H/T and shaving

[Abby]

Is it possible to have a H/T without buzzing or cutting down the existing hair.

 

Cheers

[Abby]

Is it possible to have a H/T without buzzing or cutting down the existing hair.

 

Cheers

[Desperately Seeking Hair]

Yes, doctors here do this all the time.

[mochi]

Is there a particular reason to shave versus not shave?

[Dr. William Lindsey]

We are shavers for the recipient area. I am convinced that WE get better results when I and my techs can clearly see the surgical field and place without getting tangled up in existing hair.

 

We get the grafts in faster, pack tighter, and if I were getting the surgery done to me, I would do it that way.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Bill - Seemiller]

mochi,

 

For another good topic on shaving verses not shaving the recipient area, click here.

 

Other hot topic issues can be found in the "Frequently Asked Questions and Discussions thread.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Jotronic]

Abby,

 

Below is a response by Dr. Hasson when another poster asked the same question.

 

"All,

 

I originally typed this post in response to Bezane and his question to Pat regarding recipient site shaving. I feel that this is a very important issue and deserved it's own thread.

 

Bezane,

 

The question you ask about shaving is a good one and one that I would like to address.

 

When you ask if it is necessary to shave the pre-existing hair before surgery- the answer is- "it depends".

 

Depends on what? It depends on the quality of the result that you are looking for. Some patients (and doctors) will be satisfied with a less than optimal result while others will want to achieve the very best result possible. For this long term gain a patient may have to endure some inconvenience including buzzing of the recipient area.

 

There are multiple technical factors that come into play during the creation of recipient sites and the subsequent graft placement. These include:

 

1.) When thinning areas are shaved down the "thinning process" takes on a different meaning. With the use of magnification it will be seen that some follicular bundles are absent (and there are wider spaces between remaining bundles) and that some bundles are significantly miniaturized. It will then be possible to place new recipient sites in the place of absent bundles and alongside miniaturized bundles to recreate the density. This can also be done in a uniform manner so that if the pre-existing hair eventually disappears, due to progression of hairloss, the transplant can still look reasonably natural. If the recipient site is not shaved the surgeon must part through the hair again and again looking for any empty spaces and trying to fill the spaces as best as possible. This is not really as exact a process but much more hit or miss.

 

2.) The hair exits the scalp at an exact angle. The only way to precisely match that angle is to buzz the recipient hair down (in a way similar to how ALL doctors need to shave the donor hair when taking out the donor strip).

 

3.) Transection of existing hair below the skin surface is possible if the incisions are not made exactly parallel to the surrounding bundles. We often see this as a "halo" type effect when performing repair procedures.

 

4.) When inserting grafts the technicians can easily identify the recipient sites and ensure that all sites are filled. This can be achieved with no trauma to the pre-existing hair.

 

5.) When hair is buzzed no manipulation of the pre-existing hair is required at all. When the hair is not shaved it needs to be combed through (hundreds of times) by the physician who makes the recipients sites and again by the technician who places the grafts into the sites. This repetitive trauma of combing through the hair again and again will result in "hair shock", a shedding of the existing hair. When this hair falls out in 2 to 3 weeks there will be a 2 to 3 month wait before it returns. Whereas if the hair were buzzed it would grow from day one 1 and keep growing. A number 3 buzz cut often will look good at 10 to 14 days post operatively and blend in with the recipient site well.

 

Bezane, all these factors are relatively unimportant if you are trying to place to 2 or 3 hundred grafts into recipient sites however if you wish to have the ultra refined type of result that Pat Hennessey advocates, the difference will be night and day.

 

I apologize if what I've said in any way contradicts what others have told you but I feel you should hear this from the doctors who basically developed the process you know as "ultra refined follicular grafting".

 

I have attached photos of a patient who has undergone a mega (mega mega) session into a large area of thinning scalp- before and ten days after surgery. Hopefully my reasoning will be self explanatory.

 

Sincerely,

 

Victor Hasson MD"

 

 

[Dr. William Lindsey]

That is an excellent response from a pro. Could you clarify sir, it sounds like in #1, you suggest shaving for the same reasons that I recommend it too. Do you all shave most patients' recipient areas? What percent?

 

Thanks

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Smoothy]

If you have a option then shaving is the best for the physician and (quickest for them as well especially if you are doing a mega session) If you are doing a 1500-2000 graft session the burden is not so great as a 4,000 mega session.

I think the results is the same regardless, the surgeons prefer shaved because it is the fastest for them and easiest.

Myself, I have a professional elite career where this was impossible-- so ALL of my surgeries I did NOT shave my hair. What I did was cut it short in the areas of HT (not back as I left longer to cover staples). However I never had a procedure greater than 2,100.

 

If you dont have a choice, then you dont have a choice-- docs understand this. Shapiro was great without me having to shave my head. He had no problems with it.

 

SMOOTHY

Dr. Shapiro

Propecia & Rogaine xtra

MSM/Zinc/B6/Saw Pallmetto

3 oz Zrii daily