Thanks for that Bullinut, at this point I would even be happier with your initial scar as blade 3 or 4 I could cope with not my current inch plus haircuts at the back and sides!

Yes I know it's an extreme case. I've decided to not get too down over it.. As long as my hair is a certain length and I use thickening shampoo then it's not visible.. But we all know that hair soon becomes untidy.. Luckily Ive used the same barber for over 20 years and he knows my story and actually told me that he himself would of had rhinoplasty if he wasn't married!

Ive not heard of 'air stretch bag' and wouldnt that be for 'virgin' skin that hadn't already been stretched like in the case you mentioned? I will look into it.. I havent yet spoken to my local doctor as I feel it's my problem to have to deal with and it isnt like a normal accident scar I don't think..

turbo, Scar stretching is not the end of the world if you have the hair to cover it, which it looks like you do. I'd be much more concerned with a fouled-up recipient area. The bottom line is you have the option of scar revision or FUE, and, in the meantime, you can always put on some Dermmatch if you feel insecure. Take care.

__________________
HT #1: Karamikian Unknown # of grafts Sept.2006

HT#2 Nov.23rd, 2007
Dr.Feller
Almost 3200 grafts via strip

HT#3 April 2010
Fue 200/side into temple points

HT#4 February 2011

My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Feller

Yes, point taken. I will try Dermmatch.
Regards

Turbo-
I believe the poster ".." is referring to the use of a tissue expander (not "air" filled.)
I used this technique extensively in the past in burn reconstruction, where large areas of injured scalp required excision. We can also use tissue expanders in other cases, such as hairline lowering procedures in women who have congenitally large foreheads. The procedure is quite successful, though it is very costly and time intensive, requiring visits twice weekly to the surgeon's office to slowly fill the balloon with saline over a period of 2-3 months. The principle is as follows:
Using your situation as our example, an incision is made along the scar, and the scalp is separated from the underlying bone (skull) as far forward as the frontal hairline, a process known as undermining. The width of the undermining would be about 15-20 cm, about the width of your scar. After tunneling, a flat (deflated) surgical balloon is advanced so that it lies under the scalp that has normal hair (anteriorly, toward the front, not under the scar). A small port that attaches to the balloon via a tube is placed under the skin, usually just behind the ear. This is where the saline will be injected during the inflation process. The incision is sewn up, and the would allowed to heal.
Successive filling of the balloon over 2-3 months leads to a very bizarre looking scenario due to stretching and expansion of the area under the normal hair bearing scalp.
At the end of the filling period, the patient is brought back to the OR, and the balloon is removed. The result is a large area of uniformly expanded hair bearing scalp that can be pulled over the area where the scarring occurs. The scars are completely excised, and the normal hair to normal hair edges are approximated under no tension whatsoever.
The results are immediate and dramatic. (You can imagine in the case of our burn patients.)
Again, this is a costly and much more invasive procedure than a simple transplant scar excision as discussed above, but the results are very, very gratifying. I pass this on to you so that you and everyone are clear as to what I believe ".." was referring to.

__________________
Dr. Timothy Carman
La Jolla Hair Restoration Medical Center

Proud Smile Club member

Dr. Timothy Carman is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians

Thx for the heads up on the expander question doc . like i say the the person on tv seemed to have a great result , would "stretch back" be a problem down the road, or a lot less likely than a straight normal excision ?, were these skin expanders used for scalp reductions also ?
hope u can get this scar improved turbo.

As the closure in the case of the tissue expander would be under virtually no tension, this may mitigate the reformation of the scar. (Less likely.)
Expanders can be used for scalp reduction, as I described in the case of a patient with extensive grafted skin to the scalp secondary to 3rd degree burns.

__________________
Dr. Timothy Carman
La Jolla Hair Restoration Medical Center

Proud Smile Club member

Dr. Timothy Carman is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians

I feel your angst over your scar. Its not the worst that I have seen and is hidden by your hair at present. That may not be of much consolation, but, listen to what a number of posters have said, and that is to wait until a year is up. Its not that I'd expect alot of improvment(but it could happen), but rather your skin will be physiologically more ready for some type of repair at that point.

Without actually squeezing your scalp I can't tell you how much you could remove at one setting, but I'd bet that you could get most if not all of that scar in one setting. Then you would need to wait and see if you re-stretched, unlikely but possible. If not, that may be all you want, but a second excision or FUE into the scar could be options.

But do not make any decisions yet. It might get better or worse in the mean time, and your skin isn't ready for more work yet.

Lastly, I'd find no indication at this point for considering tissue expanders. Single or serial excision of the scar would be a better solution in my opinion, but that too may change by a year.

In the interim, keep your hair a bit longer and enjoy the winter. Don't rush physiology.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

__________________
William H. Lindsey, MD, FACS
McLean, VA

Dr. William Lindsey is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians

Thanks for all of your recent comments, especially the professional opinions which I really appreciate. I will of course leave the area alone until the middle of next year before seeking further advice.

It seems to have stabilised now and doesn't feel tight. I had a really long-lasting numbness at the top of my head that has also 90% gone in the last month. This has been very gradual.

One thing that I'm wondering if it's a good idea doing is to ask a close friend to take some decent pictures of the area every month or two so that I can compare it over time. Then I can perhaps give the doctor a more accurate idea of how the area is and is perhaps likely to behave with a scar excision?

Regarding scar excision I have to say I would be very concerned about stretching again as after the last HT, it was very tight to the extent that I didnt have much movement in my head and lifting even a wheelie bin onto 2 wheels was really difficult. But as has been mentioned I shall see how it develops and continue with wearing longer hair..

Hi,

I'm new here. I feel your pain, I have three of these on the left side of my head, one on top of the other. I have had them for about 20 years now. Unfortunately when I was in my early twenties I was hacked and have been paying for it ever since.

I've been researching again to have these fixed properly, as well as my crown, which was also scarred and ruined. Worst mistake of my life, that I get to relive daily.

Things are not as they were 20 years ago, if this was just done and it doesn't improve, I would think about it carefully. I went back to the same doctor to have mine fixed months later and they did nothing but re-cut me and put me through the same torture for the same results.

I'm not saying this will happen to you, but I hope you can side-step what I've had to go through (and others I'm sure).