SoftVoice

Copper peptide / graftcyte spray. Saline and gauze pads for bleeding if you lose a graft. Paper surgical "shower caps" to wear at night to protect grafts from scratching in your sleep. Needle and neosporin for pimples. Baby shampoo for washing hair.

I'm still trying to figure out how much time is right for those who work in an office/can't wear hats. But I can tell you that returning to work 4 days post-op was WAY too soon after my strip procedure. I kept a little diary of my experience at the time and wrote "next time take 14 days off." I don't know if that's enough, but 4 days definitely was not.

There is medical evidence to support the healing benefits of this, so I took 3 "rides" in a hyperbaric chamber right after my surgery. I have no way of knowing what my recovery would have been without them, but believe it was a big waste of money. Better to rest and eat healthy after an HT. It won't hurt, but I wouldn't recommend hyperbaric therapy---despite all the "hype."

My first night after surgery was fine, but on night 2 I woke up at 4am bleeding from my scalp. When I looked in the mirror, there was a small, little white "worm" in my hair. I called my surgeon the next day (I had flown home) and he told me it was probably a graft. I think because my scalp was so itchy that I must have scratched it in my sleep and dislodged one. I'm not sure how to prevent this but have a couple suggestions. If your doctor gave you a sedative (e.g. Valium) pre-op, take that or an over-the-counter sleep aid for 3-4 nights after surgery to help you sleep more deeply and reduce chances of nocturnal scratching/rubbing. Another is buy some breathable surgical paper hair "caps" to cover your head at night.