Regular Member Frenchie2001 Posted December 24, 2003 Regular Member Share Posted December 24, 2003 I would appreciate any comments from some of you out there that have already gone through this stage. Sorry to bring up scabs, but I have some "worries." It has been 1 week since my procedure and I am worried. Some of the scabs are comming off, which I understand is normal and yes desired. The problem is that I notice some of the scabs have hairs in them. Some even look like maybe some of my grafts. Are these really some of my grafts? Did I do something wrong? Is it normal for some of them not to take? I used the spray the doc gave me every half hour up to I went to bed on the day of the operation, and every half hour the next day. Day 2 after surgery was more like 1 per hour. Did I blow it and not use it enough? Some of my grafts have obviously taken root. I have hairs where there were none a week ago and they look good. So that is a plus, but it makes me sick to think about the few that do not seem to have taken root. Any "supportive" feedback appreciated. I will post pics later, but with Christmas and all I do not have time right now. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Frenchie2001 Posted December 24, 2003 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 24, 2003 I would appreciate any comments from some of you out there that have already gone through this stage. Sorry to bring up scabs, but I have some "worries." It has been 1 week since my procedure and I am worried. Some of the scabs are comming off, which I understand is normal and yes desired. The problem is that I notice some of the scabs have hairs in them. Some even look like maybe some of my grafts. Are these really some of my grafts? Did I do something wrong? Is it normal for some of them not to take? I used the spray the doc gave me every half hour up to I went to bed on the day of the operation, and every half hour the next day. Day 2 after surgery was more like 1 per hour. Did I blow it and not use it enough? Some of my grafts have obviously taken root. I have hairs where there were none a week ago and they look good. So that is a plus, but it makes me sick to think about the few that do not seem to have taken root. Any "supportive" feedback appreciated. I will post pics later, but with Christmas and all I do not have time right now. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member kazgorat Posted December 24, 2003 Regular Member Share Posted December 24, 2003 It's perfectly normal for hairs to come out when your scabs fall off. I've had two HTs and this happened both times. I assure you that they do grow back, although it may take 3 to 4 months for them to do so. At seven days post op, the grafts are securely in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 24, 2003 Share Posted December 24, 2003 you'll know it when a graft falls out. There will be a considerable amount of blood. And they don't just "fall" out, you have to pick them out. That was my problem.....I couldn't just let them be - I picked. I lost about 6 or so. Like I said, you'll definitely know if you lose one. I lost a lot of scabs that had hairs in them. Yes that is completely normal. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member arfy Posted December 24, 2003 Senior Member Share Posted December 24, 2003 If you see something roughly the size of a small grain of rice with a hair sticking out, then you've lost a graft. The part of the graft you need to be concerned about is below the surface. It sounds like everything is normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member HairBeThere Posted December 26, 2003 Senior Member Share Posted December 26, 2003 These guys know what they are talking about. I've had 2 HT's done now. The first HT (complete frontal), I hardly lost any hair. I was completely dumbfounded by this. I had growth in a matter of a month. Pretty much all grafts. Though I made the mistake of picking a scab, and had bleeding. Kind of like when you cut yourself shaving. That graft never grew back. The second, however I had lost a lot of hairs from when the scabs fell off. Not from picking either. I paniced!! But was restasured from reading and the great advise from others that this was normal. I am now 5 weeks post, and all grafts seem to be in place. If there is no bleeding from the scab, then you are fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member HairBeThere Posted December 26, 2003 Senior Member Share Posted December 26, 2003 Kaz, did you have your HT done here in Michigan? If so, whom did you have it done by? