Head Band for Swelling

[james2009]

Guys!

 

At what point after the hair transplant can I stop wearing teh head band to prevent swelling from moving down to my face.

 

Now the obvious answer is when the swelling stops, but how many days appoximately?

 

Also, what about the stitches on the donor area? Is it better to keep the head band on longer because it provides mild pressure on the stitched area?

 

thanks!

[Mop]

I was told to wear from immediately after surjery for 3/4 days. I got swelling by day 3 anyway and it lasted until around day 5. Two days of looking really ugly then back to my normal self - just moderately ugly.

 

Dont think you should put any pressure on the stitched area unless it bleeds and then only until it stops. For anything to heal it needs natural and unihibited circulation.

[james2009]

thanks man!

 

that's a good point about the stitched area needing 'natural and uninhibited circulation'. it is day 7 now for me so i will stop wearing the head band starting today.

 

cheers.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

The headband is not going to be of any benefit at this point. I am not convinced that it ever does. I do not think it will cause any harm, unless wrapped to tight. You should be almost completely healed at this point. Get ready to relax and enjoy the summer. In the fall you will start seeing the hair grow. Good luck.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

We wrap most folks with a mildly tight guaze when they leave the office and they are to just cut it off the next day. That is mainly so that they don't lean back and get their car headrest or sofa a bit bloody the first night.

 

A couple of weeks ago we had a medical professional as a patient who left it on for 3 days, in spite of us telling him to take it off the next am. He came in for a check prior to leaving town and his recipient area was more swolen than usual, but not so much that I think it will alter his outcome. But when he came back at day 7 for sutures, his eyes were really swolen. I think he just delayed resolution of his procedure's swelling but it did make me re-think that first night's wrap.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[TC17]

I would think that a headband would be deleterious to the healing process even if it reduces swelling. Wouldn't the headband just inhibit the healing process by not allowing the fluids to drain properly? I can understand that by placing pressure on the forehead the swelling may not occur, but the fluid that would cause the swelling would still exist and it has to go somewhere, right? If you do not allow it to drain down, it makes sense that it would stay right up by the scalp, and wouldn't that be bad for healing?

[hair_care]

I agree, I took off the Head band the morning after the surgery. You are going to have swelling in the forehead and around the eyes, I think that the headband does more harm than good , so take it off the next morning.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

I agree, that is why we tell folks to just cut it off the next day. But we never put it on so tight that it will alter venous drainage. It may have slowed down dissipation of the local saline but at least in this guy's case, I don't believe it will cause any problem.

 

He had an unusual incision line from a previous transplant by a national chain, a few years back. I think he left the dressing on as he did with that older case.

 

He is due in for a scar check at 3, so if there is some new info, I'll put it up.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Dr. William Lindsey]

This fellow arrived around 430 yesterday and is a few weeks out. He had worn the headwrap a couple of days as I mentioned.

 

I'll put his pics up in a few days; but I can not tell any problem from his wrap wearing and delayed edema resolution mentioned above. He does wear a hairpiece which he attached around the outside of his procedure, but otherwise looks great.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA