When is the Best Time to Remove Sutures after Hair Transplant Surgery?

This hair loss question was answered by  Dr. Scott Alexander of Phoenix, Arizona who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.  His professional answer is below.

I couldn’t get an appointment at my health center to remove my sutures until next Tuesday. That will be 12 days after my hair transplant. Will that be okay?

I always remove my sutures 7 days post op because, no matter how nonreactive the sutures are supposed to be, they still cause irritation to the scalp and, if left in too long, can cause more scarring. The longer you leave them in, the higher the chance of having “railroad tracks” form. This is the scarring that is caused from sutures and has nothing to do with the incision.

Another thing that can happen from leaving sutures in too long is that your skin can grow up around the sutures causing increased scarring. The goal is to remove the irritating foreign body as soon as you can.

I always place deep, simple, dissolveable sutures to take the tension off the outer suture line which also helps to prevent the incision from widening.

Dr. Scott Alexander

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David (TakingThePlunge) Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant for the Hair Restoration Forum and Social Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog.

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