Recovery Time

[Guest]

Ok guys, about how long is the typical recovery time after an HT of 2000 or more FU's? By recovery time I mean how long before you can return to the office without a hat or without someone asking what the h happened to you? I've noticed only a few experienced folks who have mentioned this issue but I'd like to hear more before planning the big day.

 

Thanks.

[Guest]

Ok guys, about how long is the typical recovery time after an HT of 2000 or more FU's? By recovery time I mean how long before you can return to the office without a hat or without someone asking what the h happened to you? I've noticed only a few experienced folks who have mentioned this issue but I'd like to hear more before planning the big day.

 

Thanks.

[ttaco]

I used Graftcyte and healed pretty quickly. I went back to work 5 days after the procedure. But I also didn't have to shave my head, and had significant hair to cover up the grafted area, which was 1400 FU's in the hairline (in front of old pluggy grafts). I was able to comb my existing hair forward enough to conceal the new little hairs that were still hanging around at the 5 day mark. Scalp was a tad pink at that point but not very noticeable pink. Everyone heals differently though, and it depends on how much hair you have to help cover the new grafts. I have a 5 day post op pic if you want to see it.

[vocor1]

I went to a party 13 days post op with sutures in and no one said a word. Of course, these were people that I hadn't seen in a long time, but still.

I went back to work at 19 days post op NO cap and no one said a word. My hair was about 1" long at the time all around.

Hope this helps.

 

vocor1

Knowledge is Power

If the worst question is the one never asked, then the worst answer is the one never shared.

[HarryLemon]

I could not take my cap off for a good month+. At least it's not out of place for me to wear one. Of course, any chance I had NOT to wear it, I took, but these moments were all indoors at home.

If you can't wear a hat at work, try to get 2 weeks off, imo. Certainly no less than 7-10 days.

 

Also, get yourself a nice tan (no burns!) on your head beforehand, it will definitely reduce the contrast if your pale and white like me. I wish I had done that. If your skin is not pale, then the above probably won't apply nearly as much.

 

[This message was edited by HarryLemon on March 19, 2003 at 11:24 PM.]

[Big It Up]

I think you will find everybody is different in this area. Some people swell up, others dont. My most recent HT, I was back to work after 3 days with a hat. All my current work was done in the front. After the scabs fell off 5 to 7 days the hat was gone. I hated the hat. I also had some sutures in my hairline cause they took out some big old grafts from the 90's. 20 of them. I also had 20 or so taken out back in the crown area and the hat really irratated them. If your not having any sutures in your hairline, which it sounds like your not, then its no biggie.

 

If you plan for a week off, you'll be safe and feel a lot better. I am now almost 10 weeks post op and have had sprouts coming up these past two weeks. Usually it takes at least 12 weeks to start growing, so I am stoked!! I did apply the minoxodil this time around, maybe it helped.

 

good luck

 

big it up

[NC30]

Well..I had a 1500 HT procedure. I didnt move forward at all, just started filling in for now.

I didnt have to shave my head for the procedure, I tanned a little bit beforehand ( which helped to get a little darker to hide the redness), and my hair really wasnt that long at all.

I went back to work 2 weeks later ( just took my 2 weeks of vacation then). I saw people I knew after a week from the surgery and not a single person noticed. No one's still noticed a thing at work. My hair isnt that long at all.

[Guest]

I took a week off work.

[shane80]

why do some people buzz hair before surgery. Is there a medical reason

[Mr T]

Shane,

 

The buzzcut is not required for medical reasons. Some doctors prefer the recipient area to be buzzed short to make placement easier and to also allow for grafts to be inserted at the same angle as other hair in the area. If you go to Jotronic's webs site, he has some great pictures of this.

 

For me as a NW6, there was little to buzz except for the old plug and mini/micro grafts in the front. For others with less hair loss, a buzzcut may be more of an issue as the HT will be more visible. I never planned to hide mine, so I kept the rest of my hair about an inch long until the staples came out. Then had it buzzed with a #6 clipper (3/4 of an inch long) and will go to a #4 (1/2 inch) the next time I get it cut.

 

Mr. T