Bad shock loss :( 33 days post op

[Scorpian]

This is by far the worst shock loss I've encountered. I had surgery before and a lot of my previous transplants fell with this latest procedure. I'm 33 days post op. There was also a large scab that developed 3-4 days post op (it even looked like a huge infection that my doctor told me to put antibiotic creme on). Now the area behind the left side of my hairline (right side on pictures) where that "scab" was is void of hair altogether in some spots. Any input would be appreciated. I feel horrible.

 

BEFORE SURGERY:

 

POST OP:

 

POST OP DAY 21:

 

POST OP DAY 30:

 

POST OP DAY 33:

[wantego]

I can see what you are referring to. I understand your concerns. At 33 days though most the hairs will fall out so I'm hoping that those hairs will grow back in future months. They may have just entered the 2-3 month dormant stage. Keep us informed. I wish you the best of luck!

[Ron J]

Although it really sucks & your experiencing it to an extreme degree, temporary shock loss and shedding of the new grafts is perfectly normal; so we can't really assume or conclude anything has gone awry in your case yet.

 

I'm confused though, in another thread you used two separate SN's (in the SAME thread) and also talked about a sunburn post op. Was this sunburn and the consequent damage after your first or second procedure? If after first, is this why you got a second? Why are you using two different screen names on the same site and even w/in the same thread?

 

Best of luck.

[kaounis]

Shock loss can be so unpredicatable, I don't think it will be permanant, you have to watch your health, physically and emotionally...Stress will only make things worse!Your a young guy, you will pull through this with flying colours....Just imagine what you will look like in 12 months....Best of lock buddy...

 

Just a thought from the peanut gallery...

[Eman]

Everyone here is spot on. You will look worse than you did prior to surgery unfortunately. It's not a very fun stage, but it will all return and you should look as you did pre-op at around two months or so with some shockloss remainging for a while longer.

 

I was in the same boat at your stage and asking myself, "what did I do???". But now things are definitely all the better! Be patient.

[jonrctim]

I feel for you man. I'm 2 months 9 days post -op and still recovering from the shockloss i had in the recipient and donor area.

 

The hair in the recipient area that i had from both my first HT and natural hair are starting to recover well but i've still got a long way to go in the donor area. The guys on this forum and Dr Feller have both pretty much said the same thing, it can take 3-4 months for shockloss to come back.

 

I had a few members tell me their shockloss took 6 - 8 months to recover so its a waiting game at the moment mate. Good luck.

[Scorpian]

Thanks for the support and input guys. It really helps. I just hate staring at my bare scalp. The last time I stared at a relatively bare scalp was prior to my first HT procedure. I now truly realize what a difference hair has made for me ever since I got a transplant. I look at least 5 years older without all the hair in this shock loss period. I'll keep you guys posted in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I guess I have to stop looking in the mirror .

[SpaceBetween]

Scorpian, are you using any concealers?

 

Looks like you could benefit from the use of nanogen/toppik or maybe even some dermmatch.

I know when I get mine I'll have to go that route

[Scorpian]

I think part of the problem with me is that my natural hair is coarse and dense.. so when this bald scalp appears right in front of dense hair, it looks very strange. I might just use a leave in conditioner or something else along those lines for the rest of my hair to make it look more "slicked back" until the hair grows. Concelears would be a bit difficult to use with that much thinning. I used a little bit today, and it did help slightly, but I'm thinking the slicked back look might be better. I just remembered that that's what I did after my first surgery and it worked pretty well. Once the hair started growing, it just looked like I was no longer using gel on my hair and instead let it stay dry.

[jonrctim]

Have you considered using minox?? May help the shockloss.

[3v_2008]

Scorpion,

I had shock loss in front too after having 3200 grafts placed in the front. It started about 3-4 weeks after surgery. I looked totally bald, more than what I was before the surgery. But it grew back gradually. It took about 4-6 months for it to grow back..so don't worry. Eventhough shock loss in the recipient area does not happen to everyone, it does happen. Use MSM to hasten growth.

[Dr. Ricardo Mejia]

Scorpion:

 

The hair should return and you should be on your way to more hair growth. There are several reasons for shock loss and the risk of transection of hairs with megasessions. I have detailed information on the threads below. The good news is it is not likely to be permanent for the reasons below.

