Stitches......

[MamaRita 65]

Was wondering how long it took for people's stitches to devolve, these things are so pokey and sometimes get caught on my shirt, they are tiny and I don't dare try to snip them myself, I don't go back to my doctors office till November 3 and he's pretty far away, so I don't want to make an extra trip down there. I'm 3 weeks post op, please tell me these things will come out soon:)

[deedadumble 1,033]

External stitches are usually not dissolvable. Are your internal stitches coming out (aka "spitting")? If so, you can use scissors to trim those stitches that are poking out. If they're external, non-dissolvable stitches, they usually get taken out between 10-20 days. The doc should have setup an apt to do that.

[jnevr480 66]

A few of mine never dissolved. One had to be taken out in the office and another came out when I was drying off. Everything was fine and the nurse told me that I could have snipped them if they were bothering me, but I was too scared.

[CherieRyde 227]

I had a couple that poked out. However, as a medical professional, I know that the skin has mostly healed 2 weeks post op. So, I gently tugged on the sutures that were poking out and they came away easily. It looks gross, but you don't really feel anything. If you gently tug and they do NOT come away easily, then cover them with a band-aid until you see your doc again and let him take care of them. The only thing covering them with band-aids does is keep them from catching on things and driving you nuts. Also ... change the band-aids daily so that you don't create an issue for yourself with yucky band-aids.

[MamaRita 65]

Thank you all for the replays, I know they are dissolvable stitches because my doctor told me they were, kinda looks like fishing string. I have been gently tugging to see if they would come free. I will try the band aids to prevent them from poking. ????