Preparation for Surgery

[agentHarley]

Hello All -- after weeks of research on this site, it is time I joined in and shared my experience as well.

 

I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of Feb 2008 with Dr. Bernstein in NY.

 

After researching all the coalition doctors and reading about Bernstein's reputation, I made an appointment to meet him in a consultation. He is indeed very dry, down to earth, and has that cool-collected confidence one sometimes sees in truly professional people.

 

Now that I am a month away from the procedure in which 2,400 grafts are scheduled, what advice do you guys have for me in preparation for the procedure? mental/emotional/physical preparation is important to me prior to this procedure, since I have never really had a surgery of this magnitude.

 

Thanks.

[agentHarley]

Hello All -- after weeks of research on this site, it is time I joined in and shared my experience as well.

 

I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of Feb 2008 with Dr. Bernstein in NY.

 

After researching all the coalition doctors and reading about Bernstein's reputation, I made an appointment to meet him in a consultation. He is indeed very dry, down to earth, and has that cool-collected confidence one sometimes sees in truly professional people.

 

Now that I am a month away from the procedure in which 2,400 grafts are scheduled, what advice do you guys have for me in preparation for the procedure? mental/emotional/physical preparation is important to me prior to this procedure, since I have never really had a surgery of this magnitude.

 

Thanks.

[balody]

hi ah,my doc sent instructions through a week or 2 before d day,not to drink the night before being the most important.oh and to get there in time.

theres not much you can do to prepare other than turn up and let the dr and his techs do their thing while you watch loads of films.its what you do afterwards that matters but your doc will hammer that home before you leave.

relax youll be fine.

[Bill - Seemiller]

agentHarley,

 

Welcome to our forum community. I have also replied to you in another post and congratulated you in your decision to undergo hair transplantation with Dr. Bernstein.

 

There are certainly a number of tips that I suggest members will offer you.

 

As part of this discussion, here is a list of hair transplant preoperative tips that has been compiled by a number of our forum members over the years.

 

I hope that other veteran members will offer their input as well.

 

Bill

[thanatopsis_awry]

Hmmm, this is what I think was most important for me, and even contains some words that I *wish* I had listened to!

 

In the weeks leading up to your HT, I would recommend tieing up any loose ends floating around in your life; fixing something that may be bugging you; if you have a good routine, stick with it and don't fall prey to worry/anxiety putting you in a funk.

 

You have chosen well, however even going to the best doesn't make one immune to the procedure's negatives. To varying degrees, usually rather moderate, people are in pain in the days immediately post-op, and you will also look funny....either by swelling, recipient redness, having had hair shaved. So, be prepared for this -- have "excuses" ready for people if you are going to be taking some time to yourself, or wearing a baseball cap all the time. As well, plan on -- if you haven't already -- taking time off from work (2 weeks is a reasonable period of time that get's stated...it can be less, it can be more...much of this depends on how you heal and feel and how you are willing to accept looking and being in public).

 

I would recommend taking a look at people's immediate post-op pics, their 2 week post-op pics -- this can give you an idea of how you might look. FWIW, in my gallery in the surgical photo section has recent 2 week post-op pics.

 

Ahh, and if you feel up to it, get a massage the day before -- the hardest part for me was keeping my body positioned and so still for so long, and I am VERY happy I did this the day before.

[agentHarley]

wow fellas -- thanks for the great start on the prep.

 

I LOVE the tip about getting the massage prior to the procedure day. thanatopsis_awry, thanks for that one.

 

Dr. Bernstein did send me a little pdf packet which includes all kinds of warnings against drinking/smoking, but that's common sense somewhat and I also am not a smoker (but was interesting to learn how smoking affects healing).

 

I also though the advice on tying up a project left unfinished is a good idea. I actually gave notice at my current job (which I wanted to do for the past 2 yrs) and am expecting to have 2 whole months off before starting a consulting gig. Never been a baseball cap guy, so i think i'll have to work with the bandanas or go buy a cap. And, probably one of those expandable ones right? Not the fitted ones.

