Graphs, scabs and fallout

[Guest]

I have a question regarding the graphs after a hair transplant. I just had a transplant of 1,898 fu's. I am now nine days post op. The scabs are still there but are loosening. I started to massage my dry scalp in an effort to loosen them up more, will this damage the FU's? Some of the scabs are falling off and they have short hairs attached to them! HELP!!!

[Guest]

I have a question regarding the graphs after a hair transplant. I just had a transplant of 1,898 fu's. I am now nine days post op. The scabs are still there but are loosening. I started to massage my dry scalp in an effort to loosen them up more, will this damage the FU's? Some of the scabs are falling off and they have short hairs attached to them! HELP!!!

[Guest]

Tina - This is really something you should be asking YOUR doctor. It is much too critical to be experimenting around with it.

 

[This message was edited by Gary on September 16, 2001 at 09:49 PM.]

[Guest]

Tina,

It is very common for the small hairs that are present in the follicular unit graphs to fall out with the scabs. After 10 days it is safe to wash the scalp more vigorously. The follicles are safely healed below the surface.

[Hairgirl]

Hey Tina,

hope you're doing okay? I know that Dr. Shapiro called you, hoping to reassure you. It is very common to see the hairs in the scabs when they are falling out, this is just one of the steps that everyone goes through before they reach the final product. Once you do, all this worry will be behind you like it never existed. It is fine to lightly massage the scalp after 5 days and we actually recommend it. Sometimes patients complain that they still have scabs 2 weeks after their procedure, this being because they are afraid to damage their grafts. The grafts are secure 72 hours after your surgery. The only way they will dislodge is by banging your head against a very hard surface in which then there would be a great deal of bleeding. I can understand your concern because most patients are alarmed when they see hair attached to the scabs, so don't feel alone. Once you have your sutures removed, you can go back to regular washing. If you have any other concerns, please feel free to call, any time.

[Guest]

Hey Hairgirl. Thanks for emailing me back and I want to thank Dr. Shapiro for taking time out of his busy schedule to call me. He couldn't reach me on my home phone, but he didn't stop there ... he got me on my cell phone. Dr. reassured me that the hair shaft often separates from the root after transplantation and that it is very normal. All I could think about was that I somehow screwed up my procedure by massaging my scalp while it was dry.

 

I also wanted to say that so far the shock fallout has been minimal. I'm using the Nioxin shampoo and conditioner as well as Rogaine 5% and the Shapiro Medical Group has been working with me on this so that I don't lose anymore hair than what I've lost already. I was really worried about shock fallout, because I've had two previous procedures of only 350 graphs each surgery, with another doctor (which by the way is a Plastic Surgeon), and the fallout was horrendous. You can really tell the difference in the skill level of Dr. Shapiro compared to the other doctor. On day 14 or 15 I had probably 200 hairs fall out, but since then I have had minimal fallout. I have been told by others that shock fallout is very common in women and it normally occurs within the first 30 days after a HT. I'm not at 30 days yet, but I don't see it happening (knock on wood). So far .... so good. I am hoping for the best...

 

Tina