Post op - flaky skin

[jojojo1]

Hey everyone

 

i am now about 10 days post op and have started to gently message the graft area to get rid of the scabs.

 

I didnt have alot of scabs to begin with, but whatever scabs i had on the graft site are slowing coming off as i wash it.

 

However i am getting a lot of dry flaky skin in the areas of the graft. When i message it, the flaky skins start to peel off along with some of the shedding hair.

However the flaky skin and little hair do not come off easy sometimes.

 

My question is, is it ok to use your nails to softly scrap of the skin and not damage the grafts?

 

Is it normal for the flaky dry skin to peel of with the shedding hair?

 

Please help cause i am a bit nervous about all this.

 

Jojo

[MrJobi]

No nails.

 

Soak your head if needed but don't pick. flaky skin is normal as well as grafts coming out. As long as there is no blood you are generally ok

[EmuSteve]

I had flaky skin on my forehead a bit after my procedure, even in areas where there were no grafts at all. I asked Dr. Shapiro, and he said that any time your skin suffers any type of trauma, it can happen.

[Bill - Seemiller]

jojojo,

 

You can remove the dry flaky skin similar to how you work the scabs, bu gently massaging the areas in circular motions. I find it works the best after I come out of the shower when the skin is still moist. Stand in front of your mirror and run your finger in circular motions in the area where there is flakey skin. You will find a lot of it will come off.

 

However, time is the best healer. I also like using Aloe which I believe helps with the healing process. Expect dry flaky skin for at least a few weeks.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[jojojo1]

Thanks for the help guys, great tips.

 

Hey Bill, i just tried out what you do when coming out of the shower, and it works great.

 

I slowly rub off the skin and at the same time there are little hair coming off it at the same time.

 

However when the hair sheds, theres a little white bulb attached to it.

 

I assume thats all normal?

 

Once again thank you all for your help

[jojojo1]

Oh sorry i forgot to ask you guys about the donor area.

 

All i am currently doing to the scar is soaking it with water in the shower and give it a gentle rub now and then.

 

What should i really do, should i put some pressure into it and try to rub the scab off it in the shower?

 

Also it is itchy as anything, so tempting to scratch it.

 

Thanks guys

[Bill - Seemiller]

jojojo1,

 

As long as you are being careful and you are not seeing blood, you should be in good shape. The white bulb you are seeing is most likely dead skin attached to the hair. The follicle should be deeply rooted at this point.

 

However, it is still best to be cautious by not applying a lot of pressure. Consistent gentle circles with the finger tips (not the nails) will work wonders. You may want to apply a little aloe vera when you are finished to aid with healing.

 

Regarding the donor area, you can wash it normally and apply as much pressure as you can withstand. Use logic however, and don't hurt yourself.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Bill

[jojojo1]

Bill thanks for the advice.

 

Is it ok to use Emu oil?

 

If it is, do i use only straight emu oil or emu oil moisturising cream?

 

I cannot seem to find any aloe vera gel.

 

All i could find at the shops are aloe vera and emu oil moisturisiing creams?

 

Is it ok to use it on the donor and graft site?

[KulMD]

I used Aloe post op and found it to be slightly irritating. Once i stopped the irritation & redness decreased significantly.

I did some research and liked what I read about Emu oil. A little bit goes a long way. I recommend 100% molecularly distilled Emu oil. There are many brands and varying prices. Purchase from a reputable company or farm that sells directly to the public. There are several in the US that procduce high grade Emu at a reasonable cost. It is not necessary to purchase from Australia farms as advertised by some. Just get high quality oil.You can get 4 ounces for about $25.

 

Emu Oil has essential fatty acids and many antioxidants which are beneficial to the skin and hair. I use it twice a day and have incoporated it between Rogaine foam applications. I apply to both recipient and donor sites. My goal is to minimize healing time and maximize jump starting native hair growth. At the same time, I believe the Emu oil provides a good environment for new graft growth. Will it expedite new hair growth? I don't know the answer. Perhaps others can chime in based upon their experiences.

[KulMD]

Jojo1,

BTW, Pure 100% Emu Oil is the way to go. It's not greasy. The creams have lower concentrations of Emu.

[Bill - Seemiller]

jojojo1,

 

As KulMD stated, using Emu Oil is fine and in the purest form can be considred good for the skin and may aid healing.

 

Aloe vera is just my preference but everyone has theirs.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Lucky Locs]

Late add to this thread: What i thought was a scabbing problem actually turned out to be the very issue in this thread: flaking. As other members have stated, what assured me was that there was no pain or blood-just hairs with dead "flaky" skin on them that came out. Hence this thread was verrrrry helpful to me this past week!

 

This emu oil thing seems like the next logical step for me to take!