I'm 5.5 months post FUE, 1000 grafts, and it looks like a failure so far. What should I do? (Photo)

Question

I'm 40 years old, had FUE transplant of 1000 grafts 5.5 months ago. Almost immediately, I noticed folliculitis. I've consulted with a second doctor who informed me that some grafts were planted too deeply, so I took antibiotics. Now, at 5.5 months, it hasn't improved much and I'm still seeing ingrown hairs and some potential scarring, but everyone is telling me to just wait. Any recommended treatment this point? Can I expect any more growth? How can I repair this damage? Is it even possible?

Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Dear AndreKramer,Thank you for writing in with your question.  I understand that doctors are telling you to wait and see.  You’re clearly having some inflammation in the recipient area, and this could be related to grafts planted too deeply, and could also be related to increased sebaceous gland activity, or a combination of the two.  Typically inflammation like this tends to subside by this time, as the whiteheads and pimples caused by the transplant tend to be limited in nature, and a self-limited problem.  Sometimes a low dose of antibiotics over a few weeks can help to reduce the problem, but it sounds like you took those.  Not sure how long you took them for, but this is clearly not an ideal result, and I would consult with the surgeon you chose to perform your procedure about this problem.  In terms of repairing the damage, you’ll need to wait until the new hair has had a chance to grow in.  This will be at about 8-9 months following your procedure.  Hopefully the inflammation will have calmed down substantially.  Eventually the inflammation will subside, but if it’s caused by placing epidermis and dermis (the top layers of skin) too deeply, it could take some time.  A surgical “repair” is generally not possible until the skin in the treated area has healed.I hope you find this information helpful to you.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

In general it takes 6 to 12 months to see the results of a hair transplant surgery.  Folliculitis can be normal and it does not mean the surgery was a failure.  If you believe the surgery was a failure, you still need to wait up to about a year to consider options.

Sara Salas, MD · Answer

You need to go have a second opinion quite quickly… He probably still need to be on antibiotics, and some intervention and possibly needing some of these hairs free if it’s causing you pain discomfort or just plain out Infected.  This is quite unheard of in this day and time to go. So many graphs so the clinic must’ve been an experience.

Robert M. Bernstein, MD · Answer

At this time, the ingrown hairs should be released and the localized
infection (folliculitis) of the recipient area treated with antibiotics
(topical or oral). Topical steroids can be helpful if there is significant
inflammation.  It is advisable to see
your local physician for the best course of treatment.  You should wait a full year to determine the
outcome of a hair transplant procedure.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for taking the time to post. This is challenging and it's important to continue close follow up with your physician just like you're doing. If there is inflammation, be that folliculitis, infection-related or other, a number of treatments might be considered to halt the process and halt potential destruction of other hairs.  The degree of current acute, inflammation, scarring, chronic inflammation and infection can sometimes be further evaluated with a scalp biopsy and culture. Depending on the results, a host of options are available to halt inflammation, not only antibiotics, but retinoids, steroid injections and other anti-inflammatory approaches

Rashid M. Rashid, PhD, MD · Answer

could be a cause of this.  However, so could the folliculitis cause long term issues.   But  many other variables could come into play for the causes of whats going on.  Have you done a follow up with your original doctor?  Most issues resolve after a full 18 months, but of course nothing in medicine is always 100% in 100% of people.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

You should go back to your surgeon and give him the courtesy to help you. Don't write him off. If he was good enough for you to select him, he should be good enough to follow our post operative problems.

I'm 5.5 months post FUE, 1000 grafts, and it looks like a failure so far. What should I do? (Photo)

Answers (7)

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