Regular Member Rugman Posted April 23, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted April 23, 2009 I am 9 days post 4801 grafts w/Dr. Wong, am planning to wait a few extra days prior to removal of staples. I have some serious tightness around the donor area especially at the last 2-3" of the end of each incision above my ears. Has anyone else experienced this and should I leave the staples in a little longer just to be safe that skin has stretched/loosened enough? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Rugman Posted April 23, 2009 Author Regular Member Share Posted April 23, 2009 I am 9 days post 4801 grafts w/Dr. Wong, am planning to wait a few extra days prior to removal of staples. I have some serious tightness around the donor area especially at the last 2-3" of the end of each incision above my ears. Has anyone else experienced this and should I leave the staples in a little longer just to be safe that skin has stretched/loosened enough? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member biscuit Posted April 24, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 I would go with Dr Wong's suggestion for how long to keep the staples in place. I found that I could relieve the slight tension by using my hand to stretch the skin on my neck toward the scar. Kind of like a neck massage in the upward direction only. Make sure you are not putting tension on the scar. Never stretch it away from the scar. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - My HT Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jonrctim Posted April 24, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 I'm a month and a half post op, 3000 FUT, and had the same feeling of serious tightness around the donor area above the ears. I had the staples removed after ten days and there has been no problems with the skin being stretched/loosened enough. Keep the staples in too long and you could end up with train marks for a good few months. Like biscuit says go with Dr Wong's suggestion to be safe. Did you experience any shock loss in the donor area?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Rugman Posted April 24, 2009 Author Regular Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 Thanks to all for the good info (especially the train marks). In my mind I was thinking that the longer the staples stay in the tighter the healing process on the incision line. Also I will work on the upward neck stretch/massage as that sounds like a good process to stretch the skin and alleviate pressure without potentially widening the scar. As for the shock loss--I have not had any shock loss in the donor area as of yet, nor any shock loss on the temple region or the top or crown but am assuming that it will start within the next week or two. Any regimen to combat shock loss or is it inevitable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jonrctim Posted April 24, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 Its not inevitable mate. Infact, from what i've been told its actually not common at all but can occur when the tension is too tight. I'm sure you'll be fine ... Good luck bro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member kaounis Posted April 24, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 I am 4 days out from a 2000 graft procedure, my second, my Dr. said that my scalp was tighter than most, so he did a double layer closure, tri., I also asked if I should keep the staples in longer, to help minimize strech...he said bad idea because the skin can begin to grow aeound the staples thereby creating more scar tissue...Listen to your doc...that's what you paid him for...good luck and happy growing... Just a thought from the peanut gallery... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Dr. William Lindsey Posted April 24, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 Tightness is normal. I often tell prospective patients that I have 1 guy every year who just has a tough time with that tightness and numbness for a few months. This year it was the really excellent scar result that I posted Monday. He called me weekly and came in about every other week for a check. Now at 9 weeks, he says he has no tightness and the numbness is gone; and his scar is perfect. The tough part now is convincing him that his smoking didn't accelerate his healing! He thinks it did. Dr. Lindsey McLean VA William H. Lindsey, MD, FACS McLean, VA Dr. William Lindsey is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member kaounis Posted April 24, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 I'm also a smoker, do you think it will accelerate my healing Dr. Lindsey?....lol Just a thought from the peanut gallery... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member TheEmperor Posted April 24, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 Originally posted by Rugman:Thanks to all for the good info (especially the train marks). In my mind I was thinking that the longer the staples stay in the tighter the healing process on the incision line. I can remember some H&W repair patients whose main objective was a better scar. At least one patient was instructed to keep the staples in longer. Some people have pain and discomfort from staples, others none at all. I think there is at least a hope that by keeping the staples in longer, you might have a better long term scar. I would contact your doctor and ask if you can keep them in longer. You absolutely do not want to dismiss the importance of a thin scar just because you may be planning a follow up. I can tell you that scar width is one of the things that will really influence your overall satisfaction with the procedure. Take no chances. My Hair Loss Web Site - Hair Transplant with Dr. Wong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member imissthebarber Posted April 24, 2009 Senior Member Share Posted April 24, 2009 I think there is at least a hope that by keeping the staples in longer, you might have a better long term scar. I agree you should focus on the long-term result you are looking for not the short-term discomfort. If there is tension and you take the staples out it seems logical that the tension will be relieved by the scar stretching slightly. Check with the doc. If the pain is bad I would look into gettings stronger painkillers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Dr. William Lindsey Posted April 27, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted April 27, 2009 No, I was being sarcastic about the smoking! As to leaving skin closure in longer...if there is a deep layer, like we and many docs do, then there is no advantage to leaving in the sutures, and in fact could make the scar worse by leaving suture tracks. Thus I am pretty uptight about sutures out around day 7. Dr. Lindsey McLean VA William H. Lindsey, MD, FACS McLean, VA Dr. William Lindsey is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest comb Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Dr Lindsey, that's true for suture closures where absorbable deep layer sutures are used, but what about when staples are used? Do you think the longer you keep them, the better? Ultimately Rugman, I would go with Dr Wong's recommendation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Dr. William Lindsey Posted April 28, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted April 28, 2009 All depends on if there is a deep layer closure. If yes, there is no advantage to keeping skin closure in place more than 7 days for the average patient....in my experience. When I was a resident from '91-95, we'd staple closed HUGE face and neck reconstructions in patients who had terrible cancers, had already had radiation therapy to that area, and some were still smoking. We never left staples in past 9 days. Either the wounds/scars did very well; or they broke down...usually a result of having 7000 rads of radiation to the area preop....never from taking out the staples. Dr. Lindsey McLean VA William H. Lindsey, MD, FACS McLean, VA Dr. William Lindsey is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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