FUE hair transplant donor area. 12 days out. Should I be concerned? (Photo)

Question

I had an FUE procedure done on February 1st, 2017. Currently 12 days out and I'm worried about the donar area of my scalp. It's still red, is a bit itchy, and has a thickness to it. You can also still see the dots on the back. Should I be concerned or will this all pass with time?

Ozge Ergun, MD · Answer

The redness after the surgery at the donor side is common . If you feel pain or anything else than you should contact your surgeon for post op care instructions.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

If you are having issues after surgery, especially with "redness" you should contact your doctor.  Photos are not a substitute for an examination.

David Deutsch, MD · Answer

Based on the photos you provided it looks like a normal appearance for 12 days.There are still some scabs which could be removed with massaging during your hair wash.Itching and redness may persist for several weeks.With time the donor area should regain a normal appearance.Check with your surgeon regarding hair washing instructions.

Edmond Griffin, MD · Answer

Just like any other form of hair transplant surgery, follicular unit extraction (or FUE) is NOT a “scarless” technique and will result in some degree of scarring, regardless of what you may have heard. Whenever an incision is made in the skin some degree of scarring will always result. While it is true that an FUE procedure does not produce a single linear scar like follicular unit grafting (or FUG), it will produce dozens of tiny, circular scars throughout the donor area which can potentially be even more noticeable. One of the most important elements of any successful hair transplant procedure is making sure that those scars are as small and faint as possible, and this requires a surgeon with a great deal of skill and experience.
Fortunately, most scars do gradually fade over time, but every patient heals at their own rate, so it can be difficult to tell whether your case is atypical without a thorough examination. Even though recovery time after hair transplantation is usually minimal, some patients do experience redness and itching two weeks or even a month after their procedure. The symptoms you describe are typically signs that the scalp is healing, but it is difficult to know for sure based solely on the pictures that you have provided. I would recommend that you reach out to the surgeon who performed your procedure to make sure that you are not experiencing a mild post-operative infection, such as common folliculitis. As with any form of surgery, I would also encourage you to attend all post-surgical follow-up visits, take all prescribed medications, and carefully adhere to the hair maintenance plan that you formulated with your doctor prior to your procedure.

Baubac Hayatdavoudi, MD · Answer

It is normal for the donor region to look thin and a bit red just 12 days post op. Don't worry, it will continue healing and thicken up over time.

Sean Behnam, MD · Answer

A little redness and mild discomfort isn't anything to be concerned about so soon after your surgery. These symptoms generally go away within a month. But, if these issues start to worsen or show no improvement by that time you should ask your doctor about them. The dots should become less obvious over the next several months.

Matt Tahsini, MD · Answer

Thank you for the post and comment. So far, this looks like the normal part of recovery. Make sure you clean your donor region with a clean cloth towel, and massage it. You can also apply Minoxidil. The tiny marks should go away within time. This can take a few more days, to weeks to improve. Any questions or concerns, you should contact the clinic that performed your procedure. Best.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

There are crusts present which will increase the itch. Better washing is indicated to get rid of the crusts

FUE hair transplant donor area. 12 days out. Should I be concerned? (Photo)

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