Are there supposed to be permanent sutures left in ears after otoplasty?

I had otoplasty 3 months ago. I went to my doctor and had some black stitches removed after about a week or two after the surgery. I was told that I had dissolvable sutures left in my ears that my body would absorb. I was in pain and felt that I had a couple stitches breaking the skin behind both of my ears. I went back to the doctor and was told that my body was rejecting the dissolvable sutures, but I thought the dissolvable ones were all clear. I had black stitches coming out of my ears. Now, I'm facing more pushing their way out of my ears. One is infected, I'm sure. But are the black ones supposed to stay in place permanently??? And the clear ones dissolve???
Thanks

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

In the usual otoplasty, permanent sutures are placed in the cartilage to alter its shape.  Healing and scarring eventually make these sutures irrelevant. The skin is then closed with dissolvable sutures.  The permanent sutures that I use are white in color, but they may also be dark colored.  It could be that the permanent sutures placed at the time of your surgery are now spitting out.  If sufficient healing has occurred, then this should not affect the shape or appearance of your ear.  However, if you have a recurrence of ear protrusion, then additional surgery may be required to correct the problem.