How do I remove stitches after breast augmentation? I traveled to have my surgery and I was told I could remove them myself.

Thank you for your question.  I would advise you to call your primary care physician to remove the sutures.  That way he can ensure the wound is well healed prior to removal.
Best of luck with your healing process.

Dr. James Romanelli

My patients who travel to have their plastic surgery stay in the area with family or at a hotel until they are ready to return home. The time frame can vary depending on the procedure. All the sutures used for a breast augmentation in my practice dissolve and go away on their own.

Hi Britt410, I understand your concern. If you are not sure and uncomfortable in removing your own sutures, you should visit your primary health care provider to help you out. Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS

Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery

Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery

Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

It is not common practice to have a patient remove their own sutures, and I do not recommend it. If there is a problem ,such as a wound opening, the patients are not equipped to deal with it. I would recommend contacting a surgeon in your area to have them removed and for followup.

If you are uncomfortable or unsure, it is best to visit a health care provider (doctor or nurse) to have them removed. Please speak with your surgeon if you are still concerned.Regards,

Removing the stitches yourself is not something I would recommend. Speak with your surgeon about alternate arrangements--ie, having a plastic surgeon or another medical professional in your area remove them.

Hello, I highly recommend setting up an appointment with a doctor or nurse to remove your stitches.Good luck! 

Our practice
is located in one of the largest cities in North America and patients come to
us from across the country to have surgery. We advise our out of town patients
to remain in the neighbourhood for at least 1 week following surgery to ensure
that sutures are removed and post operative care is available quite quickly
during those delicate first days following surgery.
Once patients
return home they should have care established with a family doctor or medical
clinic locally for continuous care. We routinely see our patients weekly
following surgery and we would like our out of town patients to follow the same
practice.
It’s easier
to have all that in place prior to surgery so you have someone to go to with
any concerns regarding care. I would encourage you to contact your plastic
surgeon for all the instructions and meet with a doctor locally who can provide
you with post operative care going forward.
All the
best,

Thank you for your question.I would suggest contacting your clinic first of all to seeif they could facetime/skype consult with you and describe what needs to be done. It is difficult to say without pictures as many surgeons use different methods of suturing. Some leave knots outside of the skin that just need snipping off; others leave long ends which need trimming or the stitch being pulled out. Once you have discussed this with your surgeon, then it might be seeing your local physician/ GP/ urgent care centre to help to remove the stitches if you are unable to do this yourself.KR

You might consider asking your family doctor or an urgent care center if one is near you. A last resort might be a hospital emergency room or another plastic surgeon near you. Good luck.Dr. Ted Eisenberg,Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author