Sutures (the medical term for stitches) are used to close wounds. If you have a deep wound that goes through several layers of tissue, it is usually best that these layers are brought together individually, usually by means of dissolving sutures. Mr Gault likes to keep his wounds very dry internally, which reduces infection, swelling and promotes healing as a fine line. Occasionally, however, your tissues can heal so quickly that they do not have time to digest a dissolvable deep suture, and these sutures are slowly extruded (forced out). Non-dissolvable sutures can also be extruded, even up to 50 years after the surgery.
It is best to trim the protruding stitch flat to the skin with some boiled scissors, put a smear of antiseptic ointment on it once or twice a day and it will work its way out. You can gently tug it with a pair of boiled tweezers once a day and it will separate in time.
If you are having any difficulties with this, please feel free to contact us or book an appointment.
The late extrusion of a suture does not affect the overall result of the surgery, as your tissues will have settled into the new shape permanently.