Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

This question comes from a member of our hair loss social community and discussion forums:

One week ago, I underwent hair transplant surgery via the follicular unit transplantation (FUT) method. After the strip extraction, the physician decided to close the wound with staples. Since then, I’ve been healing well, but I’m eager to get the staples removed. So, I’m wondering: how long after hair transplant surgery are the staples normally removed?

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) via strip surgery incisions can be closed two different ways: with sutures (“stitches”) or with staples. While both methods have advantages and disadvantages, the decision to use one over the other usually comes down to the preference of the operating hair restoration physician. However, despite the method of closure, patients are usually eager to have the sutures or staples removed and continue with their daily lives. So, this leads to the question: how long after hair transplant surgery should staples be removed?

According to most hair restoration experts, staples should be removed somewhere between 12 to 14 days after hair transplant surgery. Some clinics will allow as low as 10 days, especially in cases where travel is necessary, but many use 12 days as the cut-off for staple removal. What’s more, some physicians understand the urgency to remove the staples and will agree to remove every other staple on day 11 or 12, and remove the rest on day 14.

It’s 8 weeks after my hair transplant and last night in my sleep, for the first time and probably due to dry scalp and itchiness, I scratched my head so much that in the morning I noticed there was a lot of hair shedding with the bulb but no bleeding. However later on that day I scratched my head again and I noticed there was minor bleeding here and there. I am worried that I have damaged the grafts and may have lost some. Could you let me know if this is the case?

By 8 weeks after hair restoration surgery, there is little to no danger of harming the follicular unit grafts by scratching your head one evening. However, if the itchiness persists and your repeated scratching results in scarring of the scalp tissue, you can certainly cause permanent hair loss.

To reduce the itchiness and related scratching, I recommend using a dandruff shampoo like Nizoral or simply applying aloe vera gel to your scalp.

—-

David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community

Get Proven Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new online hair loss treatment shop.

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair restoration, follicular unit, hair loss, Nizoral

This question, from a member of our Hair Loss Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Glenn Charles:

I got a follicular unit hair transplant approximately two months ago by the strip method. I got a wound closure called trichophytic and self-dissolving stitches. The donor area felt pretty sore for a while at first and I found it somewhat difficult to sleep as one would expect. However, this subsided greatly after a month and it would have seemed to have healed up very well so far.

On a few occasions, including earlier this evening, I picked at some scabs in the donor area. A few times the scabs that came off in my finger had hairs in them. They were purely white flaky scabs with absolutely no blood. It would seem that the hairs were going through the scabs.

Could somebody please tell me if there is a possibility that I pulled hair follicles out from my head when picking at these scabs or are the hairs that I see interwoven in the scabs simply hairs only that will grow back again?

You cannot pull out the hair follicles at this point (1 month post-op). I do agree with gentle rubbing/messaging to get the scabs off.

Keep in mind that, for the first few months after the procedure, the original hair in the areas that were transplanted and close to donor wound are more fragile.

—-

This question comes from a member of our hair loss social community and discussion forums:

I’m undergoing hair transplant surgery and want to make sure I’m taking care of the new grafts after the procedure. I know cigarettes and direct heat exposure should be avoided after surgery, but what about caffeine? Can drinking caffeine after hair transplant surgery affect the newly implanted grafts and final yield? Should I avoid caffeine after hair transplantation?

The post-operative period is an important time for the newly implanted follicular unit grafts. To help protect the new grafts and eventually obtain good growth, hair restoration surgeons provide patients with a strict set of post-operative instructions. These instructions help patients care for the new grafts, and also provide information about what type of substances and activities should be avoided in the post-operative period. Although avoiding some activities and substances, like tobacco cigarettes and excessive sunlight, are recommended by all hair transplant surgeons, other doctors may have more specific requests, like avoiding caffeine.

