how long was the dormancy period?

[Jan]

Hi- I am 4+ weeks post op. At about 2 weeks most of the shedding happened, and then a little since. I think a good # of the transplanted hairs have been shed at this point. My question is...how long should I expect to wait before I see new growth? How long was your wait? Also, for how long was your scalp pink? Thanks for any responses. Janis

[Jan]

Hi- I am 4+ weeks post op. At about 2 weeks most of the shedding happened, and then a little since. I think a good # of the transplanted hairs have been shed at this point. My question is...how long should I expect to wait before I see new growth? How long was your wait? Also, for how long was your scalp pink? Thanks for any responses. Janis

[Eman]

They say you will start to see some growth at approximately the 3 to 4 month mark.

 

I am about a week away from my two month mark and still have a slight pink in my recipient area. It is really only noticeable in harsh lighting. Some people however have zero pinkness at this point.

[Tubs]

Janis

 

I was very pink for the first few weeks - the harsh "pinkness" seemed to fade after 4/5 weeks. At 5 weeks I dropped the baseball cap and nobody noticed (I didn't keep it a secret so I asked people if they thought my scalp looked "different" - they only noticed it was a little pink after I told them).

 

I am now just over 3 months post HT - scalp still very slighlty "pink" but really not noticeable unless you are looking hard for it (which nobody is).

 

I have a little growth, although even this maybe from grafts that didn't shed.

 

Tubs

[Jan]

I wish I could drop the baseball cap, but I can't. The whole top of my head was shaved. The native hair is about 1/2" long at this point. For special occasions, I do the combover and toppik and hairspray, but I'd rather only do that occasionally. I guess this will just be the tomboy look for now.

[Eman]

the tomboy look is not a bad thing

[Jan]

and wearing a hat is certainly easy. I have two boys at home, so we have lots of baseball caps here. The funny thing is, I had forgotten to bring a cap with me on surgery day. Dr. Feller gave me a Yankees cap.

My 10 year old came into the den that night, saw me (in my vicodin haze) in the Yankees cap and said, "Sorry, mom, but the Yankees suck" and then promptly handed me his Mets cap. My other son has donated more caps to my cause since then, too.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Seems like the bigger hurry you are in the longer it takes. I have a really laid back guy who never lost many grafts from June, who was prepared for 6 months of no hair who followed up on the same day as another guy done a week before who lost most everything and hasn't restarted growth yet.

 

I always tell guys that if I could predict the future I would have sold my stock in September!

 

It will start growing, just a matter of time. Relax for a while.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA