11 days post operation. Did I dislodge or damage my hair grafts? (photo)

Question

I was washing the lotion off the recipient area using water only. However, some lotion stuck amongst my head scabs. Then, I started using water along with fingers ( gently massaging down) to get rid off of the remining lotion. By doing this, few scabs and dead skin were falling off alongside with one hair or two. I'm a bit concern about the possibility of damaging my grafts by doing the above. Please help.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

It is best to follow up with your surgeon to make sure you are cleaning your scalp and hair well.  Most of the scabs should be done after one to two weeks.

Cory S. Goldberg, BSc, MD, FRCS(C) · Answer

Hello Adam in London,(Is the Ceeps Tavern still open on Richmond street?)For the most part, it is usually best if you follow the instructions for post-operative care that your surgeon gave you, but some general points apply to everyone:At 11 days post-procedure, it is highly unlikely that you dislodged your grafts by washing and gentle massage, as long as you didn't use your fingernails.  The grafts should be taken and well-attached at this point.Your photo shows significant crusting.  You should be washing with shampoo and water, not just water.  Baby shampoo is very safe and has no harsh additives.  The shampoo will help wash away the skin, oil and the dried blood debris that builds up on your scalp and forms crusts around the hair follicles.  This is what I suggest to all patients who haven't washed well post-op and have a lot of crusting and debris around their grafts (and this applies to all surgical incisions, not just hair grafts).  Wash twice daily with shampoo (baby shampoo) and water and gently towel dry.  After each wash and dry, apply a thin layer of vaseline to the area of crusting with your finger tips (not nails). Vaseline is better than polysporin.  The vaseline will help to gently soften the crusts over time, and the shampoo and water will help to loosen and wash them away.  It should take only a few days to do the trick. Just don't scratch your scalp or rub it hard with a towel, as there is a small chance you could damage the grafts.  And remember that those little hair grafts are going to shed in the next 1 - 2 weeks and disappear, which is normal and temporary.

Ilhan Serdaroglu, MD · Answer

Do not worry.Transplanted graft’s hair starts to shedding in the first week of surgery and may go on untill 4-6 th weeks after surgery. İt is not surprising to lost approx.  %70-80 of all transplanted hair shafts in first month when you are washing, gently rubbing  or touching the head. İt is shock loss and not permanent. Even your native hair may affected with that post traumatic transient hair loss&hellip;New hair at transplant and donor area starts to grow at 3-4 th month after surgery .

Sean Behnam, MD · Answer

Starting after a few days you should have been gently rubbing them off with your fingers while you shower by using baby shampoo to soften the scabs- did your surgeon instruct you to do otherwise? The scabs should be mostly or completely gone by now. Hairs generally start shedding around this time too, so it's not unusual to see them fall out with the scabs.

Amit Gupta, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Thank you for asking this question.
Almost 2 weeks post-transplant there is very little that can cause any damage to the transplanted grafts as they are completely healed by then. Scabbing is a very normal phenomenon post-transplant and it has to go by itself. Any intentional scratch or attempt to remove it may end up damaging the hair follicle. Looking at the picture, we would advise to please clean the transplanted area. If you find some scabs difficult to go then you can try a cotton piece dipped in Luke-warm water and keep it over that particular scab for 10 to 15 minutes before head wash. The cleaner the transplant the better the growth.
  
Good luck!
  
Regards, Dr. Amit Gupta

11 days post operation. Did I dislodge or damage my hair grafts? (photo)

Answers (7)

Answer: Scabbing

Answer: Scabbing

Answer: Hair transplant

Answer: Hair transplant

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11 days post operation. Did I dislodge or damage my hair grafts? (photo)

Answers (7)

Answer: Scabbing

Answer: Scabbing

Answer: Hair transplant

Answer: Hair transplant

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.