DAY 1 post-op with questions!!

[tigre99]

Hello all,
I am one day after my procedure and I've just found this board today. I've been reading several of the stories and it's great to find so much encouragement in one place. I'm still a relative novice, though, so hopefully you can indulge a few simple questions.

First a little about me. I'm 31 and at about a level 5 loss, but with a slightly different pattern. I still had a strong tuft in front that was holding the line, heh, but the top and back were losing the battle. So I had a 1200 graft procedure done yesterday at the Bosley office here in LA. I am tall enough (6'5") I just had the area immediately in front reinforced since that's mostly what people see unless I'm sitting or bent over, I'll just have to live with the comb over in back for a while longer.
So as for my novice questions, I asked these at the clinic, but I'd love to get the feedback of guys that have been there, done that.

1) How soon is it safe to start wearing a normal hat?
2) They mentioned massaging the doner area to losen up the skin & prevent scarring, but how much should this be done and how soon?
3) What has been your experience with the redness in the recipient area and how long it takes to get better? Not completely go back to normal mind you, but enough to were it wasn't a beacon of attention?

And then just an open ended question, what was the biggest surprise for you post-procudure?

Thanks everyone for listening and providing any feedback!

 

[s.a.f]

1) Its best to leave wearing as hat for as long as possible you dont want anything touching the grafts for at least 4 days minimum.
2) Never heard of that before, :shock: it sounds like it would'nt help healing and might stretch the scar.
3) Redness takes maybe 3 wks to fade and then it will be just like a very faint rash.

I'm 31 and at about a level 5 loss, but with a slightly different pattern. I still had a strong tuft in front that was holding the line, heh, but the top and back were losing the battle. So I had a 1200 graft procedure done yesterday at the Bosley office

I dont really know what to say about that except I wish you'd found this site about 6months ago.

 

[WebBubba]

After my procedure, the doctor gave me both a very loose trucker style hat and a bandana to wear home. I wore the bandana for the first week, because it was the most comfortable and it could puff up above the grafts. (plus it gave me and excuse to wear that rocker look in public..hehe).

When they said massage the donor area, did they mean before the procedure to improve laxity? I wouldn't massage the donor area after the procedure. It's way too sore.

My experience with the redness was that it was quite red for the first two or three weeks, then faded some after that. My skin is very fair, so redness is obvious. But, now, six weeks out, I still have what looks like I've been out in the sun for a bit, but it's not as bad as I had anticipated. I frequently go out in public now without a hat.

My biggest surprise post-op was the extent of numbness in both donor and recipient area and the tightness. I had 3700 grafts so perhaps your surgery of fewer grafts will mean you won't have as much as I have.

Take it easy for a few weeks. Have a good recovery!