Had skin biopsy on benign mole. doc is on vacation and won't remove 8 stitches until he returns 19 days after biopsy? safe to wait to remove stitches?

It's safe: The stitches may become very annoying but it is safe to wait. If you don't want to wait you could go to an urgent care at 10 days and have them removed.

Yes it's safe: Your doctor is aware of where he placed the stitches. How long they stay in depends. On the face usually 5-7 days is the max. Elsewhere on the body where the skin is thicker and low chances of scarring stitches can be left longer. If you are having signs of infection-streaking lines from the site, warm to touch, red, and/or drainage that is not clear or straw colored have them taken out.

Not entirely: cannot say in your particular case without an exam (but if I could examine the sutures in person, I'd remove them!).. and... suturesleft in place give a pathway for skin germs to get in and cause infection (redness, pus, warmth, pain, etc.) and.... the sutures heal into place and get progressively trickier to remove