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member JohnH Posted December 27, 2003 Senior Member Share Posted December 27, 2003 Frenchie, keep using the graftcyte (or saline) spray. It's better to keep the scabs moist. It also reduces the urge to pick at them. You can keep spraying them for a couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Frenchie2001 Posted December 31, 2003 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 31, 2003 guys thanks for the info. Your comments plus those of a post from RCX made me feel better about what was happening. I would say that by day 8 most of the scabs had fallen off some with hairs some without and there was no bleeding on any of them. In fact the skin underneath was not even red. So I am not sure I would agree that keeping the scabs moist for 2 weeks is a good idea because letting them dry out after 5 days seems to have gotten rid of them a lot faster. But if I screwed up and lost half of my grafts maybe I was the stupid one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Frenchie2001 Posted December 31, 2003 Author Regular Member Share Posted December 31, 2003 guys thanks for the info. Your comments plus those of a post from RCX made me feel better about what was happening. I would say that by day 8 most of the scabs had fallen off some with hairs some without and there was no bleeding on any of them. In fact the skin underneath was not even red. So I am not sure I would agree that keeping the scabs moist for 2 weeks is a good idea because letting them dry out after 5 days seems to have gotten rid of them a lot faster. But if I screwed up and lost half of my grafts maybe I was the stupid one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member JohnH Posted December 31, 2003 Senior Member Share Posted December 31, 2003 Ok, I did some searching around the internet for how long to use Graftcyte spray. The first thing I found is a definition - Intensive copper peptide micronutrition, delivered in a spray pump. Maintains the optimal environment for successful wound healing. Also found results of a study where they used it for 4 days post surgery. The study went on for 16 weeks and showed good results for the patients that used it. Here's what I'm confused about. A year and a half ago, I had a procedure where I bought the whole Graftcyte package for $300. (A rip-off in my opinion.) I used the gauze dressing and the spray in-between using the dressings. If I remember correctly, after 4 days I still had two thirds of the spray bottle left. I kept using it well into the second week. Heck, I still have some left over. Why do they sell you so much of it if you only need it for a few days? And are you not still healing for many weeks after the procedure? My head was tender for a couple of months - doesn't that mean it was still healing? Since the spray is for wound healing, it would make sense to keep using it. I also found wide discrepancies in price for the bottle of spray. One site was offering it for $60 and another for $150. I paid the best price for it after my last procedure 5 months ago - Dr. Koher gave me a bottle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vocor1 Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 i used it post 1st HT but not this time. I just really don't see any difference yet to my untrained eyee. Just like last time, some of the hairs have already shed and some continue to grow where they were tranplanted to still. I can see and feel them. Not sure the true value of graftcyte. I'd use it if the doc recommended it and gave it to me as part of my procedure. Outside of that, saline solution and good common sense like resting is good for graft growth in my view. vocor1 Knowledge is Power -- If the worst question is the one never asked, then the worst answer is the one never shared. -- The truth only matters if you know about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member mb123345 Posted January 2, 2004 Regular Member Share Posted January 2, 2004 Wow, that's alot. My Dr gave me the graftcyte and the pain med (20 XS Vicodin) as part of the price of the procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member JohnH Posted January 2, 2004 Senior Member Share Posted January 2, 2004 That's what MHR charges for it. And if you go to the graftcyte website, the recommended price is $275. This is for the package which includes shampoo, gel for the donor area, and some other stuff. You really only need the spray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Shed Harris Posted January 2, 2004 Regular Member Share Posted January 2, 2004 $85 here Chaos, panic and disorder...my work here is done. Chaos, panic and disorder...my work here is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Mr T Posted January 2, 2004 Senior Member Share Posted January 2, 2004 I used Graftcyte spray and shampoo with my HT and the scabs were all gone in five days. I sprayed the scabs every twenty minutes or so, if I could, and shampooed daily starting day three. It really seemed to help, but I would consider saline solution as a less expensive alternative to the spray. I can't remember what I paid -- $135 for both, I think. (I check my records. It was $115 for both shampoo and spray.) Mr. T Mr. T's 8 month post-op photos [This message was edited by Mr T on January 03, 2004 at 06:07 AM.] [This message was edited by Mr T on January 03, 2004 at 06:09 AM.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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