When Should Breast Augmentation Sutures Be Removed?

As a general rule breast augmentation wounds are closed in several layers.I personally close my breast augmentation wound using 3 layers on internal dissolving sutures. This way, the patient does not see any sutures and nothing needs to be removed.Ultimately the surgeon wants a very fine white line for the scar.I would suggest that it is unusual for a plastic surgeon to use external nylon sutures that need to be removed?If you a referring to a single nylon stitch that runs under the skin along the entire length of the wound and is only visible at either end of the wound, then this situation might be understandable. This would be the only situation where I would think a surgeon would consider leaving a stitch in for 3 weeks, at which stage they simply pull on the stitch and it slides out with a well healed wound. However, 3 weeks could be considered excessive even in this situation and I would suggest that no more than 10-14 days would be required.However, this is very different to the situation where the wound is closed using multiple interrupted sutures along the length of the wound. These should be removed 5-7 days post-op. If they are left in too long then you will end up with a scar that has "track marks" along the entire length, which is very unsightly.I would get clarification from your surgeon and justification for their preferred technique.

Thanks fore your question.
Many sutures are dissolvable, Check with your surgeon for information on which will be used. Follow your surgeon's instructions and protocol. Best wishes!

Thank you for your question.  There are definitely concerns associated with leaving sutures that must be removed in place for too long, including the development of 'track marks' or a noticeable scar.  But in some instances, it is necessary to leave sutures in for longer than usual depending on how much stress there is on the closure, the amount of swelling, etc...In my practice, I routinely close breast augmentation incisions with dissolvable or absorbable sutures and then cover these incisions with steri strips that stay in place for about two weeks.  With that said, there are occasions where I will use interrupted nylon sutures as well, and I typically leave these in place for 7-10 days.  I would recommend discussing the timing of your suture removal with your operating surgeon.  Each surgeon's protocols are slightly different and I cannot stress the importance of deferring to your operating surgeons instructions as they are most familiar with your procedure, your case and the technique employed.  I hope this helps and best of luck!

Thank you for your question. External sutures are generally left in from a few days to several weeks depending on their purpose. If it is simply to reapproximate skin, then the duration is shorter. If they are to allow for a more scar tissue healing to help shape the breast or define a fold, then several weeks is more appropriate. The big downside is that the suture track marks are more prone to being visible long-term. The alternative would be do consider internal sutures to do the same thing if your surgeon feels this is possible.

Typically we remove sutures at one week.  The longer external sutures stay in, the more likely they are to leave permanent marks.  The earlier they are removed the higher the risk of the wound opening.  This is a balance for every surgery.

I usually use sutures that are dissolvable, so there is usually nothing to remove. For nylon sutures that don't dissolve, you will probably have to get them removed within a week or two, although it depends on where the incision is. You should express your concerns with your surgeon to find out why they suggested three weeks.

         The timing of suture
removal is dependent upon several variables. These include the type of suture
material used, the technique used and how the wound is healing.

         Not all sutures
require removal and plastic surgeons frequently use absorbable sutures which
dissolve on their own. Your surgeon has chosen non-absorbable nylon sutures
which eventually require removal. The timing of removal depends on the surgeons
technique and how the wound is healing.

         When interupted
nylon sutures are used, they’re removed in about a week to avoid cross hatching
of the scars. When a subcuticuler technique is used, the sutures are partially
buried and can therefore be left in place for up to three weeks.

Hi,
Thank you for your question.
Three weeks is too long to leave the sutures in place. They should generally be removed within five to ten days. If the sutures are left in too long, this could cause the scar to heal unevenly.
Most surgeons use dissovable sutures, but removable sutures are also okay. Usually, the outside sutures are removed within a few days. Make sure that you speak with your board certified plastic surgeon to avoid any possible compllications.
Have a great day!

Thanks for your question -
Each surgeon may use different techniques to close incisions after breast augmentation. In our San Francisco area practice we do not use sutures that need to be removed.
When thinking about permanent sutures (like nylon or prolene) sometimes leaving these sutures in for more than a week can leave "track marks" along the incision. This can be avoided when using these types of suture by varying the placement of the suture, for example placing the suture with a "running subcuticular" where the suture ends exit the ends of the wound only avoids the potential scar issues of a traditional "baseball" stitch.
I hope this helps.

Wounds will epithelialize within 48 hours given an optimal environment for healing and normal perfusion pressures of the skin edges. After breast surgery, a wound will epithelialize within 48 hours, but the underlying tissue needs some time to heal. The underlying tissue takes longer to heal and that is one reason why absorbable sutures are placed in this layer. You should typically wait 5 to 7 days for suture removal.