Was your head a tomato?

[Duck]

I just had 4,900 grafts added to the hairline, temple points, mid, and crown of this very balding head of mine.

 

2,500 of those were added just in the hairline.

 

I'm about 2 weeks post-op and everything is healing great. Scabs are gone, and I have a great head of hair! (I was a NW5) The problem is that the one inch line from ear to ear that created my new hairline is VERY, VERY red. The HT itself looks so great, I thought for sure the redness would subside, but unfortunately, it is still super red. No chance of taking off the hat.

 

To make matters worse, I'm worried that the hat is aggravating it even further.

 

Besides living under this hat, do you have any advice to help heal this area? Camouflage it?

 

I'd love to just hear other experiences so I know what I'm in for in the next days (months?)

 

Thanks

[Since21]

I had to start wearing a hat 8 days post-op due to work. I wore it loosely, put Neosporin on the incision every morning after showering and let my donor hair cover the scar. I'm 5.5 months post-op now and my scar has healed nicely. My hairstylist can't find it.

[Duck]

That's awesome news!

 

My HT was FUE, so the recipient is the area that is really red. You can't really tell anything happened in the donor area.

 

To add insult to injury I'm losing the transplanted hair at the hairline, so the redness is REALLY visible now...

 

Any suggestions to help with this area? Help it heal? Help camouflage? Anything?

 

And Since21, was your recipient area really red too?

I'd love to hear how long I can expect this to go on.

 

Thanks

[Since21]

My recipient area was still pink 2+ months out. Thankfully, the kind of work I do allows for me to wear a hat. I'd contact your surgeon and see what he/she suggests to use on it. I've read on here of some patients using aloe gel, but you'll want to get your doc's okay first.

[voxman]

Duck, if I read your post correctly, you are concerned about your hairline redness, not your donor area. In my experience, the redness after two weeks is quite normal and different skin types will fade later than earlier. You'll keep shedding in that area too....aloe helped me but time is your best friend (and enemy as you wait, wait, wait).

[Duck]

Thanks voxman, yes you're right. It's the recipient area. Not just the recipient, as 90% of it actually looks pretty good. It's the new hairline that looks like I'm wearing a red headband. I'll have to post a pic so you guys can see.

 

The worst part is it doesn't blend at all. I have pointy sides which are meant to blend into my sideburns where the temple points were re-built. That's probably the most obvious "red" flag that something just isn't quite right.

 

Since21, I did start using pure aloe vera. You're right, I probably should have run it by my doc, but I researched a lot on this forum, and it seemed to be pretty standard advice. Unfortunately, it doesn't really seem to do the trick, so I was hoping if I put the question out there, maybe some other guys have had success with other treatments?

 

Guys?

 

I even used Vit E oil twice, but it was like spreading molasses on my head, and didn't seem to help either.

 

If I could just live under a hat, none of this would matter! Come next Monday, it's back to a suit and tie. I don't think that would work with a baseball cap... Or maybe I could start a new trend...

[voxman]

Or you could revive an old look - do a Beatle do!

[Rootz]

I believe your best bet for recipient redness is to stay out of the sun and religiously use Aloe Vera and Distilled Witch Hazel. The redness will eventually fade regardless, but sun exposure can greatly prolong the healing process.

[Duck]

How about rocking this look? I would just have to take some scissors to my pants and I'm all set! lol

[Duck]

oh well, that's what I get for trying to attach a picture.

 

Anyway, Rootz, thanks! I haven't tried the witch hazel thing. I haven't heard of that. It helps take the redness away too?

 

Would you alternate? Once in the morning with one, and do the other at night? Or would you layer them?

[watch4norwoods]

FYI if fair skinned Caucasian, that redness will last up to six months post OP

 

 

First three months will still be noticeably red, after that is should subside over time.