Senior Member NW4recession Posted October 7, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted October 7, 2008 Has anyone had a friend or family member remove their staples rather than go to a doctors office? My Hair Loss Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member richie48 Posted October 7, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted October 7, 2008 hey nw4 My name is richie48 and I'm from the UK , I had 2100 crown grafts with Dr Feller in nov 2007 . Here is a link with graphic pics on whem me and my girlfriend removed the staples ourselves , it easy but a little uncomfortable http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/showthread.php?t=154859 Good luck bud richie 2100 crown grafts Dr Feller nov 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Dr. William Lindsey Posted October 7, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 7, 2008 You just paid a lot of money for the best surgery you can get. Let the doctor take out the staples if at all possible. You will be more reassured, and although problems are uncommon, dealing with a small problem at day 7-10 is better than dealing with a big one later on. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member FenderPlayer Posted October 7, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 7, 2008 I had my surgery with Dr. Feller in August and couldn't get back to him to have him remove my staples. As thus I had my mother in law remove them, as my wife was to afraid to. They came out easily and I barely felt it. I agree with Dr Lindsey that if possible have the doc remove the staples, but from my experience a family member was just fine. Before and after removal, I did show Dr. Feller my pics on my blog to make sure everything looked good. August 12, 2008 - 3100 grafts Dr. Feller Check out my blog - http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/blog/home-page.asp?WebID=876 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Davidjhonda Posted October 7, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 7, 2008 This is a great question! Not because I have the answers...but because I'm in the same boat. My wife will do the honors (take out my staples) this Friday. We decided to take a long vacation right after my HT (last Tuesday with Dr. Feller), and this Friday is the 10 day mark. Believe it or not, I was so "out of it" after the transplant that I don't remember how to take out the staples! I suppose I'll need to call Dr. Feller and ask. What day are you removing the staples? Hopefully, you'll post some tips and tricks aftewards. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Staple removal is actually very easy. With the right mirrors, you can even remove them yourself (like I did). But I recommend letting someone else do it, preferably someone with a steady hand and with some experience. I agree with Dr. Lindsey that it's optimal to have yuor hair restoration physician do it, simply because he/she can evaluate the donor scar healing progress and offer his/her input. But this is not mandatory. My only advice pre-staple removal is to soak your head for awhile which will help make the staples easier to remove. Best wishes, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member NW4recession Posted October 7, 2008 Author Senior Member Share Posted October 7, 2008 Do you need a special tool? My Hair Loss Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Eman Posted October 8, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted October 8, 2008 The back of a hammer, pliers, or any other tool you have in your tool chest will work...JUST KIDDING! The doctor should have provided you with a tool for removal, especially if you are an out of state/country patient. My initial HT thread: done and done!! Check it out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Dr. William Lindsey Posted October 8, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted October 8, 2008 Folks have often asked why I use staples and my friend and mentor Dr. Feller uses staples. While my answer has multiple parts, one part is that you don't need any special tool or expertise to remove sutures. I do use staples about 25% of the time, and I can't tell any significant difference in results IF a nice tension free closure is the usual result by the operating surgeon. IF the surgeon typcially has wide wounds closed with tension, neither skin staples or sutures will likely make it a great scar. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mmhce Posted November 4, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted November 4, 2008 Can a regular doctor remove the staples? take care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Dr. William Lindsey Posted November 4, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted November 4, 2008 Some don't feel comfortable with that. You probably ought to call and ask. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mmhce Posted November 4, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted November 4, 2008 Is this because the suturing/stapling was not their handy work and they do not want to accept "responsibility" for any "perceived" low quality of such stapling or damage done in removing the stapling? take care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 mmhce, I can't see why a doctor wouldn't feel comfortable removing staples when just about anyone can do it. Sutures are a bit more difficult to remove though. But check with your general practioner to see what they are comfortable with. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Dr. Michael Beehner Posted November 5, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted November 5, 2008 We use blue colored 3-0 Prolene (nylon) running sutures to close virtually all of our donor harvest areas for two reasons: First, they are comfortable and don't hurt when you lay on the pillow at night, etc. Second, they are easy for a spouse or family member to remove. We simply describe it as a "seam stitch," a "baseball" stitch, and they readily understand. We give a suture removal kit to them and an instruction sheet with a drawing of the steps involved. We have had a couple of rare instances where someone wants staples used and we then order a kit or two. I think the scars are equally good with both. I used staples for many years when I was in practice and did C-sections and mini-lap tubals and they were great for their time-saving feature. I just feel that the discomfort with them in place and the fact that the person who takes them out has to do it just right with the removal tool or that too will be painful experience. If a doctor did all patients who lived in his immediate geographic area who could come back, then that would make the argument for staples a little easier, since they could all return to the office. At least half of my patients are from far enough away that that is not practical. And I must admit that I have had many occasions where my patient went into a clinic or "regular" doctor's office (even occasionally a plastic surgery office) and the doctor would look at the wound on the back of the head and think it was something from the planet Mars and wouldn't want to touch it, not knowing what was under the wound. Mike Beehner, M.D. Dr. Mike Beehner is a highly esteemed member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Davidjhonda Posted November 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted November 17, 2008 My wife removed my staples using the tool supplied by the doctor. We were over in Europe so didn't have much choice. My advice...have the doctor do it! I prepared well for the evening. I took the last of my pain pills (saved for the special occassion). Took a long hot bath and soaked my head...while drinking 4 or 5 glasses of wine. Here's the problem...a few of them HURT LIKE HELL! My wife improved with experience...but getting that experience was a real nightmare. For the 2 or 3 problem staples...she basically had to pull like hell. Picture starting an old rusty lawn mower. You pull the cord hard with one hand while holding on to the lawn mower to steady it with the other. That was the experience...except it was my damn head!!! Or, picture a dentist pulling your wisdom teeth without numbing your mouth first. On the bright side, I'm still alive. And of course, I drank 4 or 5 more glasses of wine to calm the anxiety from the experience. