Trichophytic closure and misaligned hairs

[Birdness]

How often does a trichophytic closure cause misalignment of the neighbouring hairs so that it is apparent when looking at the back of someone's head? Would seem a reason maybe not to do it.

[Mickey85]

are you talking about:

 

a) the varying angles of the actual grafts growing through the tryco closure

b) the change in direction/angle/pattern of the donor area due to the distortion of natural swirl

c) the change in natural hair caliber/hair grouping gradation(the obliteration of a smooth transition of courser, multi-hair grafts to finer single hair grafts)?

 

i have actuall seen many photos of fut patients with their heads shaved(because they were under going fue for repair) and the change in direction was sometimes very drastic. had i have known about the aforementioned drawbacks to fut i would have never even considered it. while fue is not perfect, fut in my humble opinion can solve a problem on top of your head but can create problems at the rear and sides that can never be properly reversed....

Edited March 23, 2013 by Mickey85

[Birdness]

Talking about seeing the area of donor harvesting in the back because the hairs are misaligned. In other words, is it cosmetically visible with normal length hair ?? Those of you that have trichophytic closure had it please chime in.

[Mickey85]

i had a trico closure done and there is a visible 'step' at normal length hair yes. my scar did stretch however.

[xtatic5]

By "misalignment" I assume you're referring to a raised scar resulting from the overlap of skin. I'm only 2 months post-op and my scar is virtually flat..

[Birdness]

I mean a visible area on the back of the head where the hair doesn't seem right and mimics the scar underneath. In other words, an area where the hair is misaligned and is visible compared to the rest of the back of the head.

[gillenator]

Yes I know what you are referring to and I have noticed it on approximately half of the tryco closures pics that I have seen. As you stated, it becomes more visible the shorter the hair length in the donor zone.

 

A tryco closure invloves "bevelling" one side of the flap on the edge of the flap. Then the two sides are brought togethor and sutured while attempting to maintain and position the direction of hair growth togethor. It's the underlying lip that is positioned in such a way that the hair follicles grow hair directly through where the sutures are aligned or again where the two sides meet.

 

But the result does not always end up exactly in the same growth direction and yes some of the underlying follicles that are tucked under grow through in a misaligned direction.

 

Experience and skill are paramount to get the potentially best camaflaughed result which is what a tryco method is all about, to hide the linear scar as best as possible. Yet some of the closures end up more superficial and even wider than desired due to inexperience.

 

Our varying hair growth angles whether in the donor zone or elsewhere are naturally established from birth so bringing two sides of scalp togethor even without a tryco method of closure can still potentially have misangles where the two sides meet. Not the fault of the surgeon, just a fact of life.

 

This can be one of the trade-offs with FUHT and even FUE. The appearance of our donor zones will never be what they were before surgery so many of us will need to maintain at least 1 inch of length in the donor zone to hide the linear scar.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Gillenator's words ring true.

 

More often though I see people who supposedly have a trich closure who either did not or are terrible scar formers.

 

As to the mis aligned hairs..I find personally that at our office it is the cause of ingrown hairs across the suture line in maybe 1 in 10 patients and is almost always of pretty short duration. Were I in the chair....I'd choose that over a wider non-tricho closure.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA