Facial Scarring at Recipient Site For A Beard/Facial Hair Transplant??

[myHTstory]

Hello Community,

 

First, thank you in advance for reading this.

 

I have done 4 hours of research and have still been unsuccessful in finding an answer to the following question:

 

1.When going to one of the top rated HT surgeons for getting a facial/beard hair transplant (whereby you are transplanting hair to the face/the face is the recipient site), what is the probability that the recipient site (the face) will show scarring from where the recipient site incisions were made, when it is clean shaved?

 

I believe the reason that it has been very hard for me to find information on this question during the last 4 hours i have spent researching it, is because it is assumed that if one is getting a beard/facial hair transplant, then this would not be a concern to them, as that transplant patient would be having hair on their face anyways.

 

However in my case, i'd like to just add some thickness to my patchy beard when i choose to wear one. But i don't want this procedure to forever preclude me from being able to wear a clean shaven face, due to having facial scars from the incisions made at the facial recipient site during the facial HT procedure.

 

*Please note when commenting, that i prefaced this question to be specifically as it relates to getting this work done by one of the top HT transplant surgeons (and hopefully those such doctors who perform this procedure can provide their comments in this thread). That is because i already know, that if the work is done by a bad/unskilled/inexperienced doctor (which i would never allow one to touch me) then the results could/should be expected to be correspondingly bad (and that really applies to any medical procedure of any kind). So please provide your comments in the context of what should be expected as far as facial recipient site scarring when going to one of the top-rated HT docs.

 

Thanks in advance for your comments and thoughts, they are greatly appreciated and immeasurably helpful.

 

I'm sure your comments will help others besides me as well, because as i said there is very little information anywhere on this particular question, and i'm sure that beard/facial HT patients would like to keep the option of wearing a clean shaven face reserved.

[Bill - Seemiller]

myHTstory,

 

Welcome to our community. That's a very interesting question. It's a bit difficult to answer however, because there are a number of variables to consider. Firstly, it should be noted that anytime the skin is punctured or scored, scarring occurs. Whether or not it is visible or how visible it is will depend on those variables. In the hands of an excellent surgeon such as those recommended by our community, scarring will be minimal due to the use of minimally invasive tools. Furthermore, skin tone and a patient's physiology can play a role in healing and scar visibility. For the most part however, scarring will most likely be minimal and virtually undetectable in the hands of a skilled physician.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Al - Moderator]

There are some people who had a hair transplant and then later decided to shave their head anyway. You may want to try searching for some of those to get an idea of what a shaved area after transplanting into it would look like.

[myHTstory]

BeHappy, thanks so much for that thought and comment; though to my knowledge facial skin does not have the same characteristic makeup as scalp skin (and any docs or moderators that can confirm that statement it would be greatly appreciated) therefore i wouldn't want to use someones post-recovery recipient-site-scalp response, as the basis to do a procedure to my recipient-site face. And as mentioned in the starting post in the thread, there is extremely little of both info and imagery, regarding scarring on the recipient face-site during a beard transplant.

 

There are some people who had a hair transplant and then later decided to shave their head anyway. You may want to try searching for some of those to get an idea of what a shaved area after transplanting into it would look like.

[Doubletree]

This is a great question. I could not find an answer. Here what I come up after contacting top Drs around the world mainly in USA but only one top Dr in India was honest to me. He told me "Though I advise against beard hair transplant due to the permanent nature of grafts and non feasibility to in some cases to shave in future, I would like to see your pictures and discuss further with you." then I sent him my picture, He replied " Sorry we do not do this type of hair transplant since discontent after procedure is very high. In some individuals I have seen (as much as 65%) that there are bumps after shaving and the shaved look is not smooth. Many have repented having a procedure done later in life". I talked to one of the top Drs in USA, He told me that the redness fade away after 10 days and after that no one will know about it. I am really confused. I want to have beard transplant so bad to fill in my patchiness.at the same time as you I do not want to have it forever, I just want to have my options open. I might just try to connect the goatee first to see how my face react. Sometimes I think beard transplant is not worth it.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Doubletree

[Janna]

I agree that this is a really good question. In our experience at Shapiro Medical with beard hair transplantation, we haven't noticed scarring in the recipient area. We have had number of patients whom we did beard hair transplant and they've all been happy with their results. I would like to add that to achieve desired density, it takes 2-3 procedures. Patients who have had the beard transplant don't generally shave their beard clean so it's hard to say if there is any pitting or abnormal healing but we haven't noticed any and we haven't ever received any complaints from our patients.

