Senior Member Middleson Posted January 6, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 6, 2007 Maybe I'm a little loopy from Ambien at the moment, but I'm trying to find and confirm what a good sensible reasonable plan of action would be for follow up care after the HT...a course of action that will maximimize the good stuff & minimized the undesirable stuff. Of course I was sent home with good advice (but rather general), along with suggestions that soaking my head would be good, etc.. Reading these forums on can easily run across no shortage of opinions related to when to begin showering, how hard the water spray, when to use shampoo and what type, when to use copper peptide sprays and how often...when the grafts are secure and when to be concerned. How to avoid scabs, what do do if you get them, should you be concerned if you don't lose your donor hair? etc.. I read one person who swam in the ocean imediately post op and had great results and read other posts where someone advised keep the recipient site dry for 3-4 days... I tend to personally favor frequently pouring a lukewarm solution of dissolved epsom salts over my head several times a day and use the folligen spray a couple times a day, but this is not really based on anything more than a gut feeling. Any opinions of people who are smarter than I am, or more experienced? _________________ 2967 Total Grafts w/ Dr. Cooley on 1/3/07 [1st HT] Hair Count = 5,427 My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Middleson Posted January 6, 2007 Author Senior Member Share Posted January 6, 2007 Maybe I'm a little loopy from Ambien at the moment, but I'm trying to find and confirm what a good sensible reasonable plan of action would be for follow up care after the HT...a course of action that will maximimize the good stuff & minimized the undesirable stuff. Of course I was sent home with good advice (but rather general), along with suggestions that soaking my head would be good, etc.. Reading these forums on can easily run across no shortage of opinions related to when to begin showering, how hard the water spray, when to use shampoo and what type, when to use copper peptide sprays and how often...when the grafts are secure and when to be concerned. How to avoid scabs, what do do if you get them, should you be concerned if you don't lose your donor hair? etc.. I read one person who swam in the ocean imediately post op and had great results and read other posts where someone advised keep the recipient site dry for 3-4 days... I tend to personally favor frequently pouring a lukewarm solution of dissolved epsom salts over my head several times a day and use the folligen spray a couple times a day, but this is not really based on anything more than a gut feeling. Any opinions of people who are smarter than I am, or more experienced? _________________ 2967 Total Grafts w/ Dr. Cooley on 1/3/07 [1st HT] Hair Count = 5,427 My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cousin_It Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Middleson... Not exactly sure of what advice you are seeking, but one thing I can say, always err on the side of safety, at least for the first 10 days. Up until this time the grafts can be dislodged, especially if there are still scabs attached to them. Not sure what instructions Dr.Cooley gave you, personally my doctor, Feller, didn't give me great deal, so it was up to me to research it. Specifically, what issues are you concerned with or are having problems with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member nobuzz4me Posted January 6, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 6, 2007 Originally posted by Cousin_It: Not sure what instructions Dr.Cooley gave you, personally my doctor, Feller, didn't give me great deal, so it was up to me to research it. Guys, I am a little shocked by this, these docs should have given you clear post-op instructions. I am going in in a few days and my instructions were covered somewhat in the consultation and then I recieved a written packet weeks ago with all instructions for the days prior up thru 10 days post op. NoBuzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cousin_It Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Buzz... Mine were very sketchy, perhaps he has updated things since Oct when I had mine done. Wish I could say more, but I had to find answers on the web, in particular Dr.Bernsteins site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member nobuzz4me Posted January 7, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 7, 2007 Middleson, I think it is best to soften the scabbing for easier removal in 6-10 days. A simple saline solution spray is all you need to moisten several times a day. I think you can use a baby shampoo lightly on the third day and rinse with a cup of water instead of the shower spray. I do not think you want your head to stay dry for several days. I do not have my instructions right in front of me but I do know the biggest danger to your new grafts are pulling out a stubborn scab. You want to let them come off by softening them up and gently rubbing during shampooing with your fingertips. The saline sprays will help. Good luck and heal well! NoBuzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member nobuzz4me Posted January 7, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 7, 2007 Originally posted by Cousin_It:Buzz... Mine were very sketchy, perhaps he has updated things since Oct when I had mine done. Wish I could say more, but I had to find answers on the web, in particular Dr.Bernsteins site. Cuz, yea, Bernstiens site is a wealth of knowledge! NoBuzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member something Posted January 7, 2007 Senior Member Share Posted January 7, 2007 They are your doctors, you paid for their services so they owe you there services which includes all the information you need pre, during and post operation. I am also shocked that people search the internet for post op instructions when your dr should have explained every detail to you in the first place .(Now, to gain information on how other docs prefer to go about post op is not a bad thing) And then, after you called and asked, and are still unsure, contact them and ask again. It is important to have a DR. patient relationship where communication is open. I am not directing this at anyone, just for readers to understand that you hired your Docs, not the other way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Middleson Posted January 7, 2007 Author Senior Member Share Posted January 7, 2007 (well that's the last time I post something after taking Ambien ) Please understand, this is not a matter of being sent home with no post-op instructions...as I said in my original post, I was sent home with good advice and a printed sheet of instructions which includes phone numbers to reach the Doctor and members of staff. I am sure I can follow those instructions and be very well advised and expect great results. This is a matter of me being anal, persnickety, perfectionist, etc.. , combine this with Ambien (which seems to make me unusually loopy) and, well, there you have it. I'm the kind of person that will research and over-analyize most everything. If I have given anyone the impression I was sent home with no instructions or advice then let me clarify that right now. I guess the kind of thing I was looking for was something like "I rinsed my scalp with saline solution the very next day after surgery...rinsed it several times per day for the first week, keeping my scalp moist...I had very few scabs which came off easily by rinsing and most of the donor hair remained and started growing." No? _________________ 2967 Total Grafts w/ Dr. Cooley on 1/3/07 [1st HT] Hair Count = 5,427 My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Middleson Posted January 7, 2007 Author Senior Member Share Posted January 7, 2007 Before someone else says it, let me give myself some good advice: "Chill out, everything will be fine. " _________________ 2967 Total Grafts w/ Dr. Cooley on 1/3/07 [1st HT] Hair Count = 5,427 My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cousin_It Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Middleson... Good Advice, if that doesn't work, pop another pill, LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Middleson, Regarding post op care, it's easy...you really don't have to do anything except dry heal. There are many products out there that people have recommended, copper peptides, graftcyte, etc, however, none of these are necessary in order to heal well. Ultimately, follow your washing instructions per your doctor and make sure you wash every day. By about day 7, begin gently massaging your fingertips over the grafts when you are in the shower. Start ver gently (as Cousin_It said, err on the side of caution initially). Each day, you may begin to be a little more aggressive on the scabs...but only rub with your fingertips in circular motions...don't use your nails by any means. Cousin_It, I'm also surprised to hear Dr. Feller didn't give you very clear post op instructions. Each doctor I've been to have been very thorough with documentation on it, though admittedly, the post op care has been a little different, but not much, from each doctor. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill - Seemiller Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Michael, Just read the topic...lol. Don't obsess over it man...doing less is better than doing more when you are healing. Dr. Hasson believes in a "dry" healing, with the exception of washing every day as I described above. The only thing that was recommended to me to help with redness after 10 days (though you might want to wait 2 weeks) is to use Aloe or Vitamin E Oil. I find Vitamin E oil difficult to apply because of it's thick oily content...so I used Aloe...personally, I love the stuff..helps soothe the itch as well. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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