Health & Healing
How long do dissolvable stitches take to dissolve?
Estimated wait
14 days – 42 days
Typically ~21 days
Based on published sources
Timeline guide
- Faster cases~18 days
- Average cases~21 days
- Slower casesUp to 42 days
Do not pick or pull at dissolvable stitches — let them break down on their own. If a stitch has not dissolved well past the expected time, or the wound becomes red, swollen, painful or opens up, contact your clinician. General information, not medical advice.
Most dissolvable (absorbable) skin stitches start to break down within about 1–2 weeks and are usually gone within roughly 1–3 weeks — some up to about 6 weeks, for example after a caesarean. Deeper or internal absorbable sutures take much longer to fully absorb, commonly several weeks up to 1–6 months.
More details
The exact time depends on the suture material, the wound location, and how your body heals.
This is different from having non-dissolvable stitches removed, which is done by body location.
Last updated: 15 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.