Safe to touch recepient 3 weeks post op?

bennyt89 · February 27, 2018

I'm at a point where all scabs are off and it's just the transplanted hair left. I've been very gently massaging my recepient and scalp with coconut oil due to dryness, and noticed all the little hairs on my fingers and it's noticeably more bare than it was before.

So I'm assuming this is part of the normal shed. But it's ok for me to be making contact with the recepient at this stage right? No risk of impacting any potential growth at all?

mattj · February 27, 2018

Grafts will be fully secure by now. You're safe to do what you're doing and you're right that the hairs are shedding as to be expected. You can't do a lot to harm the grafts at this stage. Avoiding sun exposure is the main thing now.

bennyt89 · February 27, 2018

Grafts will be fully secure by now. You're safe to do what you're doing and you're right that the hairs are shedding as to be expected. You can't do a lot to harm the grafts at this stage. Avoiding sun exposure is the main thing now.

Thanks Matt. On the topic of sun exposure, ironically today I was at my doctor getting a top up prescription of Fin, I was waiting to be picked up out the front and didn't realise I was standing under the direct sun, it would've been an an absolute maximum 10 minutes but probably less. No sunburn obviously and it was only 10 in the morning. Would that be an issue?

My hair was combed forward so covering the recepient as well. I know Gillenator knows quite a bit about this.

mattj · February 27, 2018

I see you're in Australia and it's summer there. Is the sun very strong at 10am?

Basically the skin tends to be extra sensitive after a transplant and more susceptible to burning and burning can potentially harm grafts. If you don't feel that you have burnt at all then no need to worry.

Are you wearing a hat outdoors normally?

gillenator · February 27, 2018

I'm at a point where all scabs are off and it's just the transplanted hair left. I've been very gently massaging my recepient and scalp with coconut oil due to dryness, and noticed all the little hairs on my fingers and it's noticeably more bare than it was before.

So I'm assuming this is part of the normal shed. But it's ok for me to be making contact with the recepient at this stage right? No risk of impacting any potential growth at all?

You're absolutely fine, no harm done at all...:cool:

bennyt89 · February 28, 2018

You're absolutely fine, no harm done at all...:cool:

Thanks, did you see my other post above about the sun exposure? Keen to get your

thoughts on that too.

bennyt89 · February 28, 2018

I see you're in Australia and it's summer there. Is the sun very strong at 10am?
Basically the skin tends to be extra sensitive after a transplant and more susceptible to burning and burning can potentially harm grafts. If you don't feel that you have burnt at all then no need to worry.

Are you wearing a hat outdoors normally?

I 100% didn't burn, so that's reassuring.

mattj · March 1, 2018

Like all of the list of post-op 'don'ts', preventing your recipient area from being exposed to the sun is important, but small mistakes normally won't make any difference.

gillenator · March 2, 2018

Thanks, did you see my other post above about the sun exposure? Keen to get your
thoughts on that too.

benny,

I don't think you did any damage to your grafts for the brief amount of time you were sitting in the sun, and as you said, you did not burn, it was in the morning, etc.

You just want to be sure to keep your head covered if you are ever in the sun again and never hurts to use sunblock as well.

bennyt89 · March 4, 2018

benny,

I don't think you did any damage to your grafts for the brief amount of time you were sitting in the sun, and as you said, you did not burn, it was in the morning, etc.

You just want to be sure to keep your head covered if you are ever in the sun again and never hurts to use sunblock as well.

Would a bandana be sufficient cover from the sun? I had a full head bandana provided by the clinic, a black one. It just occurred to me randomly that I spent about 10 or 15 minutes under the sun in Singapore (which is quite hot) while I was trying to flag a taxi to the airport.

This was Day 3 after the surgery. The bandana was on the whole time, but any chance sun could make its way in?

mattj · March 4, 2018

Oh, you were wearing a bandana... Definitely no problem then. Part of the point of the bandana will be to cover you from the sun.

gillenator · March 6, 2018

I was also under the impression that you had nothing covering your scalp so a good thing you were.

IMHO, a cap is better protection than a bandana although your scalp will breathe better using a cloth cover.

It really depends how long you are spending in sun exposure and how intense the rays are...that's where a cap does a better job.

mattj · March 7, 2018

I was also under the impression that you had nothing covering your scalp so a good thing you were.

IMHO, a cap is better protection than a bandana although your scalp will breathe better using a cloth cover.

It really depends how long you are spending in sun exposure and how intense the rays are...that's where a cap does a better job.

Do you think the cap is better due to the possibility of the sun's rays penetrating the fabric of a bandana?

wheretogo · March 8, 2018

what about sun hats with like UPF50?, made of nylon is better?

gillenator · March 9, 2018

Do you think the cap is better due to the possibility of the sun's rays penetrating the fabric of a bandana?

Yes, that is my concern and it would depend on how thick or dense the bandana fabric would be.

mattj · March 12, 2018

Yes, that is my concern and it would depend on how thick or dense the bandana fabric would be.

I can recall the bandana I was given being made of quite thick fabric. My surgery was in winter, but as surgery is year-round, the bandanas have to be substantial enough for patients to be outdoors literally on the day of surgery.

gillenator · March 13, 2018

Good point...I agree...

hitherehair · March 13, 2018

The only way you can harm the grafts at this point is if you get a sunburned scalp. At this point just keep it clean and let your body do the rest.

wheretogo · March 14, 2018

guys, which hat do you think is better, i'm sorry if it's not allowed to put links, just need your advice.

https://www.sundayafternoons.com/p/solar-bucket/

https://www.sundayafternoons.com/p/trailhead-boonie/

the problem with the Solar bucket is that the mesh ventilation on this hat is not UPF 50 rated.

the Trailhead Boonie, i don't know if it is big enough so the scalp won't be too much pressed to the hat.

thank you so much

mattj · March 14, 2018

I would go with the 'Trailhead Boonie' as there's no doubt regarding the SPF protection - plus I think it looks better. It looks like there would be enough space that there wouldn't be pressure on the grafted area.

I don't know how important the ventilation is in your climate.

wheretogo · March 14, 2018

Thanks mattj, that was my thought too. there is sun most of the year, but i will try to minimize my stay in the sun. it's not like i'm gonna be traveling in the wild

day 29 today so i guessing that pressure on the grafts is not a big issue now, but i'm still don't want harm that area in any way.

Safe to touch recepient 3 weeks post op?

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