I had a punch biopsy between my lip and nose with four dissolvable stitches on Monday July 3rd. I have two questions...

Question

1) How long until the stitches dissolve and 2) When can I start to use sunscreen and a concealer to cover up the reddish/brown scar where it was removed? I have been putting on auquafor about every 3 hours. Any other suggestions?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

At this point, the skin has reepithelialized and would benefit from Plato's Scar Serum, laser resurfacing, and pulsed dye laser. Best, Dr. KaramanoukianLos Angeles

Edward Buckingham, MD · Answer

These are common questions asked by my patients and I will answer them separately. 
1) With regards to the length of time it takes for the stitches to dissolve, it really depends on exactly what type of suture was used.  Many types of suture are dissolvable but they vary in how long it takes to break down/dissolve.  Some suture dissolves in as little as a week while some take several months. Given that you had a punch biopsy, I would presume that the suture used was on the shorter end of this time estimate. To know exactly though, I would recommend talking to your physician to see what type of suture was used.  
2) I typically recommend avoiding makeup/concealer for at least the first week.  Makeup can cause significant irritation to the skin and also adversely affect your wound healing.  During this one week time frame I recommend cleaning the wound gently with mild soap and water 2 to 3 times a day.  After cleansing, an antibiotic ointment such as polysporin should be applied to the wound.  After one week, I generally encourage the use of a moisturizing sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, preferably with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.  You should also avoid excessive sun exposure for the first 3 weeks after your procedure.  Excessive sun exposure can cause darkening (hyperpigmentation) of the wound in relation to the surrounding skin.
Have a great day.

I had a punch biopsy between my lip and nose with four dissolvable stitches on Monday July 3rd. I have two questions...

Answers (2)

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I had a punch biopsy between my lip and nose with four dissolvable stitches on Monday July 3rd. I have two questions...

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Mole Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.