*PHOTOS* How an HT should look post-op - Dr Blake Bloxham, Great Neck, NY

[bunsenburner]

Dr. Bloxham:

 

Thank you for updating. I still hope to experience a similar lack of redness and inflammation post-operatively when I have my surgery. Though I have very different skin quality. And I presume this matters? In addition, can a NW VII pattern like this be predicted? Any signs or symptoms that could imply a NW VII pattern will occur in the future?

[Dr Blake Bloxham]

Hi Bunsen,

 

Skin characteristics, particularly skin tone, absolutely play a role -- in my opinion -- in post-operative redness. While there are other important factors, individuals with tan skin tones tend to experience very little lingering redness. While those with lighter skin tones can have that "lingering pinkness" for a while after the procedure. I also think things like properly washing and proper graft cutting (to avoid a foreign body irritation/inflammation reaction) play a big role as well.

 

Androgenic alopecia is very unpredictable. However, the NW VII pattern is a relatively rare one, and it's one that usually provides doctors with some "hints" early on. Only around 3% of patients will ever progress to a true NW VII pattern, and those who do usually show some signs of it by age 30. These signs include: a thinning of hair in the temple regions in front of the ears; a change in texture to a "curlier," "wispier" character in the hairs in the temple regions in front of the ears; an aggressive dropping of the "sides" either in the actual parietal scalp or the occipital (back) of the scalp; and an aggressive retrograde thinning in the back portions of the scalp below the traditional donor area.

 

And in my experience, most of the NW VII patients I have examined early on do have some of these signs/symptoms. But do keep in mind that it is a pretty rare pattern.

[azdz]

Good information. Glad to know there are some signs if youre going to be a high NW. I worry about this too because I have some guys in my extended family with high patterns. I think they are NV 6 and not 7s though. Another question, the inflamation from a transplant is different than regular inflamation in the body right? Can one affect the other or make it worse?

[bunsenburner]

Dr. Bloxham:

 

Thank you. This seems reasonable.

 

AZDZ: I presume chronic inflammation and post-operative inflammation are different. Whether acute post-operative inflammation could affect or be affected by chronic inflammation is a good question. Dr. Bloxham will answer. However, I am not convinced chronic inflammation would play a significant part in hair loss. Is this what you are hypothesizing?

[Dr Blake Bloxham]

Hi AZ,

 

Bunsen's response above really hits on a lot of what I was going to say. Nicely stated! And I think I answered a little bit of your question in the recent result thread we put up. But let me see if I can answer a bit further here:

 

Yes, inflammation that some believe is related to the end stages of androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) and the type of inflammation that causes some of the redness and swelling after a transplant are different for all intents and purposes here. I don't really think a little bit of swelling after the surgery is going to change the overall level of ongoing inflammation in your body or your scalp. So if you are concerned about ongoing inflammation causing hair loss, a transplant will not contribute to this and make it worse.

 

Inflammation and how it relates to hair loss is a very interesting topic. I see more posts about this recently. Maybe I'll write something up about the theory and my thoughts. Hope this answered your question in the meantime!