Scar Revision???!!!

[BMW1990]

Hey guys,

 

I'm calling your knowledge and experiences on this one. I am supposed to get a scar revision but I'm not really sure what exactly is involved. The one side of my donor stretched a little bit and my Doc said we could revised the scar. My questions are, how long will I have to wait to wear my hair shorter, what's the heal time, what if it happens again, do I have stop lifting, will it be noticeable. Thanks guys look forward to your help.

[gillenator]

The short answer is scar revisions can be complex. There are a lot of factors to consider including as to why the scar ended up wider than expected. So it's critical to answer why the scar ended up too wide.

 

Weightlifting post-op too soon is one sure way to end up with a wider scar. Not implying this happened to you however I do see this happening with some guys who can't wait to get back into the gym to hit the weights...:confused:

 

Sometimes the strip is harvested wider on one side of the specimen and at varying widths. The degree of laxity can vary throughout the occipital zone where most strips are excised. Sometimes this is why one end of the scar comes out thin and the other end comes out wider.

 

The type of closure and the skills of the surgeon have a huge impact on strip scars with FUHT. If the closure was more on the superficial side, then I would say there is some potential for revision "providing" there is enough accommodating scalp laxity" to make a thinner scar possible, and also providing that you have no physiological issues with healing adequately. If there is not enough laxity, there is risk that the secondary scar could come out even wider.

 

Some docs will want to use staples to keep the closure as tight as possible and some may even employ a double-closure technique, or even a try-closure to get hair growing through the scar. That's something to discuss with your repair surgeon.

 

Some docs may inform you that a revision is not possible for varying reasons because sometimes the revision itself can makes things worse, not better. This is especially true if the scar is raised or inflamed, red, etc. I am not saying that is the case for you especially not knowing your case but only approximately 50% of scar revisions have a successful outcome across the board.

 

Now, if a revision is not possible, then there is always the chance of having FUE grafts implanted in the scar itself. Some guys are using more coarse donor such as beard grafts. Generally speaking, hair does not grow through scar tissue as readily as normal scalp tissue. So it can take several passes to get the density correct and also the angulation of the grafts within the scar is critical.

 

My advice is to get multiple opinions for a repair plan however the one thing that is the biggest obstacle is that the doctors have to test your laxity in person.

 

Lastly, my recommendation is that you keep the length is the area long enough to hide the appearance of the scar until it completely heals. Post-op? Absolutely NO WEIGHTLIFTING, no sit-ups, no activity that can put any strain or tension in the scalp, neck, etc. or you will have a nightmare result...:eek:

 

And we don't get multiple chances at scar revisions, it either works or it does not.

 

Hope everything works out for you and that you have a successful outcome...

[BMW1990]

Thank you so much for that well informed answered. To me, it's not really a make or break cause I don't really ever keep my hair that short anyways but would like the option available if I wanted. I'm just thankful that I ended up with such great transplant.

[MrGio-WHTCClinic]

Your goal is to wear it shorter in the back.

 

A scar revision is a second strip procedure to create a finer linear scar. This can oftentimes, once again, involve a strip scar that will eventually have 'stretch-back'.

 

Can you post a current photo or divulge the measurements of your current strip scar? You may want to consult with physicians who offer additional scar repair options.