 

 

 

Transection risk with Megasessions

 

 

 

Understanding Shock loss

[Scorpian]

Thanks Dr. Mejia. I guess what concerns me is that I did have my hair shaved prior to the transplant and I did use Rogaine/Propecia. So I took the precautions necessary to minimize shock loss. Even still, I had major shock. I'm almost 2 months post op now, and while things have improved a little, it's still no where near how it was pre-transplant. I'm hoping in the coming weeks, there will be regrowth of the shocked hairs with the newly transplanted hairs.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Scorpian,

 

Shock loss, especially to the degree you have it can be so discouraging since patients spend thousands of dollars to restore their hair only to look worse for several months. After my first two procedures, I had pretty bad shock loss too and was very discouraged. Thankfully, all of the hair did return plus the newly transplanted hair.

 

I know it's discouraging looking in the mirror at this early stage. But trust the process and know that your hair will return along with the transplanted hair. In the meantime, let us and your doctor be your support system and help you through.

 

Several months from now, you'll be able to look back at this time with a great sigh of relief.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[alwayswaiting1]

Shockloss is just a part of the process. I had very bad shockloss on both donor and recipient sites. I was later told the donor shockloss was a result of the resorbable sutures that were used. They are not normally used but my work schedule did not leave time for normal sutures to be removed. The pics are in my blog. The shockloss gradually went away. It was however blatantly obvious that I had something done.

I'm going under the knife for round two in less than a month. I'm very excited...but the one thing I am dreading is the damn shockloss. Unfortunately it's part of the process.

 

Good luck healing and growing.

[Scorpian]

Thanks Always. Yes, it definitely made things obvious, which I never had to deal with before. All of a sudden I went from an improvement of my hair post-op to near complete baldness in the recipient area just a few weeks later (worse than pre-op). Obviously, people at work noticed. I'm being patient and know that it will all most likely come back in a few weeks.

[spin266]

scorpian,i feel your pain.i had my 2nd procedure march21 a year after my 1st procedure both strip about 1700 each procedure all to the frontal area.icould not believe that after about a week i started to notice my previously transplanted hair fall out.i looked worse than i didbefore the 2nd procedure.iwas pissed.now im just about 3mos.post op and low and behold my shocked hair is returning and my new hair is begining to sprout.im starting to get comments like wow you didnt even need that 2nd procedure.that makes it all worth it.i cant wait for this 2nd procedure to mature. im sure you will have the rsults that you want and deserve,

[Scorpian]

Spin thanks for the encouragement.. I just had a bad experience today lol... One of my co-workers actually asked me what happened to my hair and why I was losing it...Because no one really knew I ever had anything done before.. He probably thought I had cancer or something and was on treatment.. and I just told him that I had an allergic reaction to the sun but the doctor said everything should be fine.. I'm 2 months post op tomorrow, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping time flies by and regrowth starts to kick in.

[jetfan11]

I think part of the problem with me is that my natural hair is coarse and dense.. so when this bald scalp appears right in front of dense hair, it looks very strange. I might just use a leave in conditioner or something else along those lines for the rest of my hair to make it look more "slicked back" until the hair grows. Concelears would be a bit difficult to use with that much thinning. I used a little bit today, and it did help slightly, but I'm thinking the slicked back look might be better. I just remembered that that's what I did after my first surgery and it worked pretty well. Once the hair started growing, it just looked like I was no longer using gel on my hair and instead let it stay dry.

 

Scorpian,

 

I am experiencing terrible shock loss 3.5 months out. Really having a hard time. Did your shock loss recover? If so how long? Would be great to hear from you as I am having a rough time!

[jetfan11]

Spin thanks for the encouragement.. I just had a bad experience today lol... One of my co-workers actually asked me what happened to my hair and why I was losing it...Because no one really knew I ever had anything done before.. He probably thought I had cancer or something and was on treatment.. and I just told him that I had an allergic reaction to the sun but the doctor said everything should be fine.. I'm 2 months post op tomorrow, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping time flies by and regrowth starts to kick in.

 

Scorp,

 

Did your shock loss recover? I'd ove to know as I am 4.5 months out from terrible shock loss.