Protecting newly transplanted grafts

[Pangloss]

I read a post from one person who actually tied his hands to his legs so that he wouldn’t unintentionally scratch his newly transplanted grafts while he was sleeping.

Is there another way? What about wearing a bandage, hat or turban of some kind for several days after surgery, just to protect the grafts from accidents, especially while sleeping?

The first week after transplanting is full of anxiety because of this fear. Is wearing some kind of protective covering a good idea?
 

[sl]

I had a patient who told me after that he got his wife to button his arms inside his shirt,  to not then scratch his head. I said be careful as if you fall from bed you will have no protection to stop the fall. For the next surgery he had I told him to put washing up gloves on so even if he touches his scalp he wont scratch out a graft, so it is an added layer of protection. Ideally sleep with scalp exposed and breathing and put yourself in a nice travel pillow that keeps you in position and slightly elevated and sleeping on your back for the first few nights. Cover hands, not scalp essentially.

Edited May 14, 2020 by sl

[Dazed]

I had much more of an issue with not rubbing the donor area after FUE.  For the donor area I would hold my hand on the area without scratching.  I went a little overboard spraying the saline solution.  Perhaps that helps with the aformentioned itching on the scalp are, as this was not a problem for me.

[gillenator]

Try wearing mittens, not gloves but snow mittens that do not have fingers...😀

[Pangloss]

Thanks for the replies.

Gillenator, I like the mittens idea. I wonder where I can find mittens in India, which is where I most likely will go for my next HT. They might be hard to find, as people in India don't tend to have snowball fights.

sl, thanks for your suggestion. I think I like mittens better than washing gloves because they are padded, so it would be impossible to scratch out a graft.

 Is it bad to cover the scalp, because it needs to breathe in order to heal? I am just suggesting covering it while sleeping because that's when the greatest danger is.

Another idea I have to address the fear of bumping one's head: wear a padded hat when going out or even around the house. Maybe just put a piece of foam rubber inside a regular hat. Any thoughts on that?

[Dazed]

Deleted by mistake

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by Dazed

[Pangloss]

On 5/18/2020 at 1:01 AM, Dazed said:

Pangloss, have you had this problem or are you just reacting to something someone said.  I don't read all the posts on here, but this is the first time I heard someone mention this.

Doesn't everyone fear accidentally losing a graft in the first few days after surgery? I have never lost a graft, but I know the anxiety of fearing loss is a problem and can even make it hard to sleep, which is the last thing you want, since if you don't sleep well you're more likely to have an accident and bump your head or worse.

When you're asleep, or half-asleep you have no control over what your hands do and might not remember that you have fresh grafts in your scalp.

I did bump my head a day or two after one of my surgeries, which panicked me, and I went immediately to the doctor and he said the grafts bled a little but did not come out.

[Dazed]

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This is what this quote is all about.  "Imagination frames events unknown in wild fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, and what it fears, creates." Hannah More

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"Imagination frames events unknown in wild fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, and what it fears, creates." Hannah More

 

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"Imagination frames events unknown in wild fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, and what it fears, creates." Hannah More

[gillenator]

On 5/16/2020 at 8:01 PM, Pangloss said:

Thanks for the replies.

Gillenator, I like the mittens idea. I wonder where I can find mittens in India, which is where I most likely will go for my next HT. They might be hard to find, as people in India don't tend to have snowball fights.

sl, thanks for your suggestion. I think I like mittens better than washing gloves because they are padded, so it would be impossible to scratch out a graft.

 Is it bad to cover the scalp, because it needs to breathe in order to heal? I am just suggesting covering it while sleeping because that's when the greatest danger is.

Another idea I have to address the fear of bumping one's head: wear a padded hat when going out or even around the house. Maybe just put a piece of foam rubber inside a regular hat. Any thoughts on that?

You should be able to buy them online very affordable...try Amazon.