Post HT and haircut

[bald28]

Dear all,

 

First of all, thanks for reading this topic.

 

I'm currently on day 3 post op.

My stitches will be removed on day 6 and scabs should have fallen off around day 20.

 

I have a few questions about post op and haircut.

 

Please direct me to another thread if that has already been discussed (I have searched without success)

 

1- Once both stitches and scabs are gone, when can your head be shaved? (Buzz cut)... What precautions should you take? Can you get a friend to do it or should you go to see a professional?

 

2 - After the haircut can a bandage be put on the donor scar? Will that interfere with healing? if not possible I'm fine having the donor scar showing anyway but for work purposes i'd rather not have it exposed too much.

 

3 - What product have you used to help donor scar to heal?

 

4 - How often can you shave the grafted area? Is it better to let it grow or can you shave it let's say every couple of weeks?

 

5 - Any recommendations, tips about shaving both donor area and grafted area?

 

Obviously I'll let my hair grow longer in a few months and hopefully enjoy my new hair but for the early stage I thought it might be easier to just have it as short as possible.

 

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[bald28]

Just bumping it up to see if i can get your opinions on at least some of the questions above.

 

Thanks a ton,

[donp]

you have posted some great questions, it would be interesting to read the answers from those with better knowledge. I'd say:

 

for #1: I would not have a friend do it. I would try to find a salon in your area that caters to hair transplant patients and would be willing to at least partially sterilize its instrument (using a spray of some kind). After coming home, I would immediately wash head and apply bactobran on the donor site.

 

for #2: I would not use a bandage, but instead wear a hat. (It would be interesting to see after a close haircut/shave how much visible the scar is)

 

#3: just an antibiotic ointment (bactobran), and optionally vitamin E (few days after stitches come off). I would be interested to hear about Mederma?, I hear its very good in general for smoothening scars?

[Thehairupthere]

You can get a haircut after your scabs have fallen out so about two weeks post op. I would suggest not shaving your head because your scar is not healed and will be very visible. Patients can shave later on such as 5 months after surgery when their scar has healed to a point where it won't be very noticeable at a #2 setting on a shaver. I would suggest just getting a trim rather than shaving for those reasons above. Once your stitches are out you do not need to apply any ointment to the scar as it won't make much of a difference, simply let time heal it properly which again takes months to occur. You don't need a bandage on the scar a hat would be ok or you can use some concealer like dermatch but you should wait about 3 weeks post surgery to use it there.

[Thehairupthere]

That is a good point. Some doctors choose to shave the recipient area which can leave you looking funny, others don't; I just assumed you didn't. As long as you're ok with that you can shave and it doesn't have to be by a professional unless you prefer. You can use the concealer on the scar until the hair grows out a bit

[NEWHAIRPLEASE]

Most post op instructions will point the patient to use an ointment for a day or two on the donor scar after the sutures are out...other than that you should be fine!

[Dutch]

Don't use a zero grade on the trimmer, use a guard, as the area will be sore in the first few weeks if its strip.

Trim the hair a little if you want. I'm only 3 months post op and already have had 3 haircuts but all have been a trim to a grade 3 on the sides and back. Used vitamin e oil on the donor scar & scalp

[wrapper]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can clarify for me, I had HT with Dr Path' in Bangkok 10 days ago, yesterday I got a number 4 hair cut including my donor area, I wanted to see how the scar looked, my stitches were removed the previous day, I am now worried that I have done damage to my absorbable stitches, I have 2 pieces of white thread coming out from my head at my donor area,and when I pulled at it I got a little blood, won't touch them again, my question is could I have caused damage to my stitches by getting a haircut and in turn cause me to have a wider scar, the nurse and the barber both commented on how small my scar was, and how well it was healing I am now scared I may have done damage and cause me to have a wider scar all because I foolishly got a number 4 haircut, or after 10 days will my wound sufficiently healed that cutting a couple of absorbable stitches won't make any difference???, I hope so.

[Shampoo]

Some doctors choose to shave the recipient area which can leave you looking funny, others don't

 

I am trying to educate myself and had a question.

If I was to get a large strip session of 4000 or more

grafts during one surgery at True & Dorin are you saying

the recipient area normally would not be shaved?

[Thehairupthere]

In almost all cases yes that is true. If the patient has very diffuse thinning on top than sometimes we do shave, but if it's more of a class 4a on a norwood scale it's unnecessary. We very rarely shave, and always go over those options with you.

[Shampoo]

In almost all cases yes that is true.

If the patient has very diffuse thinning on top than sometimes we do shave,

but if it's more of a class 4a on a norwood scale it's unnecessary.

We very rarely shave, and always go over those options with you.

 

Thanks for the reply. I like no-shave if it doesnt hurt results.

 

BTW I was very impressed with the step by step videos that

Dr. Dorin and Dr. True did that you have on your website.

Those videos definitely moved True & Dorin way up on my

list of potential doctors.

 

I had one question though.

Would you say it is not usual for True and Dorin

to do large strip sessions in the 4000-5000 graft range?

 

I noticed on your site that most of the pics seem to be in the

teen-2500 range. I am thinking I will need at least 4500 grafts

if not more and I would like to get them all in one session so I only

have to deal with the long "healing period" once instead of twice.

[Thehairupthere]

Not every patient has the donor or the scalp elasticity to reach 5000 grafts in one session. We do not want to risk getting a bad scar from putting a lot of stress in that area. We certainly have cases of 4000 grafts but again not everyone needs that many and not all can actually get that much in one sitting. This is best to speak about during a consultation so we can examine your donor supply and see what is viable.

[Shampoo]

Ok thank you.