Coalition Surgeons

spex · #1 **Top** 09-13-2007, 10:47 AM

Down time!

A very common question associated with getting a HT and one of the most common reasons for not getting a ht sooner in many cases. Many guys know which Doc they are going with after much research but then need to wait months, sometime years to get an appropriate window of "Down time" in order to pull the HT off unnoticed by family, friends, work colleagues etc...Down time is a pain in arse - NO DOUBT!!!

Downtime is definitely an element of the whole HT procedure you need to consider when embarking on your HT journey.

Depending on the size of the session obviously some patients down time is less than others: ie smaller sessions can get away with a shorter down time period compared to larger session sizes.

Healing is only half the battle - Many guys heal up with no real evidence of surgery in as little as 10 days and some can still have lingering redness for quite a prolonged periods of time - especially fair skinned patients. There is also the factor of having to have the recipient areas shaved down in order to achieve the best result possible and provide the doc great flexibility etc -Shaving down is essential!...(thats a whole other topic

)

The answer to the question of "how much down time do i need?" is an impossible one to answer but i recommend that you give yourself as much time as possible - a MINIMUM of 2-3 weeks ideally 4-5 (especially larger strip sessions.) If you can wear a hat to work then you are laughing and could literally be back to work within days if you wanted to but for the vast majority wearing a hat at work is not an option and the appropriate amount of downtime post op needs to be considered!

I have received a number of sessions over the years and never once have i been able to back at work within 2 weeks and i know all the tricks - Some are below, please feel free to add any handy minimising "down time" hints.

1. Apply Aloe Vera gel, Emu oil, distilled witch hazel etc.. to the healing areas to help soothe and speed up healing process.
2. Take MSM (3000mg) to speed up the existing hairs growth since the buzz to get some length back to help disguise.
3. Use concealers in areas once hair is long enough to help bulk up and disguise lingering redness.
4. Wearing a hat to buy you valuable days.
5. Growing hair long pre op to help disguise areas worked on.
6. Buzz hair short pre op in advance so people you see on a day to day basis don't notice the new buzz cut post op.(Especially FUE guys)
7. Take a holiday post op and take yourself out the loop for 3-4 weeks
8. Take sick leave right before your holiday comes to a close - buy you valuable days

The list will hopefully be added to with experiences that guys have been through in order to help minimise their own personal downtime.
Regards
Spex

Bill - Managing Publisher · #2 **Top** 09-13-2007, 11:54 AM

Spex,

Very nice information. I will most likely use this (with some editing) as a Q&A Blog article at www.regrowhair.com. You of course, will receive the credit

From my experience I don't agree that session size will greatly impact healing time. In fact, in my experience - healing time (in the recipient area) was faster with each subsequent hair transplant surgery. I believe that had a lot to do with how "ultra refined" the grafts and incisions were. Donor area was about the same each time I'd say.

Thanks for posting. More feedback from our other members is always welcome. Feel free to share your experiences here.

Best wishes,

Bill

spex · #3 **Top** 09-13-2007, 12:19 PM

Bill, I didn't say Session size effects heal time - it effects "down time"

The larger the area worked on the harder it is to cover the area compared to a small area worked on can be coverd by existing hair for example. Hope this clarifies.

Bill - Managing Publisher · #4 **Top** 09-13-2007, 12:49 PM

Spex,

Ah...it's amazing what a little interpretation can do

.

Down time can be interpreted a few ways I suppose.

The way I interpret it has to do with 2 things:

1. Healing Time
2. Concealing the evidence of a hair transplant (secrecy/confidentiality)

Number one won't be impacted by area covered or session size but number 2 might be depending on what a hair transplant patient can get away with in public.

Shaving the head will certainly impact a level of confidentiality (maybe positively or negatively).

The ability to wear a hat (like you said) certainly will help conceal the evidence of a hair transplant whereas it will certainly not facilitate the healing process.

Good discussion

Bill

spex · #5 **Top** 09-13-2007, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Healing is only half the battle - Many guys heal up with no real evidence of surgery in as little as 10 days and some can still have lingering redness for quite a prolonged periods of time - especially fair skinned patients. There is also the factor of having to have the recipient areas shaved down in order to achieve the best result possible and provide the doc great flexibility etc -Shaving down is essential!...(thats a whole other topic )

Well without splitting hairs here i thought i had mentioned the 2 factors here - heal time being only half the battle - concealing the area buzzed being the other....

If i didn't explain it well enough initially - i think we have now

Bill - Managing Publisher · #6 **Top** 09-13-2007, 12:58 PM

Yes, you did a good job Spex. Not trying to knock you off your horse

.

Now go take some Aloe and call me in the morning

Bill

spex · #7 **Top** 09-13-2007, 01:00 PM

spex · #8 **Top** 02-04-2009, 06:42 AM

"Down time" - bump!

Had a few email enquires of late regarding this so thought it worth making others aware.

mmhce · #9 **Top** 02-05-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

6. Buzz hair short pre op in advance so people you see on a day to day basis don't notice the new buzz cut post op.(Especially FUE guys)

Is there something similar to this course of action for FUT patients?

Because this is the ideal way to do it, so that no one suspects anything!

Thanks.

spex · #10 **Top** 02-06-2009, 02:29 AM

Yeah but obviously it varies from patient to patient depending on the amount of existing hair etc - the strip scar can still be seen though on most patients for weeks due tot he time it takes for hair to gorw back in donor area to help cover it.

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