Picked at some dried up scabs 3 weeks post OP, have I damaged my grafts or am I safe?

[George12]

After two weeks as per my surgeon I started the process of removing my scabs by washing and massaging my scalp, seemed like all the scabs came out, but around the 21 day mark there was some dry flaky skin on my scalp, I would massage with olive oil and try take them off, on some I would have to gently use my nail to life the scab and then gently massage and pull off, it wasn’t very hard to pull of the scab/flaky skin, but I noticed some hairs stuck in those scabs/flakes, there wasn’t any rough pulling or pain or struggle, nor was there any sign of bleeding, but I’ve read a lot of posts saying don’t pick at your scabs with “nails” and so on, as this can dislodge the graft. Should I be concerned about the scabs I pulled off that had some hairs in them when pulled off or would this refer to the normal hair shedding process.  

(I’ve attached photos of my scalp after the a scabs have came off, and pics of the scabs I pulled off)

[sl]

You shouldn't really be having scabs at 3 weeks if you wash well, so you've been probably overly cautious as is often the case for first time surgery patients and the fact you have seemingly kept a lot of the transplanted hair still can indicate that. Scabs come off with hair and you would not have lost the graft that is under the skin okay.  Obviously your own clinic need to guide you but patients I book start to massage at day 8 the recipient when wet and washing and massaging in circular motion to break down the scabs that will feel like salt under the fingertips as it dissolves,  and this breaks down the scabs that are usually gone by day 10 and they can apply moisturiser to the scalp if dry also. Wash well to speed up healing and apply a good moisturiser.  Take care and heal well.

[George12]

You are very accurate on the fact that I was very cautious during washing stages and scab removing stages,  I did give myself a little more of a harder hair massage and had some flakes coming off, and some more hair shedding, so with it being 3 weeks, did I hurt my cause of not removing all the scabs in time ? 

[sl]

No, you will be fine! Take it easy and relax and If you were my patient I would say wash well now and massage well. Of course see your clinic for the regime they want but if you were a patient I had booked then I would say that. I've been in the industry a long time so it doesn't take me long to see a photo and read the situation. Take care and heal well.

[George12]

Thank you very much for your help sir means a lot.  I would like to ask you another question if you could help me answer that. 

 I’m a semi professional athlete and do have to spend some tough training time in the gym along with my sport, I used to have to do some intense workout about 2-3 days a week, and then cardio for a day or two. So in total a good 4 days, and then during season which is a few months away, 3 days of working out and 2 days of games. It has now been 25 days and on the 30th day I have a mini camp that goes on for 3 days that I’m taking part in, I have not done any strenuous activity prior to these days, other than walks, would it be safe to return to sweating technically after a month, I plan on washing my hair right after the days activity before I get to my hotel room and taking a shower and stuff to keep my scalp clean. Will I be safe to return to sweating without causing damage to my transplanted hair ? 

[sl]

You are welcome. 

Because your surgery was not with the clinic I rep for,  you may want to check with your own clinic to make sure they agree but I will answer as if you were one of our patients and say yes, to sweat and to work out now is not a problem. We would say to avoid hot showers or hair dryer or sauna that may exacerbate skin redness but to work out and sweat will not damage grafts. Enjoy the workout.