transplant nightmare

[Jack21]

I can tell you that my scar is far, far worse than the one in the photograph. If my scar were that minor I would have absolutely no second thoughts about shaving or buzzing my hair. Even with the length of hair in the after picture my scar would be very noticeable. The doctor obviously removed a very large area of skin from which to take the follicular units - much larger an area than in the case of this patient. My hair has to be about 1 inch long to conceal the scar. The hair in that after picture is between 1/2" - 3/4". I suppose that I should at least see a surgeon who could tell me if there is any hope in reducing the appearance of the scar and recipient area.

[CIT_Girl]

Your story is heart-wrenching to read. I can't believe how cruel some people can be. I think, at this point, you need to do what you can to get away from feeling that you need to wear the hair piece since it is obviously such a burden for you.

As a couple posters have mentioned, there are options for dealing with the scarring in your donor area. Some doctors perform scar revisions (though the results can be a little unpredictable- particularly if your skin is already very stretched from strip surgery) and there's also the option to have some grafts placed in the scar to try and conceal it. I would say that we do at least one or two scar grafting sessions on patients who are dissatisfied with their strip scars each week. Here's one example from our website:



As far as the pluggy-looking recipient area, you can either add hair to camouflage that appearance, redistribute the plugs, or remove them entirely.

[Don'tDoIt]

In response to your question, FUE means Follicular Unit Extraction. For patients undergoing a hair transplant, FUE means taking individual follicular units from the back of the head and putting them one follicular unit at time, in the balding areas.

Relevant to your situation, FUE can also be used to remove transplanted hairs in repair patients who have pluggy recipient areas. Some patients have posted their photos of FUE plug removal. Searching this site and searching the repair section of the Hair Loss Help website can produce examples for you.

Several patients have had good results getting their grafted hairs lasered off as opposed to removal by FUE.

[Jack21]

Yes. The recipient area is bumpy and "pluggy" looking. I will get some batteries for my camera and post soon. Would you explain to me what FUE is?

Jack21, is there a reason aside from your aversion to the horshoe look that prevents you from discarding the piece?

For example, is there something about the recipient area that makes you unwilling to get rid of the rug? Do the grafts look pluggy or unnatural? Because there are options for dealing with unnatural-looking grafts, such as removal of the grafts via laser or FUE. If you can post an image of your recipient area, that would be helpful.

[Don'tDoIt]

Jack21, is there a reason aside from your aversion to the horshoe look that prevents you from discarding the piece?

For example, is there something about the recipient area that makes you unwilling to get rid of the rug? Do the grafts look pluggy or unnatural? Because there are options for dealing with unnatural-looking grafts, such as removal of the grafts via laser or FUE. If you can post an image of your recipient area, that would be helpful.

[Jack21]

Sooner or later that will have to happen b/c I can't take this rug anymore. It is ridiculous looking and restricts my life in so many ways. I would NEVER have gotten it if I had not been approached by a female friend who actually said "You need to get a hair system". Other people told me "Just put on a hat, anything to cover your head". I've been physically wounded and it didn't feel as bad as those words. Seriously. I even had a woman tell me that she would be unable to continue working with me b/c she was so put off by my scalp. Can you believe that? It's gospel. When I heard that..well yo ucan imagine how that feels.

I agree with the suggestion that you let it grow long enough on the sides and in back to cover the scar, and then ditch the rug.

You fear that this strategy will make you look "ugly," but I think you will look just fine. Having a horseshoe of hair is better than having a rug and, in your case, better than exposing the scar.

[Don'tDoIt]

I agree with the suggestion that you let it grow long enough on the sides and in back to cover the scar, and then ditch the rug.

You fear that this strategy will make you look "ugly," but I think you will look just fine. Having a horseshoe of hair is better than having a rug and, in your case, better than exposing the scar.

[Jack21]

im so sorry to hear what happened in your case... have you tried a real short cut that would sufficiently cover the scar, while not let you have too much of a differential between the top and the sides ?

thanks for the sympathy btw. This is the first time I've gone "public" with this stuff and so this is the first time I've ever had anyone express sympathy. So thanks - even though I don't deserve it since the fault is completely mine.

[Jack21]

im so sorry to hear what happened in your case... have you tried a real short cut that would sufficiently cover the scar, while not let you have too much of a differential between the top and the sides ?

