How Long Does It Take for Stitches to Dissolve?

Updated: Oct 17, 2023
A surgeon stitching a patient.
Dissolvable stitches are better suited for wounds; you don't have to take them out. Cultura RM Exclusive/KaPe Schmid / Getty Images/Image Source

For centuries, dentists and oral surgeons, plastic surgeons, obstetricians, urologists and even veterinarians have used stitches to close up gashes, cuts and surgical incisions. Now, many physicians are using some form of dissolvable stitches (also called absorbable sutures) to suture wounds.

The great thing about dissolvable stitches is that doctors can use them on internal or external wounds. So, how long does it take for stitches to dissolve?

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Contents
  1. Features of Stitches
  2. About Dissolvable Stitches
  3. How Long Does It Take for Stitches to Dissolve?
  4. When Dissolvable Stitches Don't Dissolve

Features of Stitches

Stitches, dissolvable or non-dissolvable, have three features:

  • Thickness: Some stitches must be thin (perhaps for a simple cut or plastic surgery, or a wound that needs to heal with less scarring), and others thicker (perhaps for internal wounds where scarring isn't as problematic, or so the stitch will last longer). You would weave more of the material together to make a thicker stitch. For a thinner stitch, you can use less material.
  • Elasticity: Stitches on your knee need to be more elastic than those on your forearm, because your knee must be able to bend. Without proper elasticity, the stitches can snap and come out, or even tear the wound and delay healing.
  • Decomposition rate: A deep, wide wound will need longer to heal, so the stitches must last longer. Producers formulate stitches to dissolve slowly or rapidly over the desired treatment period.

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About Dissolvable Stitches

Dissolvable stitches differ from nonabsorbable stitches because they are:

  • Naturally decomposed by the body
  • Temporary, and don't usually require a follow-up doctor's visit to remove the stitches or check on the wound

­To your body, stitches are a foreign substance, and the body is programmed to destroy foreign substances. Absorbable stitches feature natural materials, such as processed collagen (animal intestines), silk and hair, as well as some synthetic polymer materials that the body can break down.

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This allows the body to dissolve the stitches over time. Usually, by the time the stitches dissolve, the wound is completely healed.

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How Long Does It Take for Stitches to Dissolve?

The amount of time it takes dissolvable sutures or stitches to dissolve depends on the suture material. For example, in oral surgery, the stitches used in a wisdom tooth extraction will typically dissolve within a week. Stitches from a cesarean delivery may take a few weeks to dissolve.

Ideally, the suture material won't dissolve until after the wound heals. Follow your doctor's instructions regarding follow-up care.

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When Dissolvable Stitches Don't Dissolve

Occasionally, a stitch won't dissolve completely and will require removal. This usually occurs when part of the stitch is left on the outside of the body. There, the body's fluids cannot dissolve and decompose the stitch, so it remains intact. A doctor can easily remove the remaining piece of stitch once the wound is closed.

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Dissolvable Stitches FAQ

How long does it take for dissolvable stitches to dissolve?
The time it takes for dissolvable stitches to disappear can vary. Most fall out or start to dissolve within one or two weeks. However, in certain cases, they disappear after several weeks or months.
What color are dissolvable stitches?
Usually, absorbable sutures are white or clear in color. They are usually buried by threading the suture under the skin edges and are only visible when threads come out of the wound’s ends.
Do stitches hurt when they dissolve?
Any staples or stitches placed on the outside must be removed within 14 days. It is common to feel pain at the surgical incision site. However, as the wound heals, pain will also reduce.
What do infected dissolvable stitches look like?
You will notice red streaks or redness around the wound area. Pain while moving the injured area or touching the stitches is also an indication of infection. In addition, there might be swelling in the surrounding tissue. Contact your doctor in the case of wound complications.
Should you pull out dissolvable stitches?
No, you should never remove them without consulting a doctor. Usually, there is no need to remove them as they completely disappear on their own after some time.
When are dissolvable stitches required?
Dissolvable stitches are a popular choice with doctors for closing surgical wounds such as those involved in wisdom tooth removal, orthopedic surgery like knee surgery, breast cancer removal and cesarean delivery.
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