airport security and HT"s

[apichai]

me again, for all the guys who do surgery abroad how do you pass through airport security when you have to take off your hat,

 

what do people say you don't look like the passport pic, say you shave the whole head and still have a big frontal 3rd scab.

 

also how many days roughly would 2500 fue grafts take to look "normalish" ie no blood and scabs,

 

or is it just me a shy person.

[apichai]

me again, for all the guys who do surgery abroad how do you pass through airport security when you have to take off your hat,

 

what do people say you don't look like the passport pic, say you shave the whole head and still have a big frontal 3rd scab.

 

also how many days roughly would 2500 fue grafts take to look "normalish" ie no blood and scabs,

 

or is it just me a shy person.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Apichai,

 

I don't think you're going to have a problem passing through with your passport. Your face will still look like you. You may however, have to take off your hat.

 

Usually scabs fall off between 7 to 10 days in the recipient area, though some extended redness can last a few weeks to a few months. Fair skinned people seem to have more of a tendency for this to happen.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Bill

[Take a chance]

Having travelled for my HT I can tell you that most airports will ask you to remove your cap. Usually when passing through security and at immigration.

The passport goes on a facial recognition system so doesn't really matter how your head looks.

[Mr. GQ]

or is it just me a shy person.

you said it

 

just be straight up with them and tell em that you just had a HT and that you are shielding the area from the dust and all of the bacterias that are flying in the air per doctors instruction. they'll understand and probibly wont ask you to take it off. besides you will never see those guys ever in your life again so please don't be shy

 

but if you do by some fluke ever see him or her again, then boy oh boy you are going to be in some serious trouble let me tell you

[javy]

Apichai

 

I didnt even wore hat for my entire journey. I travelled from islamabad to karachi and then from karachi to bombay and then from bombay to my hometown, some 500kms. So whenever anyone, say immigration guys or anyother, would ask me questions, i would very openly say that i went to get my Hair transplant done because i knew that i am not gonna meet them ever again in my life so did not cared...

 

Regards,

Javy.

[Acrobaz]

Great question and one that we all ponder prior to taking the plunge. I was nervous about it too.

 

You have received sound advice but I would add the following. First, beware the risk that, if you delay your return much past 3/4 days post-HT, you might have entered the swelling phase. Different people respond differently but, after four days, I looked less like my passport photo and more like Cro-Magnon man!

 

Personally, I just took the hat off straight away without even being asked. No-one paid the slightest attention. They were all too busy with other stuff. When I put the hat back on I felt like I had, like Jason Bourne, fooled the world!

 

If you prefer to keep the hat on and feel nervous about mentioning the words "hair transplant", say "head surgery" or something.

 

Finally, the best thing is that it is all over in about 30 seconds, but your new hair will be with you for life!

 

Good luck.

[Lastchance]

Myself and another at least one other poster here passed through JFK recently without being asked to remove caps, but I'm sure it depends on the person on the day. Its no big deal anyway, but to make it run smoother for yourself, make sure your cap is metal free so if you have to remove it, you can just carry it through, also I'm sure it helps if the cap is not pulled down obscuring your face as you pass through all sections of the airport and again on arrival at your destination.

[lovestospoon]

I was wondering the same thing before my transplant so I wore a cap on my journey there and was never asked to take it off. On the way back I was able to make it without having to take it off also. I remember being really nervous about setting off the metal detector because the hat Dr. Hasson gave me had metal on the clasp and top, not to mention the 70 metal staples in my head! I guess the metal wasn't dense enough to set off the alarm...

[youngproper]

Its 30 seconds you have to live with it, all those people don't know you so you shouldn't really care about what they think.

 

90% of the guards will tell you to put the cap in the scanner or at least show them you are not hiding anything

[Stimpson]

Wether or not you have to take your hat off is a complete gamble. Some require it, some do not. Here is a list of airports that I have extensive experience with, enough to make some sort of determination, although again it depends on the person working (i.e. nothing is ever guaranteed). Personlly, after an HT, I would be safe and ASSUME that you will have to take the hat off no matter where you are. You must be prepared for this possibility.

 

Baltimore (BWI) - NEVER had to take off the hat.

 

Washington Reagan (DCA) - Hat comes off every time.

 

Washington Dulles (IAD) - NEVER had to take the hat off.

 

Chicago, O'hare (ORD) - NEVER had to take the hat off.

 

Chicago Midway (MDW) - Had to take the hat off only once, but I had been selected for 'special' screening.

 

Tampa, FL (TPA) - NEVER had to take off the hat.

 

Orlando, FL (MCO) - NEVER had to take off the hat.

 

London Heathrow (LHR) Customs - hats coming off.

 

Useless I know, but just thought I would share my experiences. Having spent years as a dedicated hat person, I notice these things.

 

Stimpy

[kaounis]

When I was traveling back from Chicago, I didn't have to remove my cap. But then again I didn't even care, because there was nothing to see anyways, I didn't shave and had not cut my hair for 3 months!

 

Just a thought from the peanut gallery...

[mgem]

I got asked to remove my cap at dublin airport and i refused and got away with it

[M&M]

When I had to pass through security at an airport, I was fortunate to meet a nice security guard. I mentioned that I had some surgery and asked if I could take off my hat in private. He basically said 'no problem' and motioned for me to go to a room, where I removed my hat, showing him the ugly mess that Bosley had done to my scalp. Regardless, I was on my way without any 'public unveiling'. For good reason, he probably felt sorry for me!

[Ron J]

when I passed through customs & the man asked me why I went to Canada I told him--- "to get a ht," to which he replied "the things *we* go through, huh?" (he was bald).

 

then when I passed through the security check at LAX the lady asked me to remove my hat. to my surprise she didn't even LOOK at my head...not a single glance. she looked overwhelmed 'inspecting' my hat (just a normal, plain baseball cap)---oggling every angle, exhausting every ounce of her mental prowess inspecting the seams w/the care & mental complexity of a caveman measuring the fat of a dead cow in exchange for his first born daughter. then the x-ray machine went off. the elderly gentleman spent five minutes inspecting my bag, to chastise me on the size of my shampoo bottles - provided by the clinic - & yet left the 7 inch stainless steel staple remover unnoticed. I felt very reassured about our homeland security.