How Long to Wait to Remove Stitches After Tummy Tuck?

Absorbable sutures are used in the
vast majority of patients who undergo abdominoplasty surgery.Technically, these sutures don’t require
removal, but occasionally they work their way to the surface and protrude
through the skin.Under these
circumstances they need to be removed before they become secondarily
infected.These sutures can protrude
through the skin at any point in the post-operative course.These sutures are often placed in
the dermis during wound closure.In this
position they take tension off the wound closure and minimize the potential for
spread of the scars.After two months
the wound has regained most of its tensile strength.At this point, these sutures no longer serve
a purpose and can be removed without consequences.In some cases, surgeons utilize non
absorbable sutures.These are typically
removed in 7 to 10 days but may be left in place for longer periods depending
upon the situation.In this particular case, there appears
to be significant confusion regarding your post-operative care.Under these circumstances, it’s imperative
that you meet with your plastic surgeon.Hopefully, once your questions are answered, your surgeons rationale
will become clear.

You describe a puzzling series of events- it sounds like your drains are out and you are doing okay. It would be unusual for non-absorbable sutures to be kept in place for 4 weeks. If you have sutures that you can SEE, and they are holding your incision together, keeping these sutures in place for a prolonged period of time will leave marks on your skin. This business is all about commnication: call up the office and ask to speak to the plastic surgeon. He/she should explain to you the next steps in your treatment plan.

I normally use only dissolving sutures under the skin to close the incision from a tummy tuck. If you have sutures that need to be removed, they should be removed within 2 weeks to prevent railroad track scars. Less than 7 days is ideal, but it depends on whether your surgeon used any deeper sutures to prevent the wound from opening up.