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Dr. William Lindsey Posted November 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted November 17, 2008 Davidjhonda, Your second sentence says it all. But now that their out, try to play it up and ask your wife to cook you a special meal or something for your agony. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mmhce Posted November 17, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted November 17, 2008 For those who choose to go to a physican, is it ok to have a physician inject a local anaesthetic to the donor area before removing the staples to relieve the pain? Bearing in mind that there is a greater risk of the anaesthetic being systemically absorbed if the wound is not entirely healed. take care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member john36 Posted November 17, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted November 17, 2008 Originally posted by Davidjhonda:My wife removed my staples using the tool supplied by the doctor. We were over in Europe so didn't have much choice. My advice...have the doctor do it! I prepared well for the evening. I took the last of my pain pills (saved for the special occassion). Took a long hot bath and soaked my head...while drinking 4 or 5 glasses of wine. Here's the problem...a few of them HURT LIKE HELL! My wife improved with experience...but getting that experience was a real nightmare. For the 2 or 3 problem staples...she basically had to pull like hell. Picture starting an old rusty lawn mower. You pull the cord hard with one hand while holding on to the lawn mower to steady it with the other. That was the experience...except it was my damn head!!! Or, picture a dentist pulling your wisdom teeth without numbing your mouth first. On the bright side, I'm still alive. And of course, I drank 4 or 5 more glasses of wine to calm the anxiety from the experience. David Now ...you had staples.I had sutures.Not sutures designed to be removed.I had absorbable/disolvable sutures.Hard to see/find. Cute hair stylist digged them out from me.Took her 40 minutes.With scisors. Poor girl.She was really trying HARD to find few in particular on my left side of the strip.See my pic...I bleed for MONTHS after that on several spots where they were pulled together with tissue. Did I say it hurt? yeah it did.... however,pain is common. I am not saying that excelent results from hair stylist having no clue what she is doing and are those sutures disolvable kind or not...,can't be made. Excelent results can be made. Just as poor results can be made if doctor or RN or LPN removes them. Sorry about your pain ...I know what u are talking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Petchski Posted February 5, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'm currently having a real hard time getting these staples out. I thought it was my mothers' bad technique, who I had do it as she is the only one that knows i've had a transplant, not got any out yet, tried soaking the area, but these damn things don't want to come out, really does feel like pulling teeth at this point. I'll try again later, but I thought thy would just slide out out, no chance. -------------------------------------- My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Feller Dr Feller Jan '09 2000 grafts Dr Lorenzo Dec '15 2222 grafts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member TheEmperor Posted February 5, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted February 5, 2009 Originally posted by Davidjhonda:This is a great question! Not because I have the answers...but because I'm in the same boat. My wife will do the honors (take out my staples) this Friday. We decided to take a long vacation right after my HT (last Tuesday with Dr. Feller), and this Friday is the 10 day mark. Believe it or not, I was so "out of it" after the transplant that I don't remember how to take out the staples! I suppose I'll need to call Dr. Feller and ask. What day are you removing the staples? Hopefully, you'll post some tips and tricks aftewards. David My experience was the same, although I had no discomfort from the staples being in for 12 days. Staple removal was by far the most painful part of the whole experience. There is a youtube video floating around that you should show your significant other who is removing the staples, so they can see how it is done. I think if they dont compress the staple enough it could get snagged on one side and will be like pulling a fish hook out of your scalp. Rip! My Hair Loss Web Site - Hair Transplant with Dr. Wong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Petchski Posted February 5, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted February 5, 2009 Originally posted by Petchski:I'm currently having a real hard time getting these staples out. I thought it was my mothers' bad technique, who I had do it as she is the only one that knows i've had a transplant, not got any out yet, tried soaking the area, but these damn things don't want to come out, really does feel like pulling teeth at this point. I'll try again later, but I thought thy would just slide out out, no chance. The deed is done, did it myself in the end, mirror in one hand, staple remover in the other...battled through the arm ache and now sitting here with a much deserved bottle of Becks. Hallelujah -------------------------------------- My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Feller Dr Feller Jan '09 2000 grafts Dr Lorenzo Dec '15 2222 grafts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member mmhce Posted February 5, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted February 5, 2009 Congratulations! and how many did you have to remove? take care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member stamos Posted February 6, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted February 6, 2009 Almost same with me. My wife removed the sutures, her hands were shaking in the beginning and she was pale. It took her about 15 minutes and when she finished I drunk a whiskey and smoked a cig, relieved but in relevant pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member The Goz Posted February 6, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted February 6, 2009 As with every thing in life use the right tools Disposable Skin Staple Remover and the correct directions Instructions It will be uncomfortable no matter how well its done but the staples (as I have seen) tend to give better results on the scar area. Good luck I am a hair restoration client and have 10 years experience in the hair restoration industry, all my views are my own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member stamos Posted February 6, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted February 6, 2009 Thanks for the links. Mine were sutures though and the clinic gave me proper tools to remove. Not a big deal that my wife removed them, its just was uncomfortable for me and more for her I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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