FUE guys: pimples in the recipient are normal, sure... but

[Duck]

What about the donor area?

 

I'm getting a lot of little pimples where the grafts were removed. I've never read that is normal. Anyone else experience this?

 

The only thing I've read about pimples is that it is the new hairs breaking through. I'm only 2 weeks post-op, so I am not expecting them to appear up on top for quite some time. But to have a bunch in the back and sides looks... well, really awesome, you know? lol

[RoyBatty]

Yeah, I had them starting at about week 3. That's about when I started working out again. I'm at week 9 and they're going away. What I did was

 

(1) No sweating. I sweat a lot when I work out. I cut back on running and even hard lifting that would cause sweating.

 

(2) Started using Neutrogena T-SAL with 3% salicylic acid in the donor area (just in the donor area and sides)

 

(3) Occasionally use sea breeze astringent on the donor. This will dry out the oil.

 

(4) Don't stress

 

I'm not sure why this is caused by the surgery, but it also was starting to happen around the side where there was no extractions.

 

I could also feel them coming up. Kind of like the little zings that you get when nerves are regrowing, but different.

 

Good luck.

[Duck]

Thanks RoyB,

 

I haven't made it to 3 weeks yet, so no working out... I'm really not sure what is causing all this annoying acne on the back of my head. I was planning on starting back up, but if working out exacerbates the problem, i might hold off...

 

I will try out your other advice though. I especially like #4! Probably the hardest!!!

[Dr. William Lindsey]

I see significant acne in the recipient site about 3 times a year, out of maybe 150 cases. I do worry that folliculitis, inflamation of or infection around, the roots could kill them--perhaps unnecessarily. I treat this with clindamycin 1% topical solution, a common pimple medicine thats been around since I had acne in the late 70s. I have patients apply it twice a day to that area for a week...so far only one person has needed to do it twice.

 

Check with YOUR doctor and see what his/her experience is.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA