Scalp Tightness

[SharpTooth]

Hey Guys,

 

I wanted to ask a question and see if any of you who've have multiple HTs have shared my own experience.

 

To recap, I had a HT about 20 months ago (800 grafts), then a year ago a 2nd HT (2000 grafts) and finally a 3rd HT 2 months (2500 grafts). After the first 2 HTs, I think the tightness around the donor area was gone within about 6 weeks. But now at about 2.5 months, I can still feel a bit of tightness along the left/right sides of the donor area. It's not painful, but the area's still a bit taut.

 

While I've been told this would not be surprising since I've had 3 HTs in about 20 months, I was curious about any of your own experienes. And if you have any suggestions on what could help at this point.

[Bill - Seemiller]

SharpTooth,

 

Scalp tightness can last up to 6 and sometimes 12 months after surgery. In my experience, I had the most and long lasting tightness and numbness after my third procedure of 3700 grafts. It took about a year for my scalp to feel normal. It only took about 3 to 4 months for my scalp to feel normal after my 4th hair transplant which was a smaller session of just over 2000 grafts. Scalp elasticity takes awhile to return as it does for nerves to heal. The wider the strip, the longer laxity may take to return.

 

Hang in there,

 

Bill

[SharpTooth]

A full year for you? Hmm. I'll now shut my mouth and suck it up.

 

But seriously, thanks for the reply. Hope your own post-4th HT is still filling in!

[Dr. William Lindsey]

It can vary from case to case, even in the same patient. Last January we did 2400 on a 65 year old white man. He came literally every week for about 4 months complaining of pain and tightness. At 3 months his scar was undetectable... We did another 2500 for him the second week of January this year, and he said he took 2 pain pills and has done great. His only correspondence has been to ask why its so much easier this time....

 

Nevertheless, that tightness can last a year but in most folks, its gone in a few weeks.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Garageland]

Hi Sharptooth, after my 4th procedure my scalp was indeed tight for several months as I can remember but after a while I just stopped noticing it was, I guess it could be the same for you, try not to concentrate on it.

[TheEmperor]

Originally posted by dr. lindsey:

It can vary from case to case, even in the same patient. Last January we did 2400 on a 65 year old white man. He came literally every week for about 4 months complaining of pain and tightness. At 3 months his scar was undetectable... We did another 2500 for him the second week of January this year, and he said he took 2 pain pills and has done great. His only correspondence has been to ask why its so much easier this time....

 

Nevertheless, that tightness can last a year but in most folks, its gone in a few weeks.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

 

So is it correct to say that tightness does not necessarily mean a bd scar? My scalp is still very tight 10 days post op from my second procedure and I am very concerned the scar will be bad.

[Megatron]

Originally posted by dr. lindsey:

...that tightness can last a year but in most folks, its gone in a few weeks.

 

I certainly hope so, but there are a lot of guys on here that have said it's lasted over a year.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

To address both questions:

(based upon our patients, not necessarily reflective of other doctors' experiences due to strip width and closure techniques)

 

1. The incision usually is still pretty tight feeling on day 7 when we remove sutures. This has not correlated at all with a bad scar for us. We usually get pretty good scars, but occasionally we get scars worse than I expect. I can't correlate that with postop tightness feelings, as everyone says its tight at day 7 in our practice. Some say its tighter than others, but the "n" is just too small in terms of bad scars and subjective tightness to make a connection.

 

Second, I ask everyone to come back for a free scar check at a month. Roughly half show. Of the folks we did last year I only recall 2 that felt it was really tight or sore at that visit. Virtually all said they still had some numbness and I tell folks to expect the numbness for at least 4 months. Of patients who followup at 6 months, at least last year I only recall one fellow who was still really bothered by his scar being tight or sore. He is the fellow I referenced above and apparently has had none of that this time. Even with a bit bigger case. Now its conceivable that lots of our patients are having more scar numbness/tightness than I am hearing about...but, I have lots of email correspondence with our folks and I'm just not hearing about it.

 

Take this am for example: A 2800 crown from November who did not come in for the 1 month scar check had emailed me yesterday saying his girlfriend thought the scar was bad and "never healed". He came in this am, we took pics of his scar, which he said felt fine..., and its a perfect 3 month result with hair growing through a nearly imperceptible scar. All it took was reassurance. He probably fretted a few weeks before emailing me. That is why I ask folks to come for the 1 month check.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[SharpTooth]

It's been 3.5 months now and I'd safe the last of the tightness went away a couple of weeks ago. And to clarify, when I posted this last month, it was only slighly tight -- nothing major, just enough to feel as if I had a hat on my head or such.

 

Still a bit numb though, but expecting it'll return to normal soon enough.

 

Thanks for the responses.