an outcome that you will be pleased with long-term.