Stitches?

I had a second degree tear requiring stitches and I am 9 days postpartum and when I washed today in my sitz bath I couldn't feel any external stitches but I think I can feel the stitches under the skin. I looked and didn't see anything (I didn't look too hard though as I didn't want to mess anything up). My question is for you ladies that tore, how long did it take for your stitches to dissolve and the soreness to completely go away?