The myth of being able to shave your head after large FUE sessions

[asterix0]

Does anyone have any examples they can share of patients who had a lot of FUE grafts (4000+) with a shaved head, and if the FUE scars are really noticeable?

Perhaps it is just my physiology, I had 4000+ grafts with a small punch with a recommended surgeon with a long wait list. My results were good, my donor was not overharvested, but when I recently shaved my head, the white specs from the extractions were quite visible in my donor. Perhaps my skin/hair contrast color makes them more noticeable, or it is just how my head healed. My surgeon said I healed well but some patients just have more noticeable scar healing pigmentation (or lack there of) than others.

I shaved my head because I wanted a small 1300 graft touch up procedure to increase density in the front.

Nevertheless, when I saw how noticeable the scarring was, I pretty much realized I better stay on finasteride, otherwise if I lose the hair on top it'll look ridiculous with my donor area if I shaved my head.

If I buzz the donor down to a 2 grade though for example the scarring cannot be noticed to the human eye.

 

[A_4_Archan]

@asterix0 fue isn't a scareless procedure but you get thousands of tiny scars rather than a long strip(fut) and you can keep very short hair style after fue because those scare can't be usually visible with a short hairstyle..but they are easily visible if you shave your head...plus scarring also depends on few other factors which are not in the hands of a surgeon and the this will varies from person to person....

[asterix0]

17 minutes ago, A_4_Archan said:

@asterix0 fue isn't a scareless procedure but you get thousands of tiny scars rather than a long strip(fut) and you can keep very short hair style after fue because those scare can't be usually visible with a short hairstyle..but they are easily visible if you shave your head...plus scarring also depends on few other factors which are not in the hands of a surgeon and the this will varies from person to person....

Yes, keeping a short hair style it can be hidden. I was just surprised when I shaved my head how noticeable it was.

[A_4_Archan]

3 minutes ago, asterix0 said:

Yes, keeping a short hair style it can be hidden. I was just surprised when I shaved my head how noticeable it was.

Yeh they are very well noticeable my friend...

[Sele]

I had 4250 grafts extracted (FUE) 2 weeks ago. Honestly I don’t care about the white dots. I always had a mid skin fade cut and I will keep having that cut after everything is healed. You can still do a smp on the donor.  

[hairthere]

I'm seeing a growing number of clients like you that I have to perform Scalp Micropigmentation camouflaging on. I'll post some in the SMP section of the forum. 

[mr_peanutbutter]

its especially visible on people with darker skin

an example for a guy who got fue hairtransplant and is shaving it now is that one actor from better call saul, michael mando

[asterix0]

31 minutes ago, hairthere said:

I'm seeing a growing number of clients like you that I have to perform Scalp Micropigmentation camouflaging on. I'll post some in the SMP section of the forum. 

Sure, any examples you have would be very useful. 

[asterix0]

8 minutes ago, mr_peanutbutter said:

its especially visible on people with darker skin

an example for a guy who got fue hairtransplant and is shaving it now is that one actor from better call saul, michael mando

Did he get SMP?

[mr_peanutbutter]

1 minute ago, asterix0 said:

Did he get SMP?

not sure his fue scars are definitely visible though

[mr_peanutbutter]

 

[asterix0]

Yup I see them, I don't even think he had a big session so it would look even more obvious if he did. Even though that particular picture is blurry. 

[coolbreeze]

3 hours ago, asterix0 said:

Does anyone have any examples they can share of patients who had a lot of FUE grafts (4000+) with a shaved head, and if the FUE scars are really noticeable?

Perhaps it is just my physiology, I had 4000+ grafts with a small punch with a recommended surgeon with a long wait list. My results were good, my donor was not overharvested, but when I recently shaved my head, the white specs from the extractions were quite visible in my donor. Perhaps my skin/hair contrast color makes them more noticeable, or it is just how my head healed. My surgeon said I healed well but some patients just have more noticeable scar healing pigmentation (or lack there of) than others.

I shaved my head because I wanted a small 1300 graft touch up procedure to increase density in the front.

Nevertheless, when I saw how noticeable the scarring was, I pretty much realized I better stay on finasteride, otherwise if I lose the hair on top it'll look ridiculous with my donor area if I shaved my head.

If I buzz the donor down to a 2 grade though for example the scarring cannot be noticed to the human eye.

 

This is my concern. Can you post pics? would be very helpful.

[GoliGoliGoli]

31 minutes ago, coolbreeze said:

This is my concern. Can you post pics? would be very helpful.

Agree, @asterix0 would be very useful for us all if you could share pictures. 

[asterix0]

53 minutes ago, GoliGoliGoli said:

Agree, @asterix0 would be very useful for us all if you could share pictures. 

Here is a picture of my donor 4 days after my second procedure, it comes out to 5800 or so total grafts I've had so far

 

[asterix0]

However, with this large number of grafts i have otherwise covered the entire Norwood 6 top area, with thinner coverage in the crown. 

So for me the trade off is probably worth it, i doubt with my skin characteristics i could have done any better.

Almost certainly with FUT i would have had keloid scarring and a stretched FUT scar.

[GoliGoliGoli]

@asterix0 It's a bit hard to make a judgement seeing as how in the above pic you are 4 days from having 1300 grafts removed.

I don't doubt the validity of your point, but it's hard to make a judgement based on this pic due to the recentness of the operation. So as you said in original post, would be good to see some other cases that aren't so immediately post op. 

Edited July 21, 2023 by GoliGoliGoli

[asterix0]

Its hard to find patients after a year who shave their head and take close up donor pictures, unless they are going for another procedure.

[mr_peanutbutter]

3 hours ago, asterix0 said:

Its hard to find patients after a year who shave their head and take close up donor pictures, unless they are going for another procedure.

the iceland guy who played the mountain in game of thrones got an ht and his sides and back look like he buzzes it down with a zero guard

[Bhumik Shah MD]

We need more cases of people pursuing beard to FUE donor area, and body to FUE donor area transplants to see if they improve the cosmesis of FUE scars. The initial reports have been promising. Also a member here @mustang has had good cosmesis by pursuing the above.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Bhumik Shah MD