Re distribution of poorly placed hair/ follicles.

[Buzz2]

Hi all

 

About 10 years ago, I had a very poor HT from the Noble Clinic in the UK which left my skin with tiny divets and hair growing at the wrong angles . Also, the hair is very wirey.

 

Ive since had 2 HTs with DR Saifi, one of which was a complete success. Im only 4 months post op on the 2nd.. However, I'm still concerned that the poor work i had in the uk is still visible. It may be ok, when I'm at full term

 

So my question is, can I have the poor hair removed via fue and then placed back in the same area at the correct angle.? Is this an option or is it best to pack more hair to camouflage??

 

DR Saifi chose to add hair to camouflafe, but I am just interested to know if this is an option?

 

I have contacted the doc to ask, but interested in peoples views in the meantime

[gillenator]

Buzz,

 

In general terms, yes maybe some of those difficult angled grafts can be extracted with FUE or excised with a small blade/scalpel. Doctors vary in opinion as to which method of removal is better than the other. Obviously those doctors who don't perform FUE cannot offer that option and this is a big part in why they do not recommend FUE. I always advocate choosing repair surgeons who do either technique proficiently.

 

IMHO, it more depends on the individual grafts themselves. Every case is different. The more deeper situated grafts that were placed too deep causing the visible "pitting" can be more difficult to extract and therefore the surgeon may elect to excise those stubborn grafts or just leave them alone. One of the advantages in excising them out is that some of the scarring can be removed along with the graft(s). But some of the excised sites may require a suture to close the opening if the graft site was larger and therefore the trade-off is a small incision scar once the suture is removed after healing. Usually though, the incision scar is so tiny that it can barely be seen by the naked eye and these smaller incision scars can be more easy to camoflage than a deeper pitted site. Again it depends on each stubborn graft and how it presently appears compared to the post surgery period when everything heals. The patient may need to stop back for a touch-up session adding grafts to the areas that need them.

 

By your description of how your past grafts looked may be why your current surgeon elected to go for camoflaging the existing grafts by adding more rather than removing the former grafts. Is your current surgeon proficient at FUE?

 

I would get several more opinions from those reputable repair surgeons who have done many repair cases like yours. But IMHO, you will need to wait for your latest procedure to fully mature.

 

I wish you the best in the final result!

[gillenator]

Forgot to address your question of re-implanting the grafts that are removed. In theory yes they can be re-implanted providing they are not transected from removing them and they are not under great duress from removing them.

 

Every time a graft is removed, it begins to undergo stress from several factors including ischemia reprofusion which is deteriating of the tissue from being exposed to the environment. Your grafts which appear thin and weak may not survive the re-implant.

[Buzz2]

Gillenator,

 

Many thanks for your detailed response, much appreciated. Yes, Dr Saifi is proficient at FUE

 

I am waiting a reply from him, but in the meantime thought I'd put it out to the forum.

 

The weird thing is that the poor grafts from my UK surgery, appear at lot thicker than my naitive hair and is very wirery.

 

I just hope when the new hair comes in, that its enough to cover it. I may also have a bit of shock loss in the area, which is making these hairs more apparent.

[gillenator]

You're very welcome Buzz. I think what you may be noticing when you say your previous HTs appear thicker is the difference in hair shaft diameter between the transplanted hair and your natural existing hair, which for all practical purposes is diffusing.

 

Try taking a sample of the transplanted hair from the past and take one that is exisiting hair and lay them side-by-side on a sheet of printer paper. Then find a magnifying glass and compare the caliber between the two hair shafts. I think you will find that the transplant hair is fatter in caliber.