How Long Do Stitches Take to Dissolve After Blepharoplasty?

If you have recently had blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), the fine stitches along your eyelid crease are probably the thing you check most in the mirror. When will they dissolve? Is that thread meant to be poking out? Should a stitch still be there at two weeks? This guide answers those questions, explains which stitches are used in eyelid surgery and why, and sets out what is normal and what is worth a call during blepharoplasty recovery.

The short answer is that most dissolvable eyelid stitches begin to break down within one to two weeks and have usually disappeared by around three weeks. The exact timing depends on the type of stitch your surgeon used, where it sits, and how your skin heals, so the sections below explain the differences.

How Long Do Stitches Take to Dissolve After Blepharoplasty?

Eyelid skin is the thinnest on the body and heals quickly, so the stitches used to close it are very fine and are designed to do their job for only a short time. As a rough guide:

• Fast-absorbing skin stitches (such as fast-absorbing gut) begin to weaken within a few days and usually loosen and fall away within one to two weeks.
• Standard dissolvable skin stitches (such as polyglactin) may take two to three weeks to break down, and a nurse sometimes trims or removes the remaining knots at around a week to keep the scar line tidy.
• Deeper dissolvable stitches, used under the skin in some techniques, take longer, often a couple of months, but they cannot be seen or felt in most people.
• Removable (non-dissolvable) stitches do not dissolve at all and are taken out, usually at five to seven days.

Dissolvable stitches break down through the body’s own healing processes and through moisture, which is why a few fall out earlier than others, particularly at the outer corner of the eye where the skin moves most. A stitch that loosens a little earlier than expected is not usually a problem, because by then the edges of the wound have already started to knit together.

Which Stitches Are Used in Eyelid Surgery?

Surgeons have three main options for closing an eyelid incision, and each has its place.

Dissolvable stitches

Dissolvable (absorbable) stitches avoid a removal appointment and the small discomfort of having stitches taken out near the eye. The trade-off is that they can cause slightly more redness along the line while they break down, and the timing of when they disappear is less predictable.

Removable stitches

Removable (non-absorbable) stitches, usually a very fine nylon or polypropylene, cause little reaction in the skin and are taken out at around five to seven days, which leaves a clean line early in recovery. They do mean one extra visit, and removal can tickle or sting briefly.

Skin glue and tapes

Some incisions, or parts of them, are closed with surgical skin glue or small adhesive strips, sometimes on top of buried stitches. These usually come away on their own over a week or two.

Does the type of stitch affect the scar?

The evidence suggests not. A 2025 systematic review of 11 studies ↗ comparing dissolvable and removable stitches in upper eyelid surgery found equivalent scar quality and complication rates, with technique mattering more than material^[1]. A comparative study of 149 patients the same year found complications in 2.9% of those with dissolvable stitches and 2.5% of those with removable stitches, a difference that was not significant, with similar satisfaction scores for patients and surgeons^[2]. A 2025 review of scar optimisation in upper blepharoplasty reached the same conclusion, noting that dissolvable stitches avoid the need for removal^[3].

In other words, both choices give good results, and your surgeon will choose based on your skin, the technique and your circumstances. If you are not sure which type you have, ask at your consultation or check with our nursing team after surgery.

Upper vs Lower Blepharoplasty Stitches

Upper and lower eyelid surgery are closed differently.

• Upper blepharoplasty: the incision sits in the natural crease of the upper lid and runs a little way out towards the crow’s feet. It is closed with a fine running or interrupted stitch, sometimes with an extra stitch or two at the outer end, where tension is greatest.
• Lower blepharoplasty through the skin: the incision runs just below the lower lashes and out into a laughter line. It is closed with fine stitches that dissolve or are removed in the same way.
• Lower blepharoplasty from the inside (transconjunctival): the fat bags are treated through a small cut on the inner surface of the lower eyelid. This usually needs no skin stitches at all, and any stitch inside the lid dissolves on its own.

Our guide to blepharoplasty scars shows where each incision sits and how it looks once healed.

When Do Stitches Come Out After Blepharoplasty?

If you have removable stitches, they are usually taken out at five to seven days after surgery, when the skin edges have joined but before the stitch can leave marks. Removal takes a few minutes. The nurse or surgeon snips each stitch and slides it out with fine tweezers. Most people feel a tug or tickle rather than pain, and the eyelid may look slightly pink along the line afterwards.