[Doubletree]

I asked Dr James Harris who is Top surgeon about permeant scar in the recipient site, however, He told me.

 

"unlikely as the incisions to place the grafts are so small, averaging less than 1mm, visible scarring is rare".

[AladdinSane]

Hi all...I’ve recently joined the forum. This question is an interesting one that I myself have had. There’s a few answers on RealSelf but the information is quite limited. I was told a good surgeon should leave no cobblestoning or pits and that the area should be able to be clean shaven just like a native beard and underneath the skin should have an even surface and no visible scarring. I believe the bumps are due to surgeons not trimming the grafts properly.

However I have seen some awful results, both aesthetically speaking in terms of design and raised bumps on the skin. That being said I’ve seen some amazing results, albeit not shaved so it’s difficult to tell. In some cases the beard is sparse enough that I can sort of see that it could be smooth underneath.

Obviously the difficulty in finding out answers to this question are due to the fact, as stated above, that most of the people who opt for this don’t wish to be clean-shaven so nobody online ever gets a look at a clean shaven face after a beard transplant. 
 

If any more surgeons could help with an answer to this question that would be much appreciated. Also anyone who has had a beard transplant and would be willing to post clean-shaven photos would be of great help too.

 

[AhmadChaudhry]

On 1/3/2015 at 3:51 PM, myHTstory said:

Hello Community,

 

First, thank you in advance for reading this.

 

I have done 4 hours of research and have still been unsuccessful in finding an answer to the following question:

 

1.When going to one of the top rated HT surgeons for getting a facial/beard hair transplant (whereby you are transplanting hair to the face/the face is the recipient site), what is the probability that the recipient site (the face) will show scarring from where the recipient site incisions were made, when it is clean shaved?

 

I believe the reason that it has been very hard for me to find information on this question during the last 4 hours i have spent researching it, is because it is assumed that if one is getting a beard/facial hair transplant, then this would not be a concern to them, as that transplant patient would be having hair on their face anyways.

 

However in my case, i'd like to just add some thickness to my patchy beard when i choose to wear one. But i don't want this procedure to forever preclude me from being able to wear a clean shaven face, due to having facial scars from the incisions made at the facial recipient site during the facial HT procedure.

 

*Please note when commenting, that i prefaced this question to be specifically as it relates to getting this work done by one of the top HT transplant surgeons (and hopefully those such doctors who perform this procedure can provide their comments in this thread). That is because i already know, that if the work is done by a bad/unskilled/inexperienced doctor (which i would never allow one to touch me) then the results could/should be expected to be correspondingly bad (and that really applies to any medical procedure of any kind). So please provide your comments in the context of what should be expected as far as facial recipient site scarring when going to one of the top-rated HT docs.

 

Thanks in advance for your comments and thoughts, they are greatly appreciated and immeasurably helpful.

 

I'm sure your comments will help others besides me as well, because as i said there is very little information anywhere on this particular question, and i'm sure that beard/facial HT patients would like to keep the option of wearing a clean shaven face reserved.

Hi, interesting but routine matters for the surgeons to answer it. Yes most of the cased scarring is visible. There are three kinds of unnaturalness in scarring 

1- Cobblestone

2- Pit 

3- Tenting ( elevation)

There are many factors for such kind of scarring. Keeping in mind you selected the top rated surgeon, major thing which will determine the scarring will be the slit or needle size. If the needle size to make the slits will be less than 0.8 mm , very less chances of scarring and you will get the scar free procedure. A lot of surgeons also use implanted with needle size 0.8 mm , 0.7 mm for facial / beard hair transplant as less size of the puncture to insert the grafts, definitely save you from scarring. 

