Dr. Lindsey approximately 200 graft scar repair case

[Dr. William Lindsey]

This fellow had a cyst taken off of his crown a few years ago. He developed a fairly wide scar and then had a surgeon excise and revise the scar. Unfortunately, it widened back out. Now I don’t know if he had a single or multiple layer closure….but as he’d had bad luck with scar excision previously, I offered him graft placement into the scar. We discussed the variability of this too and that it will likely take a year or a little more to get the final result. Plus, in the crown, his hair splays out from this area naturally, so even if every graft grows…he’ll still have a little thinness in the crown.

We did this quick case last week and he had his sutures out yesterday. He lives some distance from my office but I’m hopeful he’ll send periodic updates by email. We discussed FUE vs a small strip and he chose the strip, even though he’d had a scar problem in the past. I agreed with this choice as he had VERY fine hairs and I’m not sure he was the perfect FUE candidate.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[chix]

Hi Dr. Lindsey,

 

looks like it has been filled in. How wide/long was the scar? I'm curious as to the density at which hair is planted in the scar to ensure good growth. Also, in your estimate, how many of the grafts should grow as I believe scar tissue is quite avascular? Interesting case..

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Chix

[Dr. William Lindsey]

The size is not really big...what maybe 1.2 by 3.5 cm or so. Not at the office so I don't have the actual measurement but you can see my fingertips in the first picture and I have average hands.

 

And his scar was soft and quite vascular. You can see a little blood from some of the lastly created slits before I took the picture. So I'd hope that all would live.

 

We'll all know next summer.

 

Thanks

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Blake Bloxham]

Nicely done! Thank you for sharing, Dr. Lindsey.

[RCWest]

You get all kinds of interesting cases, Dr. Lindsey! I love the variety you post every week. How old is the patient, and does he have any genetic hair loss?

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Thanks RCW

 

I think he's about 35. Interesting guy, did a tour in Iraq, joining up after 9.11. Very pleasant man but you could see he had a lot of inner strength.

 

I don't think anyone in his family lost significant hair...my usual talk for a guy his age is it may be foolish to put a row of hair in the crown if he's destined to lose all around it....

 

You are correct we get a fair amount of diverse issues at my office. One problem is travel though. There is a really complex problem from eastern Europe that I feel I could really help fix...but it would involve either staying with me in VA for several months and having multiple reconstructive and later hair surgeries.... or multiple trips. And often times that is not an option for folks to do.

 

We are getting ready to do a second HT on that young boy whose 9 years out from Jaw cancer that I posted last summer. His first case has grown in well according to mom, and now we'll do a second before he goes off to college.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA