FUE and shedding

[ace83]

Hi all,

I had a FUE transplant 5 weeks ago in the frontal hairline which had some hair already. The procedure was just to make it more dense.

in regards to shedding I think I’ve shed about 40-50% of the grafts now. 

What happens if the rest don’t shed now and grow? Like a hair that is stuck in the scalp?

Would this stop the grafts from growing and being able to get through the scalp due to the hair that’s in the scalp not shedding?

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by ace83

[JohnCasper]

Typically, the transplanted hairs fall out relatively soon after the surgery....for most patients.  Have you seen any growth in the hairs that have not “shed”?  Post a picture if you can.  I’m sure others will respond who may have experienced something similar.

[LaserCap]

After a transplant, regardless of technique, the clinical staff will go over post op instructions.  Unfortunately, half of the time, (if not all of the time), the patient is typically still under the effects of the local and will forget half of the stuff.  This is why typed up instructions are given before the patient leaves. These include how to take care of things for the first few days.

Most want you to be quite gentle with the grafts so that nothing is dislodged.  7 days after, however, most ask that the patient get under the shower, let everything soak and scrub away.  Not doing so and just leaving the crusts, along with the small stubble that came with the graft, can lead to infection.  Sometimes these crusts can be persistent and difficult to remove.  I think that most patients are quite gingerly with their grafts because they are under the belief that they will damage everything by scrubbing away.  A doctor once told me that it is difficult to damage anything after 3 days, but because most clinics are very conservative, they will tell the patient 7 days.  So, scrub.  Just waiting for the crusts to fall off by themselves is not the way to go. Please get in the shower and scrub the stuff away!

Sometimes the hair that came with the follicular unit will grow from day one.  This just means that you are ahead of everyone else by 3-4 months.  It means nothing.  Eventually this hair will shed and a new one will grow in its place.  

[ace83]

That is how it looks. You can see a few small grafts that have not shed. Are they too deep and that’s why they did not shed? Will the new hair be able to grow past them if they don’t shed them?

[JohnCasper]

I agree with “LaserCap”.  Those hairs will eventually shed or be replaced eventually with the growth of a new hair.  Hang in there and be patient.  Update us with pictures around the 3-4 month point.  You have plenty to look forward to.