[kumardarshan]

56 minutes ago, AhmadChaudhry said:

Hi, interesting but routine matters for the surgeons to answer it. Yes most of the cased scarring is visible. There are three kinds of unnaturalness in scarring 

1- Cobblestone

2- Pit 

3- Tenting ( elevation)

There are many factors for such kind of scarring. Keeping in mind you selected the top rated surgeon, major thing which will determine the scarring will be the slit or needle size. If the needle size to make the slits will be less than 0.8 mm , very less chances of scarring and you will get the scar free procedure. A lot of surgeons also use implanted with needle size 0.8 mm , 0.7 mm for facial / beard hair transplant as less size of the puncture to insert the grafts, definitely save you from scarring. 

Is it true that bigger needle size would ensure better survival rate for grafts?

[kumardarshan]

My surgeon mention that they don’t like trimming grafts too thin as it jeopardizes their survival and hence the incisions are created using 1.2 and 1.4 mm size needles. Is this true? Or you could achieve the same survival with 0.7 mm incisions?

[AhmadChaudhry]

4 minutes ago, kumardarshan said:

Is it true that bigger needle size would ensure better survival rate for grafts?

Hi, if you know the size of the hair / graft then would be easier for your to select the size of the needle. Secondly the member mentioned above top rated surgeon for beard hair transplant selection, so he know grafts survival factors. 

Well 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm needle size is good enough for graft survival. There should be no issue regarding graft survival in these sizes of needles. 

[AladdinSane]

4 minutes ago, AhmadChaudhry said:

Hi, if you know the size of the hair / graft then would be easier for your to select the size of the needle. Secondly the member mentioned above top rated surgeon for beard hair transplant selection, so he know grafts survival factors. 

Well 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm needle size is good enough for graft survival. There should be no issue regarding graft survival in these sizes of needles. 

It would be a huge relief to know that this procedure can be done without any permanent recipient area complications. I can’t imagine anyone would want to have a long beard all the time and not be able to be clean shaven ever. Aside from light shadow when clean shaven, nobody should ever have to have cobblestones or any other nasty scarring. I was once told that there are only a dozen or so people that are great at doing beard transplants in the world as it’s highly skilled (like temple peak work) and there is no margin for error as it can’t be hidden later.

[kumardarshan]

9 minutes ago, AhmadChaudhry said:

Hi, if you know the size of the hair / graft then would be easier for your to select the size of the needle. Secondly the member mentioned above top rated surgeon for beard hair transplant selection, so he know grafts survival factors. 

Well 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm needle size is good enough for graft survival. There should be no issue regarding graft survival in these sizes of needles. 

My surgeon is listed at this forum as one of the elite surgeon. I got beard hair transplant from him. He used 1.2 and 1.4 mm size incision citing my scal hair grafts are thick and trimming the grafts too thin affects their survival in scar areas

[kumardarshan]

17 minutes ago, AhmadChaudhry said:

Hi, if you know the size of the hair / graft then would be easier for your to select the size of the needle. Secondly the member mentioned above top rated surgeon for beard hair transplant selection, so he know grafts survival factors. 

Well 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm needle size is good enough for graft survival. There should be no issue regarding graft survival in these sizes of needles. 

Do you think what  my surgeon said above was genuine concern?

[HairEnthusiast101]

I’ve actually asked this question a few times but never got a true answer. Probably because it is hard to answer that. I grow facial hair(although sparse) but I’m also prone to razor bumps etc. so  I kinda just assumed thickening it up/filling in a better goatee wasn’t worth the potential of scarring especially considering how sensitive my skin is. I do have a small scar on my jaw I’d like to cover up but that is right under the jaw so maybe I could get away with that and it wouldn’t be as obvious. You can use neck beard to face beard for grafts correct?

[HairEnthusiast101]

36 minutes ago, kumardarshan said:

Do you think what  my surgeon said above was genuine concern?

Dr Taleb is one of the best surgeons in the world. His advice is going to be more significant and correct then some random person on a site. I wouldn’t worry. Patience will heal any potential scarring you do have.

[Pbaird98]

Just now, JoDimaggio22 said:

Dr Taleb is one of the best surgeons in the world. His advice is going to be more significant and correct then some random person on a site. I wouldn’t worry. Patience will heal any potential scarring you do have.

