Did I destroy my transplanted hair follicles by removing the scabs? (photos)

Question

12 days post-op I removed all the scabs by rubbing on them with my finger. Most of them came off rather easily and I haven't had any bleeding, but there was slight pain sometimes as I was removing them (I suspect some of the transplanted hairs were being plucked) and my scalp still feels slightly numb. Only afterwards did I read that some doctors recommend that the patients not touch their scabs at all. Did I screw up and destroy the transplanted hair follicles by removing the scabs?

Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Thank you for writing in with this question.  The short answer is that you can relax, and know that the grafts are healed in, and that you didn’t do anything bad to the grafts.If you’ve been diligent about using the post-operative nutrient spray, then the grafts are healed in by 5 to 6 days following a hair restoration procedure.  At our clinic I have our patients cover their new grafts on day 8 with clean baby oil, and let it sit for 20 minutes.  Then we ask our patients to hop in the shower and shampoo their hair a few times to get the oil and nearly all of the scabs off.  Scabs falling off is a normal following a hair restoration procedure, so please relax and know that the full results from your hair transplant procedure will not be fully evident for 9 to 12 months.  I hope this information is helpful to you.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

It may be scabs or dried up grafts that may have never taken (even before you pulled on them).  You really cannot tell.   Not all grafts are successfully integrated by your body.  This can be from poor handling of grafts or bad post operative care.

Keith Durante, MD, FACS · Answer

In all actuality what you did may have been helpful. By removing the scabs you allow the follicles to mature quicker and they get better nutrient supply.unless you were extremely vigorous and actually scratched out the follicles which I'm sure you didn't , I would not worry and after 5 to 6 days they've settled in and you'll be fine, just don't be too aggressive with you shampooing !

Michael Meshkin, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

it is safe to remove the scabs after ten days you shouldn't pull out forcefully but may be after the shower when try are a bit looser play with them with your finger tips and they will start to fall off.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

Picking at the crusts can pull out hair. We have published articles on this in medical journals. We tell everyone never to  pick on the crusts as they may very well lose their grafts. See your doctor and find out what damage you may have done, if any.

Jonathan Ballon, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

It's possible that you may have removed a few follicles that didn't "take root" for one reason or another, but if you were able to dislodge them after 12 days they were never going to grow and would have fallen out by themselves eventually. If you only lost a few, it should have no visible impact on your final result.

Did I destroy my transplanted hair follicles by removing the scabs? (photos)

Answers (6)

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