Post HT surgery

[cimbom]

Hello,

I am booked in to have HT surgery with Dr Wong in January. I have long wavy/curly hair. I was just wondering how obvious it will be the first few days after surgery? I am travelling from Australia and would like to spend a few days in LA or San Francisco after the surgery but not if I'm going to look very swollen and red. If so, I'll work it out so that I can go before I head to Vancouver. Thoughts?

Thanks

[TommyLucchese]

Very obvious unless you wear a hat or can cover it up with a comb over.

[cimbom]

I'm having a non-shave procedure as I'm female. Will that make a difference? The way I wear my hair will cover the implanted hairs as the top "layer" of my hair is fine, it's just the underneath area which has had a lot of loss.

Will my forehead and scalp be red and swollen?

I think I might do the stopover beforehand, even though it works out a bit more expensive that way.

[Raphael84]

Id try and go beforehand, everybodies different but the facial swelling can be pretty severe for up to 5 days. Plus the first few days post HT, odds are you wont really be feeling yourself. Go before, enjoy your trip! And use the post HT days to rest. Very important!

[TommyLucchese]

I had no swelling, probably because I slept as upright as I could.

If you can cover it up with hair it should be fine. The recipient area will be full of a kind of bloody red dots. Have a look at threads for immediate post-op photos to get an understanding of how it will be.

I was out the very next day strolling around Manhattan, but I had my hat covering my transplant - if you can't cover it then it's very very obvious. But then, who cares? Who do you know in LA or SF? You should see the sights regardless. I don't know if styling your hair to cover will be advised immediately post up though.

My baseball cap was very carefully placed as to not disturb grafts. The hat worked well, except for when I realised I was immediately beneath the Empire State Building - I tried to look up but it's so tall my hat almost fell off so I gave up! Maybe you could try an oversized baseball cap?

[edit] yes do the travelling before if you can arrange it. Even though I was fine the next day, it is a bit annoying being in public when you know what you are trying to hide. For immediate post op it'd be best for you to have a good book and to relax in your room.

[rev3]

depends on how many grafts, fue or fut

plus is it a hairline transfer or crown

raphael 84 is right

best scenerio for running around town in 3 days

<2000 grafts
FUE
to crown area

[cimbom]

Thanks for your replies. I will do the stopover beforehand.