This is true, I could be wrong but I think the above poster is actually a Dr (who’s posted as a Dr before) maybe @AhmadChaudhrycould confirm this? 

[HairEnthusiast101]

1 minute ago, Pbaird98 said:

This is true, I could be wrong but I think the above poster is actually a Dr (who’s posted as a Dr before) maybe @AhmadChaudhrycould confirm this? 

Well there can be different ways to go about it but now Kumardashan is fearful in his choice. Not every doctor will use the same mm punch size or technique. But discrediting Dr Taleb for the way he went about it would make no sense when he is a top 1% hair doc and is on the ground floor for research in hair regeneration/scar minimization. Not saying that poster doesn’t know what they are talking about but Dr Taleb is world class and there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

[Pbaird98]

1 minute ago, JoDimaggio22 said:

Well there can be different ways to go about it but now Kumardashan is fearful in his choice. Not every doctor will use the same mm punch size or technique. But discrediting Dr Taleb for the way he went about it would make no sense when he is a top 1% hair doc and is on the ground floor for research in hair regeneration/scar minimization. Not saying that poster doesn’t know what they are talking about but Dr Taleb is world class and there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

I’m agreeing with you, I just want the poster to reveal himself if he’s actually a Dr, @DrTBarghouthiis definitely elite and his advice is always very good, you’re absolutely correct in saying that Drs will use different punch sizes and will use different techniques. When I said this is true I was concurring with what you had written.

[HairEnthusiast101]

Just now, Pbaird98 said:

I’m agreeing with you, I just want the poster to reveal himself if he’s actually a Dr, @DrTBarghouthiis definitely elite and his advice is always very good, you’re absolutely correct in saying that Drs will use different punch sizes and will use different techniques. When I said this is true I was concurring with what you had written.

I know you were agreeing!!! I was just trying to instill confidence in Kumardashan for his decision. Dr Taleb is one of a kind so I’m certain results will be perfect and there will be zero scarring. The earlier poster may be a hair doctor as well and go about doing it another way. And I’m certain that poster is a very good hair/beard doctor as well but no one size fits all. So I just wanted Kumardashan to know that both doctors are going to go about it different ways but if they are both on this site then I’m certain they are world class and will have minimal if any scarring!

[Pbaird98]

4 minutes ago, JoDimaggio22 said:

I know you were agreeing!!! I was just trying to instill confidence in Kumardashan for his decision. Dr Taleb is one of a kind so I’m certain results will be perfect and there will be zero scarring. The earlier poster may be a hair doctor as well and go about doing it another way. And I’m certain that poster is a very good hair/beard doctor as well but no one size fits all. So I just wanted Kumardashan to know that both doctors are going to go about it different ways but if they are both on this site then I’m certain they are world class and will have minimal if any scarring!

👍🏿 I must go and check out @kumardarshan thread. 

[HairEnthusiast101]

Just now, Pbaird98 said:

👍🏿 I must go and check out @kumardarshan thread. 

Yes!!! It is a good thread. Very dense and clean work from @DrTBarghouthi as always!

[AhmadChaudhry]

Few years back i attended a ISHRS annual conference where doctors brought their patients so that other doctors of the world can examine /inspect results. There was a one patient where facial hair restoration procedure was performed. When i inspected closely, every transplanted hair one slight bum / tenting effect. I asked the doctor who brought the patient, there are bumps / tenting / elevation so what size micro blade / needle you used. He agreed that , yes bumps are there if someone observe closely but beard hair can cover it. 

I asked him what about if you would use 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm needle instead of micro blades for face? He said will try it. This was my personal observation. However, what other doctors of this Forum advise you will not go into detail. As every doctor has his own skills/ preferences / liking / disliking and logics.

I neither endorse not disagree with any opinion of this Forum doctor. I just shared my point of view and opinion. 

[AladdinSane]

Here’s a link to a Real Self post about this very topic. Yes it would be nice to get more clarity on this question.

Obviously barring any poor work done by a bad surgeon, I think we would like to know that in optimal cases that are performed well, that there is no skin damage or irregularities in these procedures inherent in all beard transplants.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Melvin- Moderator
Removed link