Picking Scabs?

[D-1234]

I had HT surgery around 2 weeks ago. I was very nervous about showering at first due to the risk of dislodging some grafts. I think this allowed some of the scabs to develop more than is recommended. Anyways, I let all the scabs be (not touching them at all) until day 13. Then I could not take it anymore and started being fairly aggressive.

 

I would rub and push the scabs pretty hard until they would loosen. Sometimes there was pain (and alot of pulling of the surrounding hairs). But never any blood. I always did this 'picking' when the scabs were dry and hard.

 

Now it is day 16 and I loosened them all in the shower and now i am scab free.

 

My question is, could this approach have ripped some grafts out or am I safe because I waited till day 13?

 

Also, could this approach have increased shedding or shock loss? I have seen a noticeable reduction in hair density where the grafts were placed (they were placed on the top of the head where i am thinning, but still have ok coverage).

 

Thanks

[hairthere]

After 8-10 days the grafts are safe, so you're fine. I also don't think it will have any impact on potential shockloss, which is not to say you won't experience some. Good growing to you!

[Cam Simmons MD ABHRS]

D-1234

 

We have advised thousands of patients since 1999 that it is safe to rub the remaining scabs off in the shower from the 10th day on. By then the skin has healed under the scabs and the scabs are separating from the skin.

 

For others reading this post I would still recommend that it is safer to rub the scabs in the shower, when there is less friction. I also feel that rubbing is safer than picking. To soften the scabs, patients can leave baby oil or baby oil gel on the scabs overnight before rubbing them off in the shower on Day 10. They can also use oil or gel between showers until the scabs are off.

 

However, because you didn't start picking until Day 13, you are likely still OK. The pain was most likely due to pulling on your existing hair, to which the scabs were probably stuck.