Special Note for Tummy Tuck and Body Lift Patients

Dr. Lev prefers to use clear permanent nylon inner stitches for tummy tucks and body lifts. This is because permanent clear nylon stitches do not produce any allergic reactions in the patient and the quality of the scars after fully healed is the best. With dissolvable stitches, because they may dissolve faster than the completion of the healing process which could be up to one year post op, the scar is not as thin and beautiful as with the permanent nylon stitches but there is no chance that the dissolvable stitches will poke through the incision. There is the rare possibility for an allergic reaction with the dissolvable stitches.

Sometimes, it happens that one or more of the permanent clear nylon stitches can poke out through the incision as the swelling subsides and they will have to be removed by a doctor or nurse, and in the USA that can be costly. If you want the nylon stitches for the more attractive scar, it might be a good idea to line up a doctor, nurse or urgent care facility before coming down to Costa Rica. That way if the nylon stitch/stitches poke through, you will already have someone who has agreed to remove the stitches after you return home. The stitches that poke through must be removed.

Most patients don't experience this with nylon stitches, but recently we had a patient who had this happen to her a while after she returned home from Costa Rica. She did find a doctor who would remove the stitches that had poked through the incision, but it was costly for her. She lives in New York so, of course everything is more expensive on the east and west coasts. But even so, it's an extra expense one might have to incur and we like to give patients as much information as possible as they consider surgery in Costa Rica.

You will also have the option to return to Costa Rica and Dr. Lev will remove the stitches for no fee. That might be the lesser expensive option, believe it or not.

* Please be sure to let Dr. Lev know which of the two choices of stitches you prefer when you are in front of him at your consultation appointment the day before your surgery. If you don't choose, his default stitches will be permanent, clear nylon.