Thinning around Strip scar???

[Jsuave]

I'm post 2 months from my surgery and I notice when i look at the back of my head where my scar is(which i estimate is 2mm wide), there is an indent in my hair. You can clearly see an absense of density from ear to ear. it looks alot wider than the scar itself. When I lift my hair up to look at the scar it seems there is some space from where the scar ends and the density of where my hair begins, giving some illusion of an even wider scar.
Could this be to to some thinning or loss from the actual surgery? Do you thing the adjacent hair to the scar will fill in? or is it a casualty of the surgery?

[gillenator]

I'm post 2 months from my surgery and I notice when i look at the back of my head where my scar is(which i estimate is 2mm wide), there is an indent in my hair. You can clearly see an absense of density from ear to ear. it looks alot wider than the scar itself. When I lift my hair up to look at the scar it seems there is some space from where the scar ends and the density of where my hair begins, giving some illusion of an even wider scar.
Could this be to to some thinning or loss from the actual surgery? Do you thing the adjacent hair to the scar will fill in? or is it a casualty of the surgery?

Jsuave,

It would help alot to have pics and if you could put a few up, you would probably get more replies. OR, you can e-mail them to me in total confidence and then I will get back to you and offer my opinion. I have seen thousands of strip scars over the past thirty years.

Anyway, let me give you my "educated" opinion. I think probably what's going on is that you have some degree of post-op shockloss around the scar. I have seen it countless times. It's probably just a light thinning though, not dramatic shockloss in the whole area. That can happen too but extremely rare.

Yours may be the type of thinning that was caused by the strip excision. There is a varying level of trauma and stress caused to the surrounding tissue once the strip is excised and the area is sutured. The underlying hair follicles in that immediate surrounding area go dormant (telogen) and shed. Hence, the thinning begins. See what I mean?

Do I think there is some serious damage caused? It's doubtful or there probably would be more swelling and/or redness in the area. Possibly the area is a tad bit pink? There is additional damage done to the severed blood vessels and nerves but in time, they heal and the nerves even regrow.

Also, being two months post-op is still in that "window" period of when surrounding hair gets shocked (goes dormant). It's between 2 weeks and two months for most patients. That's from my own observations over the years.

I am not a doctor as my disclaimer states below however if you want my two cents, I think you will be just fine with time. What you are seeing and experiencing is not abnormal and the area should get thicker. Remember, it will take another 3-4 months for those dormant follicles to rest and re-enter the growth phase and then several more months to gain any length.

And let's not forget, pretty soon you'll have the new growth in the recipient area. The best is yet to come. You're gonna be fine bro!

[Jsuave]

Yeah, that helps a lot. It makes a lot of sense. thank you.

Hopefully in the months to come the area around the strip scar will fill in a bit more and not give such an indention in my hair. It looks like I have "hat head" all the time. There is a ridge in my hair that goes ear to ear.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation. It always helps to hear from more experienced people.

[Spex]

Hi there, as Gill has mentioned it sounds like classic Shockloss. Its VERY common so dont worry and ride it out mate. after 4-5 months it will pretty much be back to 100% i'm pretty sure.

Best regards
spex

[Dr. Lindsey]

I agree. I posted a case a while back on the toughest marine I'd ever worked with. He followed zero instructions, came in with his head shaved at 2 months worried about the scar...and then showed up at 5 months and a week unexpectedly and was wearing a hat. When he took it off, he had probably a 9 or 10 month result of hair growth and his scar, which had a lot of shockloss above and below it at 2 months, was virtually imperceptible.

So yes, this is common and fortunately it often resolves by 5 or 6 months.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Winston]

I think you’ll be just fine. Shock loss in the donor happens and from what I have read will begin to grow back after about 3 months.

[gillenator]

I know it's difficult to wait, but I really think you'll start seeing an improvement in several more months.

Best wishes to you Suave...

[dgman21]

What time does spencer kobren air on tuesdays??

[tbtadmin]

He’s on 10pmEST/7pmPST tonight.

[gillenator]

What time does spencer kobren air on tuesdays??

You can get caught up with the program on Sunday evenings too!

[CollegeStudent1]

Also Experiencing This Issue

Hi all,

I just read everything in this thread above and it sounds like what I'm experiencing. "Hat head" is exactly how I'd describe it, except a little more problematic is it cuts off and outlines exactly where my scar is, which does not always look as natural (can vary depending on bedhead, showers, etc).

It sounds like it must be the shock loss you guys have described. The lack of hair is so clearly right around my scar that I recently asked someone if it could be because they shaved my head for the incision, which then I was corrected as my head was not shaved at all.

Is there any way to mask this? I've tried hair thickening fibers to not much avail. Was wondering if possibly a hair cut (with me telling the barber the goal is to mask the area around the scar) could hide it? Might be worth noting I also naturally have very light and thin hair so my scar has the potential to be more noticeable than others through my hair.

Any ideas and/or responses are very appreciated.

Thanks!