Graft loss removing scabs?

[jason1980]

I had a HT on 10th October, so it has been 18 days. By the 10th day I thought I had removed all scabs, however yesterday under a different light I noticed that I still had a few smaller ones (I would sometimes feel like I had a couple left when washing, but couldn't see them so didn't worry).

 

Given that grafts are 'safe' after 10 days, I proceeded to massage gently my entire head to get the remaining ones off.

 

I am now happy most of the scabs are gone, however when I hold a magnifying mirror up, what I can see appears to be little red cuts in some places, no blood is running but definitately looks like dry blood, maybe a tad moist, and a light red colour not dark red - the only thing I can liken it to is if you have a scab on your leg or foot and you pick it off BEFORE ITS READY!

 

So my question is - have I lost grafts or not? :mad:

[TakingThePlunge]

If you waited until 10 days post-op then I'm confident that you did not harm any grafts. They are firmly anchored and protected by that time.

[jason1980]

Well this has unhealthily consumed my thoughts for the last 24 hours, the thought that I could have done something to ruin my HT has left a sick feeling in my stomach.

 

When I think back to the washing I think i actually applied a fair bit of force, nothing crazy, but strong for a good 6-7 mins thinking it would be totally safe.

 

I was googling and found this, coincidently I think it was you who replied.

bod

 

Question:

I had a hair transplant procedure performed about a month and a half ago. Yesterday, I went in for a full body massage and I made the mistake of not telling the massage therapist to not touch my head. As I dozed off, she actually did some tugging as well as moderate squeezing on some of the areas where the grafts were transplanted. When I woke up after the massage, I noticed that there were 5 red spots (each about the size of a tiny bug bite) on my head. Each spot had minimal bleeding on it but I am worried that the grafts transplanted on those areas might have been damaged. Is it possible for that to happen even after a month and half after the procedure was performed?

 

Answer:

A month and a half post-op, your transplanted follicular unit grafts should be securely anchored and well protected below the scalp. While bleeding is never a good sign, it would be much more of a concern during the first 10 days after your hair transplant. In my opinion, your grafts would not have been damaged during your massage.

- See more at: Did a Scalp Massage Damage My Hair Transplant? | Hair Transplant Blog

 

This sounds very similar to what I found red spots like bug bites. So perhaps it was the extra force washing that effected the area and the spots weren't scabs at all.

 

This makes me wonder how 'safe' are grafts after 10 days? We know that they can't be removed, but perhaps trauma like this 'damages' their ability to take and grow, like being hit in the head. Maybe reasons like this are why some HTs only have 50% yield.

 

I had been so positive and in a good mood up to this point knowing I had done everything right.

 

I have been a long time lurker and would even laugh to myself when I saw people freaking out like this, but now it's happening to me!

 

Someone tell me I am being crazy, paranoid, irrational please.

 

 

[Britanium]

Ok,,, you are being crazy, paranoid, irrational :-) ...

But on a more serious note your grafts wil be fine !

[hairthere]

I would say those grafts are most likely well embedded at this point (they probably were at 3 days post) and in resting phase. Around 3-4 months they'll begin to grow. Relax, it all sounds normal.

[jason1980]

Yes the grafts are well embedded, they can not be pulled out, this doesn't necessarily mean they haven't been damaged and not grow.

 

How can anyone say for certainty?

 

How exactly are the grafts 'protected' from trauma? At one year for sure, but after 18 days?

 

lets say

Day 0: operation

Day 10: scabs mostly gone, everything going well

Day 15: grafts in resting phase, cycling as normal

Day 18: Aggressive washing causes trauma to recipient area in the belief that you can do 'anything' after 10 days and they are safe - trauma indicated by some small sores and area a little tender <-- this results in normal 'cycle' being disrupted and hair shafts die.

Month 6: 35% growth, clinic and forum say its normal

Month 9: 50% growth, clinic and forum say maybe you are a slow grower

Month 12: 50% growth, declared hair transplant has failed

 

Too dramatic?

 

I just don't buy that you can't 'damage' the ability for the grafts to grow. Are there any studies on this? Again, I am talking about a graft being healthy and growing, not just knowing that after 10 days the only way to get it out of your head is by surgery.

 

Would love to be categorically proven wrong!