When to Remove Alar Base Stiches?

Question

When is the correct time to remove alar base stiches? It seems to vary between 3 to 9 days. Will a long space of time before removal not leave stich holes?

William Portuese, MD · Answer

It is best to remove stitches in the face by the fifth day so as not to leave any railroad tracking on the incision. Additionally, any sutures left in nine days will leave railroad tracking and should be avoided.

Theda C. Kontis, MD · Answer

Alar base stitches are sutures placed along the nostril-cheek crease, used to make the nostrils smaller. This is one area where scarring can be obvious in a rhinoplasty patient. There is no "magic" number of days for suture removal, but leaving the sutures in for too long causes scarring at the suture sites, often referred to as "railroad tracking."
Some patients are slower to heal than others. I generally remove all facial sutures in 1 week, unless the wound has not fully healed, then I would leave them in 2-3 more days. I usually do not leave sutures in longer than 10 days in this region.

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi Petal,
Alar sutures should be removed at 7 days.  Actually the longer the stitches are left in place, the greater the risk of those dreaded "stitch" holes that you are referring to. 
Be well and enjoy your new nose.
Dr. P

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Usually we  take these out in 5-7 days. If you leave them in for longer, you run the risk of suture marks permanently where the suture was.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD · Answer

Every plastic surgeon has their own way of doing surgery. Ask them. There is no absolute correct answer - I do many rhinoplasties and take out the sutures between 3 and 7 days usually.

When to Remove Alar Base Stiches?

Answers (5)

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