Spray tanning ok after HT?

[motoman]

A question for the HT Docs on here or anyone with experience. I am thinking a spray tan should help blend guys with light to med brown hair not look so sparse while they are awaiting growth. The one thing I am worried about is the Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) that is in spray tanners, does anyone know if that ingredient or any other commonly found ingredient in spray tanners poses a threat to the newly placed grafts?

Thank you.

[mynameisred]

Hey Motoman, Did you end up doing it? I ask because I'm 2.5 weeks post op and I have the same redness on the recipient area and I haven't found the any answers to that question.

I'd assume that at some point after HT it should be ok to spray tan but I guess the question here is, is it weeks, month or years?

I asked my doctor but he said he didn't have a prior case.

[Still-Researching]

Hi mynameisred and motoman,

I am 1.5 months post op from a large FUE session and just like you - still a bit red in the recipient area. I would personally not use spray tan or anything else than maybe some make-up powder from your girlfriend or similar (I have not done it) - my doctor advised to give the recipient area as much peace as possible for as long as possible to enable growth. So I am doing nothing to the area besides aloe vera creme and simply gave the explanation of a serious sun burn during my vacation, and my colleagues seem to believe that.

[mynameisred]

Ok! So, I'm pretty thorough when it comes to research and I came across the following:

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/June10/PutnamBiomaterial.html

I have read it on other websites too just google DHA tanning post surgery. If the resources are true or maybe if we can have a proactive doctor on this thread we might be on to something here.

based on that information in the link DHA in tanning lotions heals wounds faster which is what we want right? And also with a nice tan we can all stop making excuses about that custom made visor sunburn.

I really think a doctor should look into that cause if it works, it would be by far the best solution for post op redness but again only if it's true. So, ask around people.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

If there is still some redness from the procedure I would recommend keeping the transplanted area covered. It can help to make the skin on the forehead blend in better witht the frontal part of the scalp.