Persistent redness/pinkness and rough skin texture: When should i begin to worry

Hi all,

I had a facial hair transplant back in early July of this year. Now roughly 4.5 months post-op, I still have very pink skin in the recipient area, which outlines exactly where I had work done. Likewise, the skin there is very bumpy and uneven, and appears to be shinier than the surrounding, normal skin.

I'm starting to get very concerned, as the skin has not improved for the last few months in my opinion. I've tried several topical treatments from dermatologists (e.g. hydrocortisone, pimecrolimus cream, antibiotics). While the antibiotics seem to have gotten my pimples under control, the pinkness/redness has not improved at all.

My dermatologist has suggested a VBeam (pulsed dye) laser to treat the redness, as he says it doesnt damage hair. I have some important functions coming up, and since I have to shave for work, it's very obvious and embarrassing. Is there any risk in trying this laser? And should I be worried? I have read horror stories online of facial hair/eyebrow transplants staying red forever and remaining scarred/bumpy/rough in the recipient sites for over a year or longer.

Thanks everyone.

This would be something to discuss with professionals (perhaps get a second opinion just in case) but in general I believe VBeam is pretty safe and primarily used to combat the redness/discoloration you have- so I'm not sure how much it would help with the skin texture. As far as risks there shouldn't be any issue with the hair, generally just the possibility of redness/irritation that can last for a few hours, maybe a day. Depending on how aggressive it is, a laser treatment can also leave bruising which can last for a few days (like a normal bruise), but if the dermatologist knows what they're doing bruising shouldn't be an issue.

In my experience issues like yours that don't start to go away in a few months probably won't be going away anytime soon. If it hasn't started fading on it's own by now you probably will need to look at options (like VBeam) to correct it. Good luck!

Thanks Kyle. Could you send me a PM if you don't mind?

I was wondering if anyone has had vbeam done and could share their experience.

Also, at 4.5 months, is bumpy skin normal as hair is growing through? I'm hoping it settles down. I have a couple pimples that keep forming a yellow bump, but fail to pop. I've tried force popping it once, but it came back. Is it a bad graft possibly?

Thanks

Unfortunately PM's aren't available on the forum.

I personally don't know of anyone I could refer you to that has tried VBeam but there are plenty of places online (realself is a good one to start) that offers reviews as well as Q/A's regarding dermatology treatments like VBeam. Ideally your doctor would also be able to provide before/after photos of their own patients who have undergone the procedure.

Bumpy skin is a possible outcome of a transplant but I wouldn't call it 'normal,' in most cases that shouldn't be happening. Of course I don't know the specifics of your particular case, though. The pimples you're describing sound like they could be ingrown hairs but that would require an in-person exam by a dermatologist or your doctor to confirm and treat.

Hey fueforme333,

Has your condition improved? I am experiencing something similar, over 10 weeks after a facial hair transplant and don’t know where to turn for help. In addition to persistent redness/darkness and roughness, I have some black spots (perhaps embedded hairs). My clinic is in Turkey and not helpful, so I went to see a private dermatologist. He did not seem too knowledgeable on the topic of hