Sutures vs Staples

By Jerome Edelstein, MD

Any cosmetic surgical procedure requires your plastic surgeon to close any incisions made. Two methods of incision closure in cosmetic surgery are with thread sutures (stitches) or staples.
SUTURESSutures are essentially a type of thread that is absorbable or non-absorbable. Absorbable sutures are made from bio-compatible materials that gradually break down and disappear, normally after the affected tissue of the incision heals closed. Non-absorbable sutures do not break down and need to be removed.
STAPLESStaples used in cosmetic surgery are typically made from some type of metal, often stainless steel.

Dr. Edelstein talks about sutures applied during tummy tuck surgery.SUTURES VS STAPLES FOR YOUR TUMMY TUCK—SUTURES ARE BETTER, ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE INVISIBLE!When it comes to cosmetic surgery, the purpose of any procedure is to enhance your appearance. You want to look better, and this relies on a surgeon who applies safe surgical techniques that are optimized to achieve the best aesthetic result possible. With this in mind, we never use staples during the tummy tuck procedure and always apply neat sutures.

Some surgeons use staples to close incisions made during a tummy tuck because it is faster to staple your skin together than apply sutures. Unfortunately, while your actual surgery time may be shorter, you’ll be left with a less than ideal result. Your scarring will be uneven and more visible—kind of like train tracks with extra puncture holes on either side of the incision line where the staples enter the skin. Plus, you’ll have to schedule yet another appointment in a week or so to get your staples removed.

Several studies suggest that there is a higher chance you’ll experience significantly more pain when your incisions are closed with staples rather than sutures.

As a matter of fact, even stitches can leave more apparent marks if they are left in the skin for too long. That’s why we use an “invisible suture technique” for the long tummy tuck incision (as well as for breast augmentation procedures). Not only is all the suturing internal, there are no visible sutures and all are absorbable, which means no sutures need to be removed.

If scarring is a concern for your tummy tuck, surgeons agree that sutures achieve a superior aesthetic result than staples. Sutures take longer to apply, but it’s worth your surgeon’s extra effort.

Tip: Before you book your tummy tuck with a surgeon, you should ask how they close their incisions.