With dissolvable stitches there is usually nothing to remove, although a nurse may tidy any loose ends at your first check-up. If a stitch is still clearly present and irritating after two to three weeks, it can be removed easily.

Eyelid Stitches Dissolving: What Is Normal Week by Week

Everyone heals at a slightly different pace, but this is the typical pattern.

• Days 1 to 3: the eyelids are swollen and may be bruised, and the stitch line looks raised and red. The eyes can feel tight, gritty and watery, and closing them fully can feel strange. Cold compresses and keeping your head raised help.
• Days 4 to 7: swelling starts to settle. Dissolvable stitches may look slightly fluffy or white as moisture softens them, and the odd stitch end may come loose. Removable stitches are usually taken out in this window.
• Week 2: most fast-absorbing stitches have gone or are falling away. The scar line is pink and slightly firm, and the remaining bruising turns yellow-green. Many people feel comfortable going out again.
• Week 3: the stitches are usually no longer visible. The line may still be pink and a little lumpy, and the lids can still feel tight first thing in the morning.
• Months 1 to 6: the scar softens, flattens and fades, and residual swelling, especially in the lower lids, gradually settles. Most upper lid scars become very hard to see in the crease.

Does It Hurt When Eyelid Stitches Dissolve?

No. The stitches break down slowly and you are unlikely to feel it happening. What people notice is the healing around them: mild itching, a feeling of tightness, occasional twinges, or a slight scratchy feeling if a stitch end catches. These are normal and settle with time.

Pain that is getting worse rather than better, throbbing, or tenderness spreading away from the scar is not normal and should be checked, because it can be a sign of infection.

An Eyelid Stitch Is Poking Out or Has Not Dissolved: What to Do

A small stitch end showing along the line, or a stitch that seems to be hanging on, is common, especially at the outer corner of the eye.

• Do not pull it, cut it or pick at it. Pulling can open the wound or drag on the healing scar.
• Keep the area clean and follow your aftercare instructions. Gentle cleaning often helps a softened stitch come away by itself.
• Let us know if it is catching on your lashes, irritating the eye, or still there after about three weeks. A nurse can remove it in a moment.

Occasionally a deeper stitch works its way to the surface weeks later as a small pimple or white spot on the scar. This is called a spitting suture. It is harmless and usually sorted out by removing the stitch.

Can Eyelid Stitches Come Apart?

Yes, but it is uncommon. One of the largest studies, a review of 2,376 upper eyelid operations ↗, found that the wound came apart in 1.4% of eyelids, on average about nine days after surgery^[4]. The risk was higher in men and in smokers, and higher with fast-absorbing gut stitches than with removable polypropylene stitches. Age, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes did not make a difference.

Reassuringly, every patient in that study was satisfied with the final result. About half of the separated wounds were simply left to heal on their own, and most of the rest were closed again with a stitch or skin glue.

If you notice a gap opening along the line, keep it clean, do not pull at it, and contact us the same day so we can decide whether it needs closing.

How to lower the risk

• Stop smoking and nicotine vaping at least four weeks before and four weeks after surgery; our guide to smoking and cosmetic surgery explains why.
• Avoid aspirin and anti-inflammatory painkillers for two weeks before surgery unless your doctor has prescribed them for a medical reason, to reduce bleeding and bruising.
• Do not rub your eyes or pull on the eyelids, including when removing make-up or putting in contact lenses.
• Avoid heavy lifting, bending and strenuous exercise for the first couple of weeks, which raise the pressure in the head and can increase swelling and bleeding.

Caring for Your Eyelid Stitches

You will be given written aftercare instructions, which always take priority, but the principles are simple.

• Keep the line clean. Gently clean away any crusting with cooled boiled water and clean gauze or cotton pads, as shown by the nursing team.
• Use any ointment or drops exactly as prescribed. Do not add your own creams to the stitch line in the first weeks.
• Keep your head raised on two or three pillows for the first week to help swelling settle.
• Use cold compresses in the first 48 hours, wrapped in a clean cloth and never pressed hard on the eye.
• Shower and wash your hair carefully, keeping water and shampoo off the eyelids as far as you can, and pat dry rather than rub.
• Avoid eye make-up until your surgeon is happy that the wound has healed, usually around two weeks. Our guide to wearing make-up after eyelid surgery has more detail.
• Avoid swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs until the wound has fully healed.
• Protect the scar from the sun with sunglasses and, once healed, sun cream, to help it fade evenly.
• Leave contact lenses out until your surgeon says they are safe, usually around two weeks; wear glasses in the meantime.
• Do not drive until your vision is clear and you can comfortably check your blind spots; see driving after blepharoplasty.

