scalp pigmentation/SMP after H.T.

[FollicullarlyHopeful]

I am planning to get a strip surgery next month, Nov., and want to get SMP pigmentation soon after that. If I want SMP on the donor scar, how long should I wait for donor scar to heal enough to get the SMP? Or if I skip the donor scar for now, how long to wait for SMP in the recipient area? Also does not anyone know how successful SMP is in patches of scarring alopecia? Lastly, if I eventually want to get FUE into the donor scar also, how long to wait after the strip surgery? Thank you for any advice that can be offered.

[scar5]

First of all, strip can produce fantastic results, but I must warn you., you are really deluding yourself if u think u can jusy patxh up a strip scar with smp and fue, before u gi in. Ur,scar migjt be flat, but even so.,if scar is on ur mind, dont fall fir the false hope that strp+smp+fue=fue.

On to your main question.

Dont put ink into healing tissue unless u r ready for the pogments to spread morr rapidly or unpredictably., I've asked precicely thae same question,trcently and was told 6-12 months,,because only then is the injured tissue stable and healed.Good luck.

[FollicullarlyHopeful]

Thanks for the info. As for the strip procedure, I realize that smp and fue are not going to be enough to conceal it with short hair (I have long hair now and don't need anything to conceal my previous strip scar). But I want to have short hair in the near future. So what choice do I have? Skipping the donor scar is not an option as I've had multiple H.T.'s already, so that's too late. By getting one more strip procedure I'm only getting a new donor scar in place of the old one. And once that heals, my choic is FUE and SMP or what? I would keep my hair longer, but I have Lichen Planopilaris which causes scarring alopecia. It 's small patches of scarred skin w/ no hair. Thankfully the patches are spread out to wear I can somewhat cover most of them, as I have enough hair. But I have to use scalp concealer, as my transplanted hair is already thin enough, but adde some scarring, bald patches makes it tougher. I'm at the point of just wanting to cut my hair real short, try my best to blend in the scars with smp (which won't accept grafts) plus some fue in my donor scar, which will hopefully accept at least some grafts. Either way my head/hair will look funny, but keep it real short w/ smp would be a better option, I feel, as the scarring alopecia can be blended in a little with smp, if it's blendin in with very short hair around it. If it's competing with long hair around it, the smp won't look as much like hair, as it, at best, would look like I shaved my hair almost to the scalp in various patches, yet left the rest long. not a good look. There's no ideal way to deal with my situation, but I'm just looking for the best option(s) to make the best of the hand I've been dealt.

[scar5]

Seeming u r already stripped-scarred, I can see where u are coming from. I had my last strip many years after I began bitching about strip, based on the same rationale, (or fair to say, being seduced by myself and the doc to do it - regretted it, but did get a few extra fat grafts)

 

You have a unique situation, something I know nothing about, as I guess, most of us don't, but you seemed to have looked into it, Just make sure they don't stretch the length of the scar too much. They almost always want to do that, and its bad, even though more grafts result ( and coincidently more of your hard earned cash goes into their kids' college funds!!)

 

Well, anyway, best of luck. Preparing for short hair after the cover up can be a bit nerve wracking for me, as can the post buzz re-assessment. I guess you ware a great candidate for SMP, but I think a trial in the scar tissue might b worth it.