Lately, dissolvable or what-so-called as absorbable stitches is widely used in medical world in performing wound closures. This method is widely applied since it requires less doctor visits than the conventional non-dissolving stitches. Dissolvable stitches can be removed by the patient at home as long as there is no infection on the wound presents.

This might help the patient saving his time visiting the hospital to have the stitches removed. Removal of those dissolvable stitches does not require anesthesia, which definitely makes it simpler. Dissolvable stitches will get loosened when the wounded area has been properly healed.

How does absorbable stitches dissolve?

Dissolvable stitches is widely used by dentists, oral surgeons, plastic surgeons, urologists, and veterinarians to perform wound closure. This stitches can be used for either internal or external wounds, and will be destroyed naturally by the body chemicals.

Dissolvable or absorbable stitches will be recognized by the body as a strange substance which needs to be destroyed. Certain natural chemicals inside our body are able to decompose this substance, so that by the time the wound has been completely healed, it will no longer be visible.

Dissolvable stitches is made from various natural ingredients, such as processed animal intestine, silk, hair, and other substances which can be broken down by body chemicals. Commonly, dissolvable stitches is used in the areas with no excessive movements, and is really popular to be used in oral surgeries.

As it is made from plant material or animal intestines, dissolvable sutures are usually collagen-based. Since this stitches is considered as a foreign object, our body will excrete certain enzymes which have the ability of destroying this collagen and initially makes the sutures disappear.

By the time this stitches are completely destroyed by the body, the wound is also completely healed. Therefore, absorbable stitches are suitable for internal wounds, in which anesthetic removal can be risky and complicated. In some cases, dissolvable sutures do not dissolve completely. Instead, it only loosens up. If this happens, patient might remove the clinging sutures carefully at home.

Can I make dissolvable stitches dissolve quicker?

It is not unusual if people feel discomfort caused by wound closure stitches. Even the body considers the treatment as a foreign object. Hence, it is also not unusual when people are trying to find a way to make these stiches dissolve faster than the period told by the doctor.

Most dissolvable sutures dissolve within 7 to 10 days after the surgical procedure. However, this might vary according to the wound location, the thickness of sutured skin, and the patient’s physiological condition.

In fact, making dissolvable stitches dissolve quicker is not recommended, as the wound might not heal completely and therefore, it is prone to re-opening. It is best to let the stitches loosen based on natural wound healing period needed.

However, promoting wound healing properly might be a way to make your stitches loosen up quickly, as these stitches are going to naturally loosen up when the wound itself is properly healing.

1. Always pay attention to the hygiene of the wounded areas. Keeping infection away is one of the ways to make the wound heal faster and thus, give a chance for the stitches to dissolve quickly. Do not touch the wound and its surrounding areas with dirty hands and wash your hands before accessing its dressings.
2. Avoid scabs picking. The area around stitched wound will normally produce scabs over the healing period—especially when your wound is on the skin surface rather than the internal organs. Scabs picking will redo wound healing and requires longer healing period, as it is possible to destroy the newly-formed skin cells and tissues.
3. Taking suitable multivitamin, such as zinc is recommended as this will promote collagen production which is beneficial for wound healing.
4. Increase your protein diets might also help your body dissolving the stitches. However, you will need to pay attention to the cholesterol level in this diets as well.

Summing up, making dissolvable stitches dissolve quicker is somehow unadvised. You can always ask your doctor to take it out, but this might prevent the wound from naturally healing. Instead, take care of the wound properly so that it heals faster and thus, you can get the stitches removed faster as well. Surely, these dissolvable stitches may cause discomfort to you when doing daily activities. However, do not remove it when it is completely loosened up or fall off naturally.