When to Get Help

Contact us the same day if you notice:

• redness, heat or swelling spreading away from the stitch line, or pain getting worse after the first few days;
• yellow or green discharge, or the wound starting to smell;
• a fever or feeling generally unwell;
• a gap opening in the stitch line;
• a stitch rubbing on the eye, or eyes that are very dry and sore. Our guides to watery eyes after blepharoplasty and dry eyes after blepharoplasty explain what is normal.

For the first 24 hours after surgery you have your surgeon’s direct number, written on your discharge summary. After that, our phone line is open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, on 020 7993 4849. Out of hours, call NHS 111.

Go to A&E or call 999 immediately if you have severe pain in or behind the eye, rapidly increasing swelling, the eye becoming tight or bulging forward, or any loss or blurring of vision that is getting worse. Bleeding behind the eye is rare after blepharoplasty but needs treatment within hours to protect your sight. Our guide to blepharoplasty risks covers the possible complications in full.

Bumps, White Spots and Lumps Along the Scar

A few small changes along the stitch line are common as eyelid stitches dissolve and should not cause alarm.

• Tiny white spots (milia) are small trapped keratin cysts that sometimes form along a healing line. They usually clear on their own or can be removed easily; see milia around the eyes.
• Small firm bumps along the scar are usually healing tissue or a deeper stitch and soften over weeks. Our guide to lumps after blepharoplasty explains the causes and treatment.
• Stitch tracks are faint dots either side of the line where stitches passed through the skin. They are more likely if stitches stay in too long and nearly always fade.

How Long Until the Eyelid Scar Fades?

Once the stitches have gone, the scar keeps maturing for several months. It usually looks pink and slightly firm at first, then flattens and fades over three to six months, and in the upper lid it settles into the natural crease, where it is hidden when your eyes are open. Lower lid scars below the lashes also tend to become very faint. If you have concerns about how your scar is healing, we are always happy to see you.

More results are in our blepharoplasty before and after gallery, and our guide to how long blepharoplasty lasts explains what to expect long term.

Frequently Asked Questions

Blepharoplasty Aftercare at Centre for Surgery

At Centre for Surgery, eyelid surgery is performed by GMC-registered surgeons at our CQC-regulated Baker Street hospital, either under local anaesthetic or under TIVA; our guide to local versus general anaesthetic for blepharoplasty explains the choice. The surgeon who assesses you at consultation is the surgeon who performs your operation. Follow-up appointments, including any stitch removal, are included in your quotation, and our nursing team stays in contact with you over the first two weeks so there is always someone to ask about a stitch, a bump or a worry.

To read more about the operation, see our blepharoplasty page, or, if heavy brows are part of the picture, our brow lift page.

Phone: 020 7993 4849 | Address: 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone, London W1U 6RN
Contact us to schedule a consultation

References

1. Safaripour A, Keshtan SB, Boumeri E, et al. Absorbable versus non-absorbable sutures in upper eyelid blepharoplasty: a systematic review of clinical outcomes and follow-up burden. BMC Ophthalmology 2025. doi:10.1186/s12886-025-04370-8 ↗
2. Giordano S, De Vita D, Salval A, Di Summa PG, Oranges CM. Absorbable sutures are equally efficacious to non-absorbable sutures in upper eyelid blepharoplasty for dermatochalasis: a comparative study. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2025. doi:10.1007/s00266-025-05286-w ↗
3. Aghajani A, Babaei L, Eshraghi B. From incision to healing: an evidence-based review of scar optimization in upper blepharoplasty. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2025. doi:10.1007/s00266-025-05414-6 ↗
4. Homer NA, Zhou S, Watson AH, Durairaj VD, Nakra T. Wound dehiscence following upper blepharoplasty: a review of 2,376 cases. Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2021. doi:10.1097/IOP.0000000000001816 ↗