FUE donor area scar mitigation

[SeekingStubble]

I can't find any good threads on this so I decided to start one myself. I'm going for my first FUE surgery in September and I've been researching scar mitigation techniques I could use afterwards to minimize the diameter of the tiny hypopigmented circles that result. For the immediate post-operative period (0-14 days) there's probably nothing I can do other than what the surgeon suggests, but it does seem like there are some longer term options once reaching the "remodeling" phase of scar formation which can last for months or years. 

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00322/full

 

1) Tretinoin: Appears to be effective in restoring some pigmentation in hypopigmented scars. Should be even more effective when used early on in the remodeling process. https://www.medicaljournals.se/acta/download/10.1080/000155599750010724/

2) Microneedling: Effective in treating pigmentation disorders, including hypopigmentation ones like vitiligo. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dth.15159

3) Total sun avoidance on the donor areas by wearing a cap when outside for months afterwards

4) Laser therapy: I'm not really invested enough to go this route, but it does seem to work. I would just get SMP before considering this. 

5) Re-injuring with Verteporfin: Not an option at the moment but could be a total solution in the future.

 

Are there any other significant therapies or habits that would be useful for mitigating FUE scars?  

 

 

[Paul_]

Scar prevention creams

See my repair links, I had great results with vaseline (0-1 weeks) followed by silicone gel (1 week - 6 months), but applying it to a wide donor area instead will be tricky

[SeekingStubble]

6 hours ago, Paul_ said:

Scar prevention creams

See my repair links, I had great results with vaseline (0-1 weeks) followed by silicone gel (1 week - 6 months), but applying it to a wide donor area instead will be tricky

I actually ordered the "stratamed" and "strataderm" gels but they were pretty expensive for tiny tubes, no way to make it work for all my donor. What gel did you use? If there's a reasonably priced option that works it could be a good bridge between aquaphor (what my doc recommends) and the later remodeling phase (1-2 months +) where I can start doing dermarolling/tretinoin. 

[Paul_]

3 hours ago, SeekingStubble said:

I actually ordered the "stratamed" and "strataderm" gels but they were pretty expensive for tiny tubes, no way to make it work for all my donor. What gel did you use? If there's a reasonably priced option that works it could be a good bridge between aquaphor (what my doc recommends) and the later remodeling phase (1-2 months +) where I can start doing dermarolling/tretinoin. 

Yes they are...they're aimed at surgery scar prevention like FUT but not massive area spread (FUE)

You could try Contractubex (or Mederma in the US), with allantoin and onion extract. It's more old school but easier to absorb, more watery. I did get itching cause of it when I tried it though 

A simple alternative, just stick to vaseline, but obviously more sticky 

Edited July 29 by Paul_

[Fox243]

On 7/27/2024 at 10:29 PM, SeekingStubble said:

I can't find any good threads on this so I decided to start one myself. I'm going for my first FUE surgery in September and I've been researching scar mitigation techniques I could use afterwards to minimize the diameter of the tiny hypopigmented circles that result. For the immediate post-operative period (0-14 days) there's probably nothing I can do other than what the surgeon suggests, but it does seem like there are some longer term options once reaching the "remodeling" phase of scar formation which can last for months or years. 

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00322/full

 

1) Tretinoin: Appears to be effective in restoring some pigmentation in hypopigmented scars. Should be even more effective when used early on in the remodeling process. https://www.medicaljournals.se/acta/download/10.1080/000155599750010724/

2) Microneedling: Effective in treating pigmentation disorders, including hypopigmentation ones like vitiligo. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dth.15159

3) Total sun avoidance on the donor areas by wearing a cap when outside for months afterwards

4) Laser therapy: I'm not really invested enough to go this route, but it does seem to work. I would just get SMP before considering this. 

5) Re-injuring with Verteporfin: Not an option at the moment but could be a total solution in the future.

 

Are there any other significant therapies or habits that would be useful for mitigating FUE scars?  

 

 

Very interesting question tbh. Feels like there's not much research on scar prevention despite it being the #1 reason not to get a HT. I'm, of course, working closely with verteporfin, but it would be nice to have other things either to combine with or as backups.

[SeekingStubble]

7 hours ago, Paul_ said:

Yes they are...they're aimed at surgery scar prevention like FUT but not massive area spread (FUE)

You could try Contractubex (or Mederma in the US), with allantoin and onion extract. It's more old school but easier to absorb, more watery. I did get itching cause of it when I tried it though 

A simple alternative, just stick to vaseline, but obviously more sticky 

Is this the mederma gel you're referring to? https://www.amazon.com/Mederma-Advanced-Appearance-Pharmacist-Recommended/dp/B08SS9KJG3/

Worth trying this one too? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SS4TJ9C?ref=emc_s_m_5_i_atc

It does seem like vaseline might have about the same effect if you're willing to slather it on all the time. I usually work from home but I'm going on a trip 15 days after the surgery, so that could be a reasonable time to use the gel.

 

[Paul_]

11 minutes ago, SeekingStubble said:

Is this the mederma gel you're referring to? https://www.amazon.com/Mederma-Advanced-Appearance-Pharmacist-Recommended/dp/B08SS9KJG3/

Worth trying this one too? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SS4TJ9C?ref=emc_s_m_5_i_atc

It does seem like vaseline might have about the same effect if you're willing to slather it on all the time. I usually work from home but I'm going on a trip 15 days after the surgery, so that could be a reasonable time to use the gel.

 

Yes on all 3 accounts

[Al - Moderator]

I've actually been wondering if putting Neosporin all over the donor area shortly after the transplant would help. I'm seriously thinking of trying this on my beard and chest donor areas after the next transplant to see if it heals faster.