Hair Transplant - 8 weeks later - Red bump and crustiness/flakiness

[EdDantes99]

Hello everyone, 

Just wanted to get your opinion on the condition of my scalp 8 weeks after my hair transplant. I've noticed some new growth in the form of small baby hairs but felt some bumps near my hairline. I gently massaged the area and saw a crust fall out with 3-4 hairs stuck to it.  When I zoomed in and took a picture, I noticed a red bump with hair coming out of it and general flakiness/crustiness in the area where the new hair is growing. 

My question is, is there cause for concern for the crust that came out with the 3-4 hairs stuck to it? Am I not washing well enough? (I use sulfate free shampoo every 2-3 days and massage very gently when applying). Please let me know. I feel like that I've been so cautious with massaging my scalp that I'm not applying enough pressure when shampooing. 

Below is the picture of the area (you'll notice the red bump approximately half way down the picture and the flakiness where hair is growing). Also, I have native hair growing in the area, so there's a mix of transplant and native hair in the pic just as an FYI : 

 

[Parasol]

You should send this picture to your surgeon and seek some after care advise.

To me it looks like your scalp is not very clean. At 2 months post op, you should be able to wash the skin with your finger tips and thoroughly clean the area. Not too hard if it’s still tender, but you’ll want a clean scalp to promote healing.

Edited July 20, 2021 by Parasol

[EdDantes99]

Thanks for your reply. Any reason to be concerned with the red bump in the picture and the crust I found with hair on it (shedding can last up to 12 weeks I heard)?

 

 

[Parasol]

2 hours ago, EdDantes99 said:

Thanks for your reply. Any reason to be concerned with the red bump in the picture and the crust I found with hair on it (shedding can last up to 12 weeks I heard)?

 

 

Red bumps are normal at this stage. Pimples can coincide with growth. Though it’s possible there may be some foliculitis going on; which from my understanding ranges from just letting it pass on its own to getting prescribed oral or topical medication.

Personally I think it’s critical you begin doing a much better job cleaning your scalp. It looks very dirty and damp and I’d be worried about possible infection.

That said I am not a doctor so please forward your photos to your surgeon. 

Regarding the hair that fell out, it’s hard to say. Though I doubt you have anything to worry about. I’ve seen accounts on here of people shedding dead grafts at 2 months and beyond so it’s definitely possible that’s what happened here. 

[EdDantes99]

@Parasol I agree, definitely looks like I should apply a bit more pressure when cleaning my scalp, I feel like I may be gliding over it which may be causing the dryness/dampness. Thanks a lot for your feedback, I appreciate it!