post procedure cover up strategies

[NYC1180]

What all have been done successfully to hide the transplant while in the ugly duckling phase or even immediately post op?

 

I know you aren't supposed to wear anything tight fitting but for how long? When can you start wearing a hat?

[pkipling]

You can start wearing a hat right after surgery as long as you make sure it's loose and doesn't come into contact with the grafts. As long you put it on very carefully and strategically, you'll be fine. Many doctors will even supply you with a hat after your procedure since you'll need to avoid any sun exposure after surgery, and can demonstrate for you in the office how to safely put it on and take it off.

 

I continued to wear a hat for the first 6 weeks or so after the surgery. I found a nice, professional looking hat to wear to work and had it approved through my boss due to a "medical condition". Once I hit the 6 week mark, I was pretty much in the clear as far as "ugly duckling" phase was concerned and ditched the hat.

[Pete-from-Farjo]

After a couple of weeks when the grafts are safely bedded in and the scabs fallen off, you can just throw on a beanie hat and you're good to go for most situations without anyone giving you a second glance. If you get your transplant done in late autumn/winter chances are half the people around you will be looking the same.

 

Of course work wise this may not be an option for everyone but at least socially you won't look out of place.

[mav23100gunther]

I told my boss I was involved in an accident and had lalterations on the head requiring stitches (mostly truth) - therefore needed to wear a cap for a couple of weeks to hide the mess. Of course I had a lot of co-workers concerned if I was okay and whether I got tested for concussion and would just drop dead ect ect - to which my boss responded - oh don't worry about his head, he will be fine because there is nothing in there anyway.

[Motoro]

How much hair are you having transplanted, where is it being transplanted, what transplant method is being used and how long will your hair be at the time of the procedure?

 

Finally, who is your audience? Who are you trying to fool? Your family or co-workers/acquaintances?

 

Cover up strategies should be based on the answers to the above questions.

[NYC1180]

Ha, the beanie idea is not a bad one. I could move it back a few months for the fall since I commonly wear a beanie anyway.

 

I'm a norwood 3 and will be lowering my hairline. The surgeon shaves the recipient area so it would be shaved. My audience would be clients at work.

[Motoro]

What I'd suggest--which is what I have done after each of my three small FUE sessions--is to grow my hair out and just style it forward when I need to meet with people and can't wear a hat. The long hair is also able to cover up the shaved donor area in back.

 

Again, this is for small sessions. It's not a perfect solution, but it gets the job done. As far as I know, nobody has detected that I've had anything done while in the ugly duckling phase. After three weeks, get a real haircut to even things out. And after six weeks, you'll be golden.

[SySperling10]

Wear it short. Who cares? Seriously, call it a refresher, then when it grows back people will notice it less.

 

From my experience, it was a day or two of questions at work, then no more. In my personal life, I avoided social situations for the first two weeks, then wore a hat for a few weeks there after, it grows back in due time, kind of. In hindsight, you notice is more than anyone else, people aren't keeping tabs on your hair growth, unless the change is big. No one knew outside of my wife and I have not been questioned yet, and I had 3500 FUs.

[JohnCasper]

Just remember, if you wear the hat don't get too comfortable and just pull it off like you typically do. Consciously remove it carefully so you don't slide it roughly over the grafts. When I was playing golf just after my surgery, I got comfortable and just yanked off my hat like I would normally do. I didn't damage any grafts but I could have had it been a few days earlier, post surgery.