THE SCAR!

[u120]

Have had 5 hair transplants since 1994. First couple were done by a not so skilled surgeon and although the grafts look great, that damn line in the back of my head is bad. I really wanna buzz my head this summer. I am kinda btw a NW2 and NW3. My hairline is stronger than a NW3 but my vertex is thin. SO I guess a NW2 Vertex.

Anyway, does anybody have any reccomendations regarding concealing the scar after buzzing. I would hate to have to answer a gazillion times,"did you have brain surgery?"

 

[Guest]

How I wish every Doctor and clinic would inform patients up front that when doing hair transplant surgery, and especially strip, one cannot successfully be able to wear their hair shorter than a number three guide, two at shortest, to hide the linear scar. Many FUE patients who have sustained substatial amounts of extractions from the scalp donor also face this same challenge. That's the trade off and obviously one of the disadvantages of hair transplant surgery. It should be considered up front before a final decision is made. Please don't get me wrong. It's not that you did something out of the ordinary. I just wish this was disclosed in every consultation to every patient.

A few questions. How wide is the scar? Is there one or several scars? Is there potential to revise it and make it/them much thinner? Any redness or surface raising of the scars?

If the scar is already very thin, you can also consider having FUE implanted into the scar.

Best wishes to you in your resolve. You may end up wearing your hair a bit longer than you want to. I'm sure it won't affect your social life to wear it a bit longer. :hairy:

 

[u120]

Thanks for the response. At its worst point the scar is probably 1/2 inch wide. This is on the left side of my head exactly where my first surgeon tied off the incision. Im sure I can have more surgery done to correct it, but Im just not ready to deal with scalpels again right now. The remainder ear to ear scar is actually not terrible, but I do have dark hair, and it is noticeable. Today I buzzed it all with a #3. Couldnt resist the urge. I very happy with the way my hairline looks as well as the rest of the grafts on my top. Im just hoping for a simple option in helping hide this damn scar! Thanks again

 

[pinkfloyd7]

hey guys i got a question.
If u did get a hair transplant is it almost gurantteed that you'll have scarring?

 

[Mahair]

Ya, Pink. You might even be worse off. Nevermind the lifelong complications. Boob job anyone?

 

[pinkfloyd7]

will it be very visible scarring? even if u have long here? cause if so this sucks

 

[retropunk]

Have had 5 hair transplants since 1994. First couple were done by a not so skilled surgeon and although the grafts look great, that d*** line in the back of my head is bad. I really wanna buzz my head this summer. I am kinda btw a NW2 and NW3. My hairline is stronger than a NW3 but my vertex is thin. SO I guess a NW2 Vertex.

Anyway, does anybody have any reccomendations regarding concealing the scar after buzzing. I would hate to have to answer a gazillion times,"did you have brain surgery?"

This isn't exactly what you're asking, but you can try to get surgery to conceal the scar. It's called trichophytic closure - or something.

 

[u120]

tricophytic closure? cool, never heard of it. Gonna Googe it now thanks. Dont want to go thru another surgery, but may be worth it

regarding the scar and hair transplant, I do know that surgeons have gotten much better with the donor area site, but it is virtually impossible to not have the visible scar running across the back of your head. Entirely undetectable until you buzz cut.

 

[retropunk]

tricophytic closure? cool, never heard of it. Gonna Googe it now thanks. Dont want to go thru another surgery, but may be worth it

regarding the scar and hair transplant, I do know that surgeons have gotten much better with the donor area site, but it is virtually impossible to not have the visible scar running across the back of your head. Entirely undetectable until you buzz cut.

Even with the trichophytic closure, it may still be noticable. Using a #3 clip, I think it'll be invisible. Here's an example.

If it really is 1/2" wide, I'm not sure if you have enough scalp/skin, but it's one possibility.

 

[s.a.f]

Have had 5 hair transplants since 1994. First couple were done by a not so skilled surgeon.

Norton ?

Hassan and Wong have a vid of a patient shaving down to grade 1 and the tri-closure scar is barely visible.

Many guys with bad scars use concealer/sprays to hide them if they have their hair short.

 

[u120]

spray? like what? sorry, not familiar.

 

[s.a.f]

There's one called Mane its basicly used as a concealer for thinning/bald patches.

 

[Guest]

Probably the best thing you can do is to get several opinions from several talented surgeons with reputations for doing good repair work. They will teast your elasticity, evaluate a potential revision, or possibly fill in the area using FUE, or a combination of several techniques.

 

[powersam]

there are treatments which can reduce scars as well, the company that makes folligen makes a scar reduction treatment. also skin needling has been spoken of highly in other forums for scar reduction.

if you do get the scar revised, make sure to apply vitamin e daily. i just had a novel thought also, find a forum in which women discuss their caesaren scars and how best to reduce the scar.

 

[u120]

What do you guys think about tattooing the area of the donor site. I was wondering how some lines tattooed onto the site to help with the contrast would do. Maybe even like criss crosses...anything just to cut down on the whit scar next to my dark hair. I am also aware that some day if i am lucky, i will be grey....thats gonna be another whole new problem....actually that will help conceal the scar, but then i will have those damn tattoo lines????? God Damn Vanity!!!!

 

[recboi]

Have had 5 hair transplants since 1994. First couple were done by a not so skilled surgeon.

Norton ?

Hassan and Wong have a vid of a patient shaving down to grade 1 and the tri-closure scar is barely visible.

Many guys with bad scars use concealer/sprays to hide them if they have their hair short.

What kind of concealer/spray do they use to hide the scar? I just had anightmare last night that if I got cancer, and my hair fell out, I'd have all of this open donor holes, the linear scar, and the cobblestoning up front.....

 

[s.a.f]

Sprays can only work to hide thinning areas by coating hair and scalp so the scalp does'nt show through. If you got cancer and lost your hair they would be no use. But anyway if you had cancer that (scars) would be the least of your worries.

 

[powersam]

Have had 5 hair transplants since 1994. First couple were done by a not so skilled surgeon.

Norton ?

Hassan and Wong have a vid of a patient shaving down to grade 1 and the tri-closure scar is barely visible.

Many guys with bad scars use concealer/sprays to hide them if they have their hair short.

What kind of concealer/spray do they use to hide the scar? I just had anightmare last night that if I got cancer, and my hair fell out, I'd have all of this open donor holes, the linear scar, and the cobblestoning up front.....

i honestly think the strip incision with the tricophytic closure technique is the best option. you get more viable hairs for the area of skin removed, and if done well the scar looks close to invisible, to me at least.

 

[Guest]

I agree although not everyone is a candidate for the triclosure technique.