Surgery with Dr. Wong next week

[razor]

Does this look about normal for Day 12? I know everyone heals differently but was just looking for some feedback.

 

thanks

[Jotronic]

It looks like you still have a bit of scabbing left. You should stand in the shower and let the shower stream hit the recipient area for four or five minutes straight so that the scabs absorb a lot of moisture. Then, let the towel take some of the scabs off. Also, while using your shampoo, be sure to really work your scalp with your fingertips to get those scabs loose. I expect to see your scalp scab free by Tuesday.

[razor]

My hair is a mess. For the past three days I have been faithfully soaking the graphs and applying vitamin e oil. The whole top of my head feels scaly. yuck

 

Co workers must think I have lice.

 

My head is starting to look spotty also, hair here and there, but not everywhere.

 

I hope this is all normal.

[Jotronic]

It is looking better, good job, but I still see some scabbing particularly in the back of the top of your scalp. Continue to clean as I told you to and it should continue to clear up. The hair spots that are missing is from where some of the grafts have been coming out (the hairs, not the grafts themselves). It is normal.

[haircut]

You really need to relax. What you are going through is normal. Let the scabs come off in the shower. Everything will be OK.

[razor]

I am completely and totally relaxed. Im just here for feedback like everyone else.

[YouOnlyLiveOnce]

I know the first couple weeks can be tough, I was there about a month ago.

 

Every little thing bothered me. I tried looking through some of the veterans photo journals to see if my hair was resembling theirs on certain days. I even Pm'd Joe and emailed H&W with specific questions a couple times. I bet they hate super paranoid newly transplanted patients!

 

Things look similar to how mine look and so far so good for me. You're brave to go to work without a hat. I didn't have the courage to face my co-workers in that state.

 

Happy growing man!

[razor]

I have a professional position. I cannot wear a hat at work. Besides wearing a hat only draws more attention to the issue. If I did wear one, they'd think why is this guy wearing a hat? Did he have a hair transplant? Now they probably think I just have lice or very bad dandruff. Fortunately there's no redness, just scabs.

[razor]

I have a few pimples in the crown area and am starting to develop some towards the front. Will this impact the new growth negatively? Is it safe to put acne medication on them or should I just leave them alone?

[Jotronic]

No, it will not negatively impact growth because this is growth. You are experiencing some grafts trying to break through but they are getting caught and causing the irritation. This is normal and I'm going through the same thing as a matter of fact. You can let them come to a head then squeeze them out. This will not hurt the graft but will relieve the pressure. You can dab a small amount of Neosporin on it once you're done just to be safe.

[razor]

I was just wondering if anyone out there had any spare hair that they could donate to me while I go through this awful phase? Any amount would be greatly appreciated:D

[razor]

Does anyone know when this will dissipate? I have two lines close together.

 

I think it's from the staples. If it would go away, my scar could be more or less undetectable.

[razor]

Just as I was thinking I may have an undetectable scar I noticed this, a big hole with redness. Is this shock loss or stretching?

 

sorry for pic quality

[wb280]

Mate, at one month, things can change and u r worrying far too much. Its normal for 'holes' to appear, i would probably say thats shock loss. Have a look at my pictures i had the same issue.

At month6 now, i would say why the hell did i worry at that time? Although i will advise u to follow post op instructions diligently for precaution

 

best of luck!

[razor]

thanks for the reply. Your scar looks pretty wide to me, I'd be upset with the outcome of that but everyone's different. I just have one area that seems a lot wider than the rest of the scar so maybe that's why its so noticable.

 

I wonder if I should apply rogaine?

[Jotronic]

IIt is hard to say from your photos but from the sounds of it you're experiencing temporary donor shock. This will turn around and return to normal in time. There is no need for Rogaine in this area and in fact it could make things worse.

[Levrais]

Jotronic,

Are you saying its no good to put rogaine on areas affected by shockloss in general or just not to do it on the strip scar?

 

Levrais

[razor]

Jo,

 

There is also some redness and maybe a pimple in the affected area. All other parts of the scar are healing well. I don't understand why this area has suddenly become inflamed. But how can you tell if it's shock loss or scar stretching? I assume scar stretching cannot reverse.

 

I e-mailed these photos to Dr. Wong. Candace replied and asked for clearer pics.

[Jotronic]

Well, I can tell because donor shock usually starts at about one month and is isolated in one spot. Donor stretch, to the point that it is wildly worse than the rest of the donor scar does not happen as early as one month. The incision is still trying to heal and there has not been enough time for a large amount of scar tissue to develop.

 

Also, the redness is simply blood being rushed to the area to increase healing. My donor scar, especially at the mastoids (the right and left back "corners") were more red at one month than the rest of the scar. In fact, at almost three months they are still more noticeable than the sides. I was getting worried at one point because when I would lift the hair I couldn't see any hair around the scar area. I had Doug look at it and he said that there was plenty of hair but the area was very red thereby masking the hair in the area. Now I see it is much better and after 9360 grafts I can at this point get away with a #3 guard. You also have a pimple on this area which tells me that there is more activity going on. It sounds like a hair is trying to work it's way through, most likely from tricho.

 

I can also tell because I get this question probably three or four times a week at roughly the same time frame as you and it is usually either donor shock or heavier than usual discoloration (redness) making the area look thinner than usual.

 

I'm sure more clarity in the photos will help but nothing I have seen or read indicates anything aside from the normal ups and downs of post-operative recovery for you. Remember, the wait is the worst part of the surgery and these kinds of issues reinforce this.

[Jotronic]

Levrais,

 

I think Rogaine is a bad idea in the donor area for two reasons. First, if it is known to cause inflammation in the recipient area, regardless of surgery, imagine what this will mean for a fresh donor scar? Inflamation is not a good thing if it can be avoided.

 

Second, because some patients report a general thinning of the application area before any progress is made it can serve to exasperate the issue of donor shock if it is applied to the donor area during recovery.

[razor]

jo,

 

thanks for the plethora of info.

[Levrais]

Thanks Jotronic. Not trying to hijack razor's thread but one more question. What do you think about aplying rogaine to shockloss of native hair just behind the recipient area. Im not sure I have it but maybe.

 

Levrais

[Jotronic]

Levrais,

 

I'm not a fan of Rogaine at all so I would not recommend it but if you still want to go ahead with it then you should be sure you are at least a few weeks out from your procedure. If you do use it then I'd recommend the foam instead of the standard topical liquid. It tends to have less irritation from it's use. Regardless if your procedure was performed correctly then the shocked hair should come back regardless of whether or not Rogaine is used.

[Levrais]

Jotronic,

Thanks Bro. Happy holidays everyone.

 

Levrais

[razor]

Jo,

 

Here is a better shot of what I'm talking about. The scar is very wide here unlike the other parts. I don't think there's any hair growing through the redness, what do you think?