I removed a graft today

[personlady]

Today I was poking at my head. It's Day 21 post surgery, so I assumed that was ok.

 

As I poked at a small scab  like blob, it came up, and I looked closely, and there was a tiny cylinder of tissue around the base of a hair. I looked at my head, and I saw a miniscule HOLE. 

 

this is weird.... why did this graft take 21 days to decide it wanted to exit? 

 

About the shedding stage... what do the shedded hairs look like? Do they look wider at the root, or do they look pretty even? How do you know the difference between a failed graft and a shedded hair? 

[SeanT1]

One graft won't change the final result, I wouldn't worry.

[personlady]

I thought losing grafts was a risk for the first week or so.

 

It's weird to lose it today

[gillenator]

It’s highly doubtful that you “lost” a graft…sounds like you simply shed a graft which is normal.

[Rawkerboi]

Your Grafts have been perfectly secured after the 21st day after surgery!

Please find other hobbies other than poking your head.

 

[TheGreatPretender]

On 7/1/2024 at 9:46 PM, personlady said:

Today I was poking at my head. It's Day 21 post surgery, so I assumed that was ok.

 

As I poked at a small scab  like blob, it came up, and I looked closely, and there was a tiny cylinder of tissue around the base of a hair. I looked at my head, and I saw a miniscule HOLE. 

 

this is weird.... why did this graft take 21 days to decide it wanted to exit? 

 

About the shedding stage... what do the shedded hairs look like? Do they look wider at the root, or do they look pretty even? How do you know the difference between a failed graft and a shedded hair? 

Lol, no way in hell you have taken a graft out after 21 days. The thing is secure after 8 to 10 days.

What you see is the hair shaft being separated from the folicle, it will grow back in 3-12 months.

[personlady]

that is exactly the thing that I am unsure of. was it a shedded hair or a lost graft? telling the difference is hard. and I have to wait several months to really know the answer. 

[personlady]

On 7/2/2024 at 5:05 PM, TheGreatPretender said:

Lol, no way in hell you have taken a graft out after 21 days. The thing is secure after 8 to 10 days.

What you see is the hair shaft being separated from the folicle, it will grow back in 3-12 months.

i'm not joking when I say it left a tiny hole in my scalp. 

 

it's ok though. if I have 2200 successful grafts out of the 2500 we tried to do, I will still look better than I used to. 

[personlady]

On 7/2/2024 at 7:23 AM, Rawkerboi said:

Your Grafts have been perfectly secured after the 21st day after surgery!

Please find other hobbies other than poking your head.

 

I'm one of those people who pops their zits, picks out an ingrown hair, and fiddles with their hangnails. it's hard for me to leave my grafts alone! 

 

today is day 27 for me, so i'm glad that i'm out of the danger zone. 

 

but you are right, i will try to leave them alone. 

[personlady]

On 7/1/2024 at 11:36 PM, gillenator said:

It’s highly doubtful that you “lost” a graft…sounds like you simply shed a graft which is normal.

i think I lost it because it took a bit of skin with it when it left. 

 

I've convinced myself not to be upset, it's one graft out of 2500 and I don't mind the idea of a follow up surgery in a year or two for more density. 

[Gatsby]

I really doubt that you lost a graft. Either way don't worry about it. 👍

[TheGreatPretender]

11 hours ago, personlady said:

i'm not joking when I say it left a tiny hole in my scalp. 

 

it's ok though. if I have 2200 successful grafts out of the 2500 we tried to do, I will still look better than I used to. 

Those aren't uncommon. It's not a lost graft anyway. When I was going through shedding I noticed the areas where hair was falling there were holes being left after the shaft split from the skin. And I wasn't poking through them at all. 

This is perfectly normal occurrence.

21 days is a lot, it's perfectly fine. 

You can forget about this and go about your day. 

[personlady]

On 7/8/2024 at 6:13 AM, TheGreatPretender said:

Those aren't uncommon. It's not a lost graft anyway. When I was going through shedding I noticed the areas where hair was falling there were holes being left after the shaft split from the skin. And I wasn't poking through them at all. 

This is perfectly normal occurrence.

21 days is a lot, it's perfectly fine. 

You can forget about this and go about your day. 

waiting is the hardest part, pretender.

[gillenator]

It sure can be, try to start walking, write a book, anything that will help keep your mind on other time consuming activities.

[TheGreatPretender]

3 hours ago, personlady said:

waiting is the hardest part, pretender.

I understand. This coming from someone who will likely need a second intervention I fully do. But the positive side is that you're already through the worst and the best is yet to come.

I just distracted myself by playing music or doing things I liked besides work. The anticipation I found to be the best part. 

[ABG]

I experienced this after 115days 

is it a failed graft? If so, how did this last so long?

[gillenator]

No my friend, definitely not a failed graft…it’s a dried crust with the graft hair attached to it.

[personlady]

On 7/12/2024 at 10:49 PM, gillenator said:

No my friend, definitely not a failed graft…it’s a dried crust with the graft hair attached to it.

I thought it was strange for me to still have crusts six weeks out.

 

if ABG had a crusty bit at 115 days that's even more strange. 

 

my crusts look like tiny scabs. and when they come out they leave miniscule openings. it looks like an empty pore after someone squeezed out a blackhead. 

[gillenator]

No my friend, not all crusts are the same…some can be darn right stubborn and when they are left in the scalp for many months, yes they will leave a small opening behind but most of the time there is no bleeding 🩸 

[Fready]

Its a natural process, don't worry about it.

[SY7]

I have it too. Went to the clinic and I was experiencing a fungal infection. No redness but itchiness and seborrhea. The doctor prescribed me Elidel Cream, betadine shampoo and Ketoconazol shampoo. Seems to be improving a bit but am losing, as it seems, some parts of the skin with hairs sticking through it. It is not as small as yours but more flakes of skin with one or more hairs sticking through it. Really hope it arent grafts but just the hair?

[gillenator]

If it’s flakes of scalp surface and not imbedded tissue, very doubtful that there is any loss of grafts.

[SY7]

@gillenatorthanks for the response, that relaxes me. I only found it strange that i don’t shed anymore (after 4,5 months) but still flaking and that there are hairs coming out of it. Its probably best to not bother since you can do what you can do. Thanks again for the feedback!

[SY7]

Sorry, one last adding: in the picture you see a little bit similar but slightly different thing which @ABG has. Skin is flaking a lot with hairs sticking through it. Sometimes one hair, sometimes more so thats why I am worrying it are grafts. The doctor told me it’s high cell turnover and a fungal infection. 
So no grafts? The thing is that I don’t shed at places where the skin Isn’t flaking. It improves a bit with the Elidel cream it seems. What do you guys think? @gillenator @Gatsby@Al - Moderator

Thanks

 

PS. Sorry for the uncharming pictures.

Edited July 31 by SY7

[mero1748]

Those arent grafts. Your hair falls out cause its sticked to the flakes and when you get the flakes off the skin the hair comes off with it. Your grafts are safe, these hairs are very likely to grow back.