Regular Member P.J Posted December 5, 2007 Regular Member Share Posted December 5, 2007 Guys/DR.s, I was thinking about a way to reduce the length of the strip scar and still get as many grafts. While most of the time a wider strip is not logical because it would leave you with a wider scar What about removing a strip the looked like a sound wave - you should be able to shorten your scar and still achieve as many grafts with out going too wide. I believe you would have to grow your hair longer - because they would have to shave a wider area to prep for the cut Has any DR.s tried this method - I am trying to avoid a long smiley scar? PJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member P.J Posted December 5, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 5, 2007 Guys/DR.s, I was thinking about a way to reduce the length of the strip scar and still get as many grafts. While most of the time a wider strip is not logical because it would leave you with a wider scar What about removing a strip the looked like a sound wave - you should be able to shorten your scar and still achieve as many grafts with out going too wide. I believe you would have to grow your hair longer - because they would have to shave a wider area to prep for the cut Has any DR.s tried this method - I am trying to avoid a long smiley scar? PJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member notgoing2gobald Posted December 5, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted December 5, 2007 I want mine in the shape of a pair of long sexy legs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member omy Posted December 5, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted December 5, 2007 I think some of the vertical lengths may be too close to eachother and their opposing tensions from the sutures/staples could be an issue . I may be wrong though . It could be a option for some . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Jotronic Posted December 5, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted December 5, 2007 I think the biggest problem would be from an increase in transection rates. Most donor areas have a rough "pattern" to how the follicular units grow and from what I've seen not adhering to these patterns would be counter productive if you were to start taking sharp angles to make the zig-zag you were talking about. The Truth is in The Results Dr. Victor Hasson and Dr. Jerry Wong are members of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member nobuzz4me Posted December 5, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted December 5, 2007 Great point Joe. I was thinking if you rob to much from the back, the sides wold not balance as well with the back. I think closure would be not as clean either. NoBuzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Dr. Ricardo Mejia Posted December 6, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted December 6, 2007 P.J. Very nice observation. If you take your sound wave an make it into a traingular wave: /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ You get what is called a Z-Plasty type of repair. We have used this in dermatologic and plastic surgery for different reasons. Yes Hair transplant surgeons have utilized this technique in attempts to minimize the appearance of wide stretch scars. In many cases they have worked well. The idea is to distribute the tension vector forces in a horizontal plane as opposed to a vertical plane. The technique is available and reserved for certain cases, but it is not widely used. If I find a before and after photo, I will post it. Ricardo Mejia MD Hair Transplant Network Physician and Dermatologic Surgeon Jupiter FLorida Ricardo Mejia MD, FAAD Jupiter FL Hair Transplant Network recommended physician; photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member notgoing2gobald Posted December 6, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted December 6, 2007 WOW! I thought this guy (PJ) was just some wack job who thought he had a plastic surgery epiphany while he was on the toilet this morning, hence the..."I want mine to look like a pair of long sexy legs..." comment. Sorry PJ, guess you ARE a genius. It just sounded so random when you posted it...Howd ya come up with that one? and yet another Alba for our enjoyment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Ron Shapiro Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 As Dr Meja said this z plasty technique is a good technique to try an minimise the appearence of a linear scar. It does so by reducing tension as he mentioned but also by breaking up the linear pattern so that any scar that does occur is less noticably to the eye. We somtime try it on people that have recurring scars that dont seem to resolve with simple excision. However as a primary closure the first time as Jotronic said it would be much more prone to transection and waste. But good lateral thinking outside the box Ron My Coalition Membership Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member P.J Posted December 7, 2007 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 7, 2007 Joe/Dr.s Thanks for the insight - it confirmed some of my thoughts If you smoothed out the angles to be more gradual - something like a sideways (S) shape stetched out. Would this help with the transections I still believe with this shape you could reduce the length of your scar by 25-30% and still achieve the same # of grafts PJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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