 

And also, question to ya'll about the staples: do they really look freakish if if I have short hair and they are visible? What about at night when sleeping? Are they painful?

[agentHarley]

Also -- was curious about scalp laxity and supposed exercises that help stretch/relax the scalp to yield more grafts. does this technique/method work BETTER than not doing anything at all?

[stevo]

It is a good idea to start doing some scalp exercises they are more important if you was to have a second op but it's still a good idea for you to start doing them.

 

Put the palms of your hands at the back of your head as if you was to do a sit up. Pull the donor area up and hold for about 10 seconds and then let go Do the same on the sides of your head. Do this for about 10 minutes each day leading up to your op.

 

Good luck with everything mate

[thanatopsis_awry]

Ya, scalp exercises work, as far as I'm concerned, as well.

 

As for staples -- I don't think they themselves hurt, as much as it is just the donor area as a whole. I didn't find them particularly painful, though they are certaintly uncomfortable and I was anxious to get them out after the first 10 days.

 

Regarding sleeping with them, I found this combo to work the best, BY FAR...! Took a "hard", smallish pillow and plased it in the middle of my bed at the base, then took a soft pillow and placed it veritcally over it, took another soft pillow, folded it in the center, and placed it at the botom of the neck...THEN, took one of those cylindrilical roll pillows and placed that under my beck, and just sank into the position. Found it quite comfortable and pain-free. I also took two mammoth hardish pillows and placed them on each side of me, creating a sort of fortress so I wouldn't roll over and move around too much.

[notgoing2gobald]

DAMN! That's a LOT of pillows!!!

keep in mind that the reason Than was VEWY, VEWY happy aftaw his massage, is dat he had 6 scowpion bowls and went to SUNNY'SHpPYEnD'NGMSSG--Pa-'W-oR...

if you don't have the patience for building a home out of pillows routine, you can buy a Jessica Alba blow up doll instead. I haven't had a ht yet, but I sleep comfy with her every night.

[thanatopsis_awry]

It was, indeed, fortress of comfort and softness, though you don't have to sleep with a cardboard crown and plastic spear and make like it's 1989 and your playing dungeons n' dragons.....codeine make a man do many a funny thing....

[agentHarley]

SO -- if anyone recently has experience with staples for their closure in the donor area, can you share what that was like.

 

-were they removed after 10 days or longer?

-would you have left them in longer?

-how much time before you are very safe from any scar stretching?

-what did you do to avoid stretching?

-does it itch as it heals?

[Bill - Seemiller]

agent,

 

I had staples for my third surgery so I'll share my experience based on your questions:

 

1. I took my own staples out after 10 days

2. Honestly, I probably should have given them a few more days and taken them out on day 12.

3. This question can't be answered based on the use of staples verses sutures alone. The donor area will be somewhat tender for the first 3 months. Don't put any strain on the area but you can start working out gradually increasing intensity after the first 3 weeks to a month. I didn't do anything too intense until about the 4th month because the area still felt tender

4. See number 3

5. Whether you use staples or sutures, yes, it does itch as it heals. Itching is an overall sign of healing anyway. Personally, Nioxin conditioner was a life saver in a lot of ways. The tingling cooling effect it has on my scalp helped alleviate the itch. That and Aloe vera.

 

That is my experience.

 

Bill

[agentHarley]

Bill -- thanks a ton for your time in responding to my questions. As you, and others have probably gathered from some of my other posts, I am very anxious about stretching the scar because I have a job coming up in late-March that might require some neck movement. How much, am not sure, but am gathering from your comments (and that of others) that I will 'know' not to move my head in certain directions because it will be too sensitive/tender. I thought the comment about the Nioxin shampoo was AWESOME!! I know what you mean about the tingle and I think that will be something I use right away.

 

Spex -- thanks for your awesome link m8!

[agentHarley]

2. Honestly, I probably should have given them a few more days and taken them out on day 12.

 

>> Bill: question, why 12 days? can you elaborate?