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Shock loss in donor area (Photo)

i had fue 1200 grafts done around 3 months ago....beg of march 2016...it is now mid june 2016...when i take pictures with flash on the camera you can see the concerned area...also when i buzz the back to a number 2 the barbers ask me if i have a rash etc...however when i asked a stranger, under normal lighting, if they noticed anything they said they could not tell.. do you think the donor area will recover as the whole point of the surgery was to be able to cut my hair short?

Doctor Answers 5

February 16th, 2017

Shock Loss

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3 months is still fairly early, it often takes longer for a donor area affected by shock loss to fully recover. Redness remaining at this point is a little unusual but not unheard of- as long as it's not severe and seems to be diminishing it's no reason to worry, but you can talk to your doctor about it and they may give you some recommendations to help reduce it.

Sean Behnam, MD


Santa Monica Hair Restoration Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 85 reviews

June 24th, 2016

Hair loss in the donor area after FUE hair transplant

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It is normal to have thining in the donor area after soon FUE hair transplant. Unfortunately many doctors that advertise FUE as noninvasive hair transplant fail to mention this to their clients which leaves their cleonts in shock when thining actually happens. 
Michael Meshkin, MD

Michael Meshkin, MD
Newport Beach Hair Restoration Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 28 reviews

June 24th, 2016

FUE is not a scarless surgery. You may see thinning or hair loss that seem "patchy" especially if you have black hair and fair

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FUE is not a scarless surgery. You may see thinning or hair loss that seem "patchy" especially if you have black hair and fair skin.

Learn more: https://newhair.com/resources/

Jae Pak, MD

Jae Pak, MD
Los Angeles Hair Restoration Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 102 reviews

June 23rd, 2016

Redness in the donor area

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Yes, redness in the donor area post FUE is very normal. It will take a few more months for everything to resolve. This does not mean shock loss necessarily. In fact, shock loss with a 1200 graft  FUE procedure would be unusual. 

Within a year, it would be unusual for your barber to make comments about a 'rash'. What you are describing is very normal at the 3 month mark.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD
Vancouver Dermatologist

June 23rd, 2016

FUE and donor area

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You have scarring from the FUE and this may or may not be a shock loss phenomenon. Only time will tell as shock loss will reverse.
William Rassman, MD

William Rassman, MD
Los Angeles Hair Restoration Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 28 reviews

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.