Unfortunately, blue stitches are NOT dissolvable because they’re made of a synthetic material called polypropylene. The polypropylene sutures are non-dissolving and non-absorbable which means you will need to have them removed by your doctor.
We will explain in greater detail about why that is the case and what it means for you.
Are blue stitches dissolvable?
The blue stitches or rather polypropylene sutures, are made of a synthetic material that does not dissolve. If you have any doubts about it, simply look at the box label of blue sutures and see what it has to say about its dissolvability.
The images above are from three different brands and manufacturers of the blue sutures and they are ALL made of polypropylene. As you can clearly see, they are dyed a vibrant blue color.
| Brand | Dissolvability |
|---|---|
| Dolphin sutures | non-dissolvable |
| Vital sutures | non-dissolvable |
| Ethicon | non-dissolvable |
| LOOK sutures | non-dissolvable |
| FOSmedic | non-dissolvable |
The table above provides a list of the various brands and a reference to what they specifically have to say about whether or not their blue sutures are absorbable.
In summary, blue dissolvable stitches do not exist. They are all non-dissolving and non-absorbable, which means they will need to be removed.
Unboxing video of blue stitches
In case you had any doubt, we did an unboxing video of blue stitches. We’ll read to you the manufacturer instructions so that way you know without a shred of doubt that it is non-absorbable!
Why blue sutures don’t dissolve
Blue stitches don’t dissolve because they’re made of a synthetic material called polypropylene, which is a tough and rigid crystalline thermoplastic. Essentially it is made of plastic!
Do you know what this thermoplastic is commonly used for aside from suturing wounds?
Items made of polypropylene:
- Bottle caps
- Plastic bottles
- Yogurt containers
- Pallets
- Food packaging
- Door trims
From your own personal experience as well as ours, we all know that these plastic items will NOT break down on their own. That means there is a zero percent chance that your body will be able to dissolve it and absorb it.
In fact, these products are not biodegradable nor are they compostable. They’re not the most eco-friendly if you know what we mean.
How it compares to dissolvable stitches
The primary reason why the blue ones don’t dissolve is due to the material that they’re made of. You can compare them to chromic gut sutures which are a commonly used dissolvable stitch for wisdom teeth.
The chromic gut sutures come in a yellow/gold color and they’re made of an all natural organic material. The gut sutures are mainly composed of collagen but they’re made from the guts of ruminant animals (cows, sheeps, goats). Since they’re basically made of food, our body can break it down, dissolve it and absorb it.
| Blue stitches | Yellow/Gold stitches | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Polypropylene | Catgut |
| Material Type | Synthetic | Collagen |
| Dissolvable | No | Yes |
The same principles hold for other non-absorbable ones vs other absorbable ones.
Does the color affect it’s dissolvability?
The color of the sutures technically do not affect whether or not they’re absorbable or not. Most of the sutures are dyed to be a certain color for ease of identification.
It seems like manufacturers have an agreed upon color scheme for different suture materials and their dye color. We do have a full guide on what the color of dissolvable stitches tend to be as well as the color of non-dissolvable stitches.
Takeaway
If you currently have blue stitches somewhere on your body, they will not dissolve. They are most likely made of a synthetic material called polypropylene which is actually a tough thermoplastic.
It is essentially made of the same material as plastic bottles so there is little to no chance of your body being able to absorb it. They won’t even biodegrade in landfills you know.
Ultimately, blue dissolvable stitches do not exist so if you have them, you should give your doctor a call and ask them when your suture removal appointment is. You’re going to need them to be removed once they’ve served their purpose of closing up your wound after whatever surgical procedure you had done.