However, while many hair transplant surgeons could argue that excessive amounts of caffeine in the post-operative period may cause constriction of blood vessels in the scalp or inappropriate physiological stress, most state that caffeine is okay in moderation. For example, when asked about caffeine usage in the post-operative period, Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Glenn Charles said the following:

This question, from a member of our Hair Loss Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Glenn Charles:

I just had my hair transplant a few days ago with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr. Damkerng Pathomvanich who said that my scalp was very loose. So loose that it might result in a large donor scar. He said I can take a drug called Enalapril to help reduce the appearance of the hair transplant scar. The only possible downsides are coughing and discolored urine. He said it’s inexpensive and I would only have to take it for about 3 months.

Does anybody have some more information on this? I am probably going to take it just to ensure that I have the smallest scar possible for when I want to cut my hair short.

Also if you guys know any other tips to keep my scar from widening I would be interested to hear them.

I have not heard of that drug being used for the purpose of reducing scar formation. However, Dr. Pathomvanich may have some insight that other doctors do not currently have. You really want to avoid excessive flexion of the neck (no chin to chest movements).

People have a tendency to want to test things out to see if there is any pain (like purposeful over flexion of neck to see if donor area is still painful). Don’t try it for several months.

This question, asked by a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition hair restoration physician Dr. Timothy Carman:

I had very bad shock loss with my recent hair restoration and I’m 3 days shy of being 3 months post op. While I’m noticing an increase in hair growth, my hair is still noticeably thinner than it was prior to my surgery. I’ve read a lot of posts where people have regained their shocked hair in 2 months. When is the normal time frame for shock loss to return? I’m referring to non-miniaturized, previously transplanted hairs that fell. Does shocked hair go into the same dormant phase as hair transplant follicles do?

Hair loss due to shock loss will start to return around month 3 to 4 and will continue over the next 8-10 months in a gradual fashion, in the same manner as the transplanted follicles. Some of the finer pre-existing hair may not recover from shock loss. Understanding this observation allows your surgeon to vary the appropriate graft placement density depending upon whether he or she thinks the pre-existing recipient hair will survive or not.

Dr. Timothy Carman
—-
David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community

Creating natural, undetectable results is the most important aspect of any hair transplant procedure. One way hair restoration physicians ensure an impressive post-operative appearance is by creating a natural hairline. But how do hair transplant surgeons re-create a normal hairline during surgery? What do patients need to know about surgical hairline restoration?

In order to answer these important questions, Coalition hair restoration physician Dr. Paul Rose recently wrote an article about creating natural hairlines with hair transplant surgery. According to Dr. Rose:

Hair restoration treatments have come a long way since the “pluggy” procedures of the late ’80s. Still, many patients are hesitant to take the plunge, often worrying that a hair transplant procedure will produce an outcome that is unnatural in appearance. The thought alone can make one feel anxious, and receiving a bad hair transplant may do more to harm one’s self esteem, confidence, and self image than the original balding scalp. 

To help patients feel more comfortable with hair transplant surgery, it may be helpful to consider the 5 characteristics of a natural-looking hairline. By understanding how the frontal hairline is supposed to look, patients are empowered to ask the right kind of questions during a transplant consultation. While it is not recommended that patients be disrespectful or overtly critical of any physician, it is nevertheless important that patients know what to look for when asking how their hairline will be reconstructed. Then, patients can be more confident in the physician’s ability to deliver an end-result that is truly natural in appearance.

This question comes from a member of our hair loss social community and discussion forums:

Ten days ago, I underwent a hair transplant procedure, and I’m wondering how long I need to wait before taking baths? Before surgery, I used to take a daily baths. Is this okay?

By seven to ten days post-op, the new follicular unit grafts are fully anchored and your daily bathing routine shouldn’t affect the final yield. If you were taking daily baths before the surgery, you can likely return to this routine; simply make sure that the water isn’t hot enough to burn your scalp (which could, in theory, damage the grafts).

However, before returning to any daily bathing routine, you should contact your hair transplant clinic and make sure the activity follows their post-operative instructions. Following your hair restoration surgeon’s post-operative instructions helps ensure a positive hair transplant experience and acceptable results.

____________
Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning

Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

Follow our community on Twitter
Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair transplant, hair restoration