POST OP TIPS FROM A NORWOOD 7.

[Gatsby]

I just thought that I would add a few post op tips (subject to my own experiences) for fellow Norwood 7 patients who may have chosen to undergo surgery. Do follow all of your own doctors instructions and remember that this is not medical advice.

Firstly, like all hair transplant patients, remember that patience is key. Try to keep yourself busy. In my case I work a lot and the stress of work at times seems to act like a buffer and take away any spare time that could lead me to obsessing or worrying over results post op.

Do listen to your scalp! If your donor area post op feels particularly dry then don't feel pressured to use a shampoo. You could start off with baby shampoo. You could try Nizoral 2%. But if, as in my case, after my first surgery over a year ago you find that it only makes your scalp worse, then simply don't wash it. I think I went for at least a month without washing my hair before the recipient area began to feel ready to shampoo again. Remember that you have had thousands of grafts implanted into the donor area so be gentle with it.

Don't be concerned how secondary donor sources such as beard hair grow. They are a different caliber and will have a different characteristic in growth than your native scalp hair (and probably a different color too). Be patient and remember that they are there to add density. Over time they will blend in and this is where styling comes into play here. View them as a scaffold that aids the other scalp grafts to give your hair body. They will eventually soften and blend in.

Give your crown plenty of time. This area if it has been filled (to whatever degree) will take longer to come in and mature. They will catch up with the other grafts that have come in early.

Do be patient with your donor area. For the scalp this may mean waiting for up to eight months or more. After my first surgery it really wasn't until around month seven/eight until the donor stopped looking so thin. I'm not a doctor but this is where finasteride, or in my case, oral minoxidil can make a difference. When your scalp has undergone the amount of trauma that a Norwood 7 surgery requires then it needs time to recover. It's not just the hair that needs recovery but the scalp also so all of the nerves and tissue can repair/reconnect to get back into shape. For the beard donor area I recommend taking a Vitamin C tablet or one of many supplements you can buy that aid in skin healing. I also use Vitamin E cream and rub it on my cheeks and neck area morning and night. I have found that this has helped in speeding up the healing and redness when thousands of beard grafts are required.

Remember that hair greed does exist! Many men will feel that they have regained their youth and feel complete that they now have coverage on top again after years of feeling like they have had 'a lease on a desert!'😉  However the reality is that you will discover weak spots after a year. That's just completely normal when you consider the logistics of having to cover such a huge area with a limited (albeit creative) donor source. A one and done surgery is not always the case if you have the luxury of still maintaining a further donor supply and the desire to go back and have more work in the crown, part line, etc is to be expected.

Anagen desynchronization is real. Scalp hair remains in the anagen phase for up to eight years. Beard hair stays in the anagen phase for up to a year (these figures will vary depending on which source you are reading). Body hair is even less. So you have to be realistic in that after a year or so your hair may feel that it is losing some density or the results are going backwards a little. What's happening is that the hair is just reshuffling itself in it's own anagen phase. I won't elaborate anymore here as it's a mute point and not one to worry about. It's something people can look up if they feel the need to. Dr Arika has put out a good video on this (as has other surgeons) on YouTube. Remember it's a small price to pay if using secondary and tertiary donor sources to have your own hair back! 🤩

Finally and probably the most important point is to feel a sense of gratitude! Share this gratitude with others since you have been given a second chance with hair in your life. Their are many others in the world who are suffering and they have lost more than just hair. Remember where you have come from! Look back at your pre op self. Look back and see the miracle that is now occurring. No hair transplant is perfect regardless of what Norwood scale you have come from! So enjoy having hair once again and have fun. Allow yourself to enjoy the years ahead of you no matter how many they are and indulge in it. Life is short so live it! All the best!

 

 

[Xanadu]

Great post. I don't know if you know this, but does anagen desynchronization also happen with only scalp hairs? I think I heard that it still happens around month 9-12 usually, but I'm not at all sure.

But again - great advice from someone who no longer is in this club:

 

 

[Gatsby]

6 minutes ago, Xanadu said:

Great post. I don't know if you know this, but does anagen desynchronization also happen with only scalp hairs? I think I heard that it still happens around month 9-12 usually, but I'm not at all sure.

But again - great advice from someone who no longer is in this club:

 

 

Yes but to a much lesser degree than scalp and beard. 80% will remain in the anagen phase by about month 14-15 (but again I’m not a doctor, dermatologist, etc). 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Gatsby

[bw77]

Another great post, thank you!

What time frame do the Eugenix team recommend as it relates to lifting weights after an FUE procedure? I've read conflicting recommendations ranging from two weeks to one month. I'm interested to know if the community has landed on a particular time frame?

[Gatsby]

1 hour ago, bw77 said:

Another great post, thank you!

What time frame do the Eugenix team recommend as it relates to lifting weights after an FUE procedure? I've read conflicting recommendations ranging from two weeks to one month. I'm interested to know if the community has landed on a particular time frame?

According to Eugenix you can start weight training after 7-10 days no problem.

[bw77]

Thanks mate!!

[Melvin- Admin]

12 hours ago, Xanadu said:

Great post. I don't know if you know this, but does anagen desynchronization also happen with only scalp hairs? I think I heard that it still happens around month 9-12 usually, but I'm not at all sure.

But again - great advice from someone who no longer is in this club:

 

 

I need to use this for our podcast intro 🤣🤣

[Rafael Manelli]

I like the emphasis on not stressing and being patient, after all there’s nothing you can really do but wait. Not point in obsessing and worrying,