Shaved head with strip scar

[Mikey1970]

Probably the biggest argument for FUE is that the patient won't end up with a strip scar so that if they want to wear their hair short, the scarring will not be seen.

 

If the hair loss battle is eventually lost, Id like to play devils advocate & suggest that as long as the strip scar has been done well and is 1m or 2m wide, should it really matter if the person shaves down?

 

A neat strip scar could easily be explained as the result of a fight, car accident or whatever. I think I have seen a few guys with strip scar's shaved down & they don't look too bad.

 

Any thoughts?

[ScienceHair]

Hey Mikey,

 

I have a strip scar and as of last June, I have resorted to shaving my head down to a 1.5 guard and my scar is barely visible. I did get carried away a couple months ago and went too tight and it was really noticeable.

 

I was kinda self conscious for a few days until my hair filled in enough to blend in with it. You can tell the scar is not from an accident, it's too straight. One of my coworkers saw it and said it looked like someone had done experimental surgery on me. I don't push the envelope on trying to get it too short anymore.

[pkipling]

I agree that even if the scar heals almost perfectly, they're too linear and precise to think it's from an accident or a battle wound. But as ScienceHair pointed out, it is possible to still go pretty short without the strip scar being noticeable at all. I just wouldn't count on it being passed off as a scar from something else.

 

I will say though that while a huge component of how good a scar is depends on the skill of the surgeon, an often overlooked factor is just how each person's individual body heals. Some people simply heal better/worse than others, and that's something to take into consideration.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Mikey,

 

Personally, I am under the belief that if the ultimate goal is to shave your head then you might as will not even undergo hair transplant surgery to begin with. Therefore, I was never really concerned about a linear scar that is frankly, quite minimal in most cases. A lot of people can wear their hair cropped extremely short on the sides and back of their head even with the strips car and it will be virtually undetectable. But for those who want to shave their head entirely, they may want to consider scalp micropigmentation or nothing instead.

 

That of course is just my opinion.

 

Bill

[Dr Blake Bloxham]

Couldn't have explained it better myself, Bill!

 

I actually tell patients the exact same thing about the head shaving. In fact, I actually usually recommend that those who are considering this at any point in the future try a "shaving trial" now. I recommend that they try a "buzz cut" and see how they like it. If it suits them, then they're set; if not, then it's time to consider further options.

 

But I've unfortunately seen many disappointed patients in person who were told their surgery would be "scar less" or they could "shave it off later;" it was only when they actually did this that they discovered it wasn't the case.

 

Unfortunately anything that we do to remove grafts from the back leaves scars. They can be excellent and very hard to detect, but it is a reality that shouldn't be understated.

 

And as a reference for you Mikey, I usually tell my patients the following: 95% of people are what I consider "normal healers." These patients should be able to buzz down to a 3 guard with an FUT and a 2 guard with FUE and still camouflage the scarring. Obviously there are exceptions to the rules both ways, but I think this sets realistic expectations.