I have tried that. I look less frightening as the scars are not visible but I look like a 50 year old man b/c the difference in density at the point where the scar is no longer visible is very great. I could go in that direction I suppose. I would just be very ugly rather than frightening. I used to be a decent looking guy. Even for men - shit even for old soldiers - its tough to go from being a decent looking guy to being an ugly, old looking guy.

[johnasdfd]

im so sorry to hear what happened in your case... have you tried a real short cut that would sufficiently cover the scar, while not let you have too much of a differential between the top and the sides ?

[Jack21]

There's a lot that ca be done to improve widened scars. You should post some images of the scar so some of the experts here can give you advice. Also did you ever use couvre or demmatch on the scar?

I'll do that. Post photos of the scar that is. I did used to put couvre over the scar for a while, and it did disguise the scar. When there was just not enough hair left on top, howeve, I really had no choice other than to shave my head. The scar is not visible when my hair is long enough like it is now but I wear a damned rug on the top. I suppose that I could grow out all my hair, but then of course I would look like my grandfather - thick on the sides and almost bald on top. I am pretty much stuck with this rug or finding a job where I can wear a hat.

[morelocks]

Thanks for sharing Jack, I hope one day soon they figure out a solution or release hm so people like us can get our life s back

[Winston]

There's a lot that ca be done to improve widened scars. You should post some images of the scar so some of the experts here can give you advice. Also did you ever use couvre or demmatch on the scar?

[Jack21]

You are quite right. As originally worded it sounded a bit funny that my mother just happened to have a bottle of toppik at hand. I did not explain that she suffers from female pattern baldness and has been using it for years. Sorry about being so touchy. This is just a touchy subject.

I actually would be interested in minimizing the scar. I have researched dermabrasion (sp?) and "stubble" tattooing. I worry, however, that doing anything else would just make things worse....not that they could really be any worse. Can you tell me more about the possibilities of minimizing the appearance of the scar?

Oh, sorry, I didn't consider that your mother might use it herself. And I was replying to this:



Which probably amused anyone who read the post before you edited it. So if you felt your words originally lacked vital context it wasn't exactly reasonable to be so touchy.

I only wanted to help. So it seems that you have lost a lot of hair, and have areas that are too far gone for concealers, and propecia lost effectiveness or didn't do anything at all.
Without knowing how much hair has been lost in total we can't tell if you could still benefit from a transplant, but if not there are options to improve the scar. The scar can be re-opened and closed so that it is thinner. You can have grafts taken via the FUE method and then used to help disguise the scar. It is also possible to have the scar tissue covered with tiny dot tattoos which mimic stubble, but you'd need to research thoroughly as the results probably vary a great deal. There was a thread somewhere which showed this and the results were surprisingly good.

I don't know if you do have any interest in trying to minimize the scar as I'm sure you know you won't be able to make it disappear, so perhaps yours is just a cautionary tale, but a lot of guys have gone from looking truly shocking to normal, so you might be surprised.

[mattj]

Oh, sorry, I didn't consider that your mother might use it herself. And I was replying to this:

When my mother saw me for the first time in 4 years she was shocked at how thin my hair had become and immediately pulled out a bottle of toppik. I was not interested but she sprinkled some into my hair anyway.

Which probably amused anyone who read the post before you edited it. So if you felt your words originally lacked vital context it wasn't exactly reasonable to be so touchy.

I only wanted to help. So it seems that you have lost a lot of hair, and have areas that are too far gone for concealers, and propecia lost effectiveness or didn't do anything at all.
Without knowing how much hair has been lost in total we can't tell if you could still benefit from a transplant, but if not there are options to improve the scar. The scar can be re-opened and closed so that it is thinner. You can have grafts taken via the FUE method and then used to help disguise the scar. It is also possible to have the scar tissue covered with tiny dot tattoos which mimic stubble, but you'd need to research thoroughly as the results probably vary a great deal. There was a thread somewhere which showed this and the results were surprisingly good.

I don't know if you do have any interest in trying to minimize the scar as I'm sure you know you won't be able to make it disappear, so perhaps yours is just a cautionary tale, but a lot of guys have gone from looking truly shocking to normal, so you might be surprised.