Donor Area Shock Loss Around the Hair Transplant Scar?

This question was posed  by a female hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss  help  on our hair restoration forum  and answered by  Dr. Michael Beehner  of Saratoga Springs, NY who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. His professional answer is below.

I’m at 2 months after hair transplant surgery and have noticed shock loss directly above and below the scar line. I’m wondering if this is normal, or could it be a stretched scar?  Also I’ve notice that my hair growth has basically stopped in the donor area. Is this normal?

Post hair restoration surgery telogen effluvium or “shock loss” above and below the donor scar should be a fairly rare occurrence. It doesn’t happen everyday – or at least shouldn’t.

It is well known that the cause of telogen hair loss around the donor scar is too tight of a closure, which usually is related to taking too wide a strip in that particular section of the head. This is most commonly a problem at the two “corners” behind the mastoid bone. Fortunately, in the great majority of cases, after a few months the hair starts to regrow again, but in severe cases it can be a permanent loss.

Bottom line: it shouldn’t happen.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

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Bill
Associate Publisher

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