Visible Scar

[meshwork11]

Hey all. I needed some advice on a visible strip scar. I typically keep my hair longer so I never noticed it, but I decided to get a shorter hair cut. It was pointed out to me that I had a visible line of missing hair out of the back of my head. I didn't realize it was going to be this obvious. I have always had a quarter sized scar on the back right, which I a will be getting fixed in a couple weeks (doctor is going to remove skin). I just wanted this forums opinion on this procedure. I am very happy with the overall transplant but I am worried that I'll never be able to keep my hair short since there will be this noticeable scar.

 

Is there something more I can do? I'm about to start a career in the military so short hair is something I need to be comfortable having and I don't feel comfortable with this strip. Thanks.

 

 

 

Hair.pdf

Hair 2.pdf

Edited May 8, 2015 by frostyfreeway

[BadBeat]

Have you thought about getting FUE to minimize the scar? If you don't have the time for that before the military, you might be able to get SMP into the scar which should help a lot.

[TakingThePlunge]

Looks like you had some scar stretching. How long ago was your procedure and how long does your hair need to be to conceal the scar?

 

As mentioned above, you may be able to get FUE into the scar or a scar revision may help. It really depends on the tissue and you healing characteristics. Have you discussed this with your surgeon?

 

It's important to note that even with the finest scar, a military haircut is doing to expose it. SMP may be an option also. I'd start some consultations if I were you to determine your best options.

 

Good luck!

[ej]

I would go for fue into the scar and avoid any drs who offer a quick fix

things like `acell or magic hair grow quicky fix` , feel free to check out

my repair below

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/160800-scar-repair-1032-beard-hairs-dr-bisanga.html

 

best

 

ej

[BUSA]

this is why I try to steer ppl away from FUT. like all FUT surgeries they look great immediate after or even within a year but as time goes by the skin stretches and therefore the scar widens.

 

yes SMP and and FUE into the scar is ur only option. tough to really tell how stretched it is. I don't think a scar excision wud be appropriate but unless u shave ur head down and show some pics its impossible to say.

[JoeTillman]

this is why I try to steer ppl away from FUT. like all FUT surgeries they look great immediate after or even within a year but as time goes by the skin stretches and therefore the scar widens.

 

yes SMP and and FUE into the scar is ur only option. tough to really tell how stretched it is. I don't think a scar excision wud be appropriate but unless u shave ur head down and show some pics its impossible to say.

 

BUSA,

 

Scars do not tend to stretch with more time. They stretch in the first year, usually well before the year is up, and once they're set they're set so if a scar looks great at one year it will look great at five years. This is of course assuming averages for everything involved. Exceptions to every rule exist but such exceptions in this case would be very rare.

 

Your point is taken, and I agree for the most part but for different reasons.

[MAGNUMpi]

Frostyfreeway, Sorry about the scar. I hope you can get it sorted out. It's too bad that this kind of scarring is still happening. Hopefully one day there will be a perfect method that incorporates a great yield and no scar.

That this kind of scar is even a remote possibility should be of concern to anyone looking for a FUT procedure.

Again I hope you can get some good ideas for a fix and it all works out.

Cheers, M.

Edited May 12, 2015 by MAGNUMpi

[Yiddo]

Sadly this is the realities of fut...hope you can get it sorted

[1978matt]

Would like to know when the procedure was carried out as this looks more like shock loss in the donor area, especially from the side on shot. The bald area is a 'V' shape which is not necessarily consistent with stretching.

[MAGNUMpi]

Would like to know when the procedure was carried out as this looks more like shock loss in the donor area

That would be great. I hope it is.

[BUSA]

BUSA,

 

Scars do not tend to stretch with more time. They stretch in the first year, usually well before the year is up, and once they're set they're set so if a scar looks great at one year it will look great at five years. This is of course assuming averages for everything involved. Exceptions to every rule exist but such exceptions in this case would be very rare.

 

Your point is taken, and I agree for the most part but for different reasons.

ALL scars stretch Joe. all of them! some worse then others obviously.

 

rare? well, ppl come up on this forum monthly complaining about their FUT scar and ask for advice on how to repair it and which FUE doctor to chose to fix it so its not quite as are as you say.

 

where the donor tissue is extracted also plays a role on the stretching. some lucky strip hair transplant patients will have only a slight paper thin scar while others will develop thick, protruding scars 1/2 an inch in width or more.

 

its almost impossible to determine how individual patients will heal, and whether their scars will stretch over time but overwhelming evidence shows that MANY ppl who hav FUT will end of with ugly tell-tale scars and will never be able to cut their hair short.

 

friend of mine had FUT from a pretty good doctor (tried steering him clear of FUT but he knew everything so I said have at it) and after the first year the scar was fine. the following year the scar stretched pretty bad and the year after that it stretched so bad he had to have a revision. but, he did have a family history of healing poorly scars so not exactly apples to apples. I tried warning him....

 

that may be rare and probably after 4-5 months if the scar has not stretched considerable it probably won't stretch much further but it can and does happen.

 

and there have been plenty of ppl post here years later looking for help on how to repair their FUT scar. over time scars will flatten but I have a scar on my chest from being stabbed and it looked great for the first couple years and years later it stretched at least another 1/2 inch. 1/2 inch may not sound like much but on the back of ur head its a whole bunch!

 

granted, the scalp heals differently then the body but nonetheless it continued to stretch over the years.

 

my buddy ended up going with a decent US FUE doctor to fill in the scar after it healed. it looks OK now. nothn special tho. a trained eye will spot it but most ppl wud probably never even notice.

 

he says he shud hav listened to me. and the doctor told him he wud suture him up really tight and to have no worries about the scar. well, so much for that.....

 

the only sure way to avoid having a linear strip scar that is noticable is to elect not to have strip surgery.

[Squatch]

ALL scars stretch Joe. all of them! some worse then others obviously.

 

rare? well, ppl come up on this forum monthly complaining about their FUT scar and ask for advice on how to repair it and which FUE doctor to chose to fix it so its not quite as are as you say.

 

where the donor tissue is extracted also plays a role on the stretching. some lucky strip hair transplant patients will have only a slight paper thin scar while others will develop thick, protruding scars 1/2 an inch in width or more.

 

its almost impossible to determine how individual patients will heal, and whether their scars will stretch over time but overwhelming evidence shows that MANY ppl who hav FUT will end of with ugly tell-tale scars and will never be able to cut their hair short.

 

friend of mine had FUT from a pretty good doctor (tried steering him clear of FUT but he knew everything so I said have at it) and after the first year the scar was fine. the following year the scar stretched pretty bad and the year after that it stretched so bad he had to have a revision. but, he did have a family history of healing poorly scars so not exactly apples to apples. I tried warning him....

 

that may be rare and probably after 4-5 months if the scar has not stretched considerable it probably won't stretch much further but it can and does happen.

 

and there have been plenty of ppl post here years later looking for help on how to repair their FUT scar. over time scars will flatten but I have a scar on my chest from being stabbed and it looked great for the first couple years and years later it stretched at least another 1/2 inch. 1/2 inch may not sound like much but on the back of ur head its a whole bunch!

 

granted, the scalp heals differently then the body but nonetheless it continued to stretch over the years.

 

my buddy ended up going with a decent US FUE doctor to fill in the scar after it healed. it looks OK now. nothn special tho. a trained eye will spot it but most ppl wud probably never even notice.

 

he says he shud hav listened to me. and the doctor told him he wud suture him up really tight and to have no worries about the scar. well, so much for that.....

 

the only sure way to avoid having a linear strip scar that is noticable is to elect not to have strip surgery.

 

Feel free to post a thread where the scar looked good at a year and stretched years later. I know you always ask for proof. Would be interested to see pictures.

[JoeTillman]

ALL scars stretch Joe. all of them! some worse then others obviously.

 

rare? well, ppl come up on this forum monthly complaining about their FUT scar and ask for advice on how to repair it and which FUE doctor to chose to fix it so its not quite as are as you say.

 

where the donor tissue is extracted also plays a role on the stretching. some lucky strip hair transplant patients will have only a slight paper thin scar while others will develop thick, protruding scars 1/2 an inch in width or more.

 

its almost impossible to determine how individual patients will heal, and whether their scars will stretch over time but overwhelming evidence shows that MANY ppl who hav FUT will end of with ugly tell-tale scars and will never be able to cut their hair short.

 

friend of mine had FUT from a pretty good doctor (tried steering him clear of FUT but he knew everything so I said have at it) and after the first year the scar was fine. the following year the scar stretched pretty bad and the year after that it stretched so bad he had to have a revision. but, he did have a family history of healing poorly scars so not exactly apples to apples. I tried warning him....

 

that may be rare and probably after 4-5 months if the scar has not stretched considerable it probably won't stretch much further but it can and does happen.

 

and there have been plenty of ppl post here years later looking for help on how to repair their FUT scar. over time scars will flatten but I have a scar on my chest from being stabbed and it looked great for the first couple years and years later it stretched at least another 1/2 inch. 1/2 inch may not sound like much but on the back of ur head its a whole bunch!

 

granted, the scalp heals differently then the body but nonetheless it continued to stretch over the years.

 

my buddy ended up going with a decent US FUE doctor to fill in the scar after it healed. it looks OK now. nothn special tho. a trained eye will spot it but most ppl wud probably never even notice.

 

he says he shud hav listened to me. and the doctor told him he wud suture him up really tight and to have no worries about the scar. well, so much for that.....

 

the only sure way to avoid having a linear strip scar that is noticable is to elect not to have strip surgery.

 

BUSA,

 

I hear you but you're wrong. One factor to consider, not all of the scars that come here on a monthly basis are wide stretched scars. A good portion of them are very good scars, excellent even, but the patient simply wants them improved so they can have shorter hair cuts. Some are wide and need to be fixed but they weren't great 12 months after surgery only to widen three years or five years later. Just because your chest stab wound scar (wtf?) stretched doesn't mean that every strip scar stretches. There is no logic to associate with that and that's not how the body works. Can it happen? Yes, but that means something unsual is influencing the issue.

 

Yes, the only way to avoid a wide strip scar is to not have a strip in the first place, that goes without saying, but the information that goes along with that needs to be reliable and accurate. Trust me on this; I have no reason to say otherwise and I'm walking proof. I can still have #3 buzz cuts with 10,000 strip grafts and my last surgery was 5 years ago.