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Shock Loss?


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  • Regular Member

So, earlier this morning I took a shower and while pulling off my shirt I noticed a lot of hair on the backside - it was a little bit of a surprise. While showering and running my hand through my hair on the top of my head I noticed a lot more hair than usual sticking to my hand. I'm 21 years old and had a hair transplant on the 8th (15 - 16 days ago depending on how you count it) to correct a scar from an accident and I'm wondering if this is normal. When can I expect the shock loss to stop? Is it even shock loss? I still have plenty of hair on my head but balding does exist in my family, my older brother is proof of it, but I'm still way behind the years in terms of when genes say I should start to experience it. Should I use any product on my head? Am I worrying to much about it? I heard I'm suppose to be in the clear within the first month and I'm hoping that's true because it means I'm almost home free from waking up to a horrible surprise. Thanks.

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  • Regular Member

It's probably some shock loss. I went threw the same thing around the same time post op. I am at three months and 3 weeks now. It seems to be coming back however it's still not as thick as it was pre op. Your just gonna have to wait it out. I'm hoping I make a full recovery over the next couple of months. I had a significant amount of shock loss though. I wasn't expecting it and wasn't prepared for it.

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  • Senior Member

I agree with what's already been said. Most likely temporary shock loss. You may find this blog from Dr. Charles comforting.

 

Post Hair Transplant Shock Loss: When Will Native Hair Regrow?

David - Former Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant

 

I am not a medical professional. All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

 

View my Hair Loss Website

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  • Regular Member

Oh, I'd like to also add that today I looked in the mirror and noticed I was able to pull my hair apart on the top of my head and have what essentially looks like a line. I did some research and found out this is a sign of diffusing hair, I also heard people with diffusing hairlines are more at risk from shock loss than people who recede. Can I expect that hair to come back from the shock loss? I KNOW for a fact that the line wasn't there pre-op and I'm hoping somebody can give me some helpful information. Thanks.

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  • Regular Member

Okay, just a little personal update, but I got off the phone with my doctor at Bosley, Dr. DiBiase and spoke with him about the shock loss issue. He said anywhere from 4 to 5 months I could expect my hair to come back from shock loss but he himself said it's unusual for me to be getting shock loss to the top of my head because the transplant was to the back of my head and the donor area came from an area above the ear. He suggested this could be due to MPB but I doubt it or at least want to doubt it because I wasn't having any sign of baldness, although my hair was supposedly in the process of it, until 2 weeks or so after surgery which seems to correlate with when shock loss tends to occur. I think it's the fact my shock loss is happening in unusual places that's making me most worried because my doctor said he's only had one other case of this happening where a patient who had a hair transplant on the back of his head later experienced shock loss everywhere else, my doctor said the persons hair later came back which reassured me but I know very well that no two heads of hair are alike. Anybody else have an experience like this where they suffered shock loss in areas completely foreign to where their hair transplant happened? And can MPB be accelerated by a hair transplant? I apologize if it seems like I'm in panic mode but I kind of am at this point.

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  • Regular Member

Londinium,

Did you have your work done on your crown? If you you haven't been noticing balding or receding up front then I would tend to think that your hair there is not that minaturized and should be strong enough to recover. However your case is not that standard and is very unique but I can't imagine a transplant to your crown is going to make you bald in your frontal 1/3. Especially if you haven't even experienced thinning there yet. Patience is virtue and you will require much of it as this is going to be a long process. I am almost four months now and the waiting game is much harder than I anticipated. Grow well my friend. This is a link to Spex blog on shock loss. Hope it helps.

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/143063-shockloss.html

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  • Regular Member

No, I didn't, the scar the hair was transplanted to is just above my neck and the hair was taken from above my right ear. It's possible that during my procedure from the strip so much trauma was caused that it is causing shock throughout my entire head. I'll try to remain patient, Get, but I'm sure you understand how difficult that can be especially when so early in the game. I'm still, as far as I can tell, in the shock loss phase and while the shedding has significantly stopped I can still notice a few strands of rogue hairs here and there on my hands and when getting out of the shower. The thinning of my hair is also difficult to stomach but I'm doing my best to keep a clear mind. A friend suggested I should begin taking vitamin E pills and doing things to reduce stress because she suggested my problem could be due to not just physical but mental stress as well. I'm honestly inclined to believe her because while I've never suffered hair loss like this before in my life, I've also never been in this much of a panic in my life, lol. A appointment was made with my doctor for Monday and I also plan to see a dermatologist specializing in hair as well as potentially an independent HT surgeon who can look over the work already done on my head. I fully plan to continue using this forum as a means to update my progress and truly hope to see improvement around the 3 to 4 month mark. I wish you luck as well in your road to improvement, Get.

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  • Regular Member

I think seeing a couple of specialist is a good idea. Just find out if there is something else going on. Stress can be terrible for your body in general so try not to stress out to much as it will probably make things worse. Maybe add some msm and biotin along with a good multi vitamin to your regimen. This might encourage the shock loss to recover faster. Keep us posted and let us know what the doc says Monday. Good luck Londinium. Chin up!

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  • 1 month later...
  • Regular Member

Glad you made some progress. How long has it been since your surgery? I've made a few small strides in 3.5 months but defiinitley no where near pre op. the hair you lost was it native hair or hair that was previously grafted from another transplant?

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  • Regular Member
Jet,

 

It hit me pretty good too and while I've made some progress in the past couple weeks, I don't know if I would say if I'm back to where I was pre-op

 

I just saw your photos. You had great doctor and 4400 grafts you'll be fine. I had 1000 grafts a mediocre doc at best and lost ton of hair. Dammit!

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