Chin Implant Recovery

Q: Dr. Eppley, Everything is going exactly as you described with my chin implant recovery and I love it. It’s been about 6 weeks since surgery and the numbness in my lip is almost entirely gone. The left side of the implant felt good right away. The right side of the implant took longer to settle in. Now both sides feel symmetrical and completely natural!

The only question I have is about the scar itself. How long does it take for the stitches to dissolve? I can still feel some stitches and there are some puss-filled bumps/abscesses along the scar. One spot in particular has been a little red/swollen and I’ve had to drain it a couple times. Please advise if I should do anything for this.

I haven’t shaved my beard yet since I’ve been waiting for the scar to heal. When I do, I will send you some pictures of my new chin.

Thank you again, Dr. Eppley.

A: Thank you for the followup and the good report. Such small suture abscesses are very common in the submental area of men after any chin procedure with beard hair. They are not due to the external dissolveable sutures (which go away in a few weeks but due to the internal dissolveable sutures which take much longer to go away. (months) Because of the hair follicles, these are the sutures that can create some stitch abscesses that you have developed. The one recurring stitch abscess is because the dissolveable suture is still there and infected and needs to come out for a complete resolution. The one method that can help solve it is to squeeze it like a pimple and see of you can force it out when it is at its most inflamed. That often will allow the knot of the suture to come out and then it will be a resolved issue.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana