Will stitches under skin eventually dissolve?

Question

I had upper eye surgery 3 weeks ago. My post op appt 7 days after surgery went well except the stitches had not dissolved. The Dr removed the part outside the skin and said the stitch under skin would works it way out or dissolve on its own. I have kept the area moist with ointment since the day of surgery. My concern is I can still see and feel the ropey material under the skin. Its raised with bumps. Is the material still there? will it dissolve?

Michael Horn, MD · Answer

If they are absorbable sutres, they will melt with time. It is not uncommon to have some thickening of the area of an incision with absorbable sutres. As the sutres melt, the area will remodel and settle down.

John J. Martin, Jr., MD · Answer

You may be feeling the dissolvable sutures, which can take about 2 months to go away.  In a lid surgery we don't usually put many internal stitches.  So you may just be feeling the normal scar formation which at times will feel lumpy.  This will go away as the skin heals.

Adam Goodwin, MBBS, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

so when dissolvable stitches are used they typically take 4-6 weeks to start to fade. Eyelid skin is so thin that they will be obvious they do. Be patient and things will be fine very soon. Hope that helps.Adam Goodwin

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

You are likely feeling the scar tissue that develops as you heal. I you are concerned discuss it with you surgeon.

Mark Mandell-Brown, MD · Answer

Stitches either resorb (dissolve) or they work to surface and should be removed Your body is saying "get out of here" and the stitch is saying "I'm staying"The reaction is temporary.   Just follow up with your doctor

Hunter Moyer, MD · Answer

Hi kittykitty22,Congratulations on completing your surgery, and now is the time to relax and allow the results to evolve.  Absorbable sutures are hydrolyzed slowly over time by inflammatory enzymes in your body.  This absorption time is dependent on your immune response and also the type of material of the suture.  The absorption process can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 12 weeks depending on the suture.  Continue to follow-up closely with your surgeon to monitor your progress.  Hang in there!

Gustavo A. Diaz, MD · Answer

Dissolving sutures are design so that they will dissolve over time. The ripeness that you are feeling can be the inflammation caused by the dissolving stich. These sutures are design so that the body attacks it like a foreign material and therefore the mechanism for them to be dissolved. Give it some time, They will dissolve.Hope this helps,Dr. Gus Diaz

Alan M. Engler, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Assuming they're dissolvable (absorbable) sutures - yes.  And if they're fine sutures, they'll dissolve faster than if they are (relatively) thicker sutures.  So the first thing you need to do is to contact your PS and find out what kind of sutures we're talking about (needless to say, permanent sutures will not dissolve and therefore need to be removed manually).  If they're fine, dissolvable sutures, then you're just feeling some swelling around the internal portion of the suture, and it should all subside as the material is absorbed.You should of course confirm all of this with your own PS.I hope that this helps and good luck,Dr. Alan EnglerMember of #RealSelf100

Will stitches under skin eventually dissolve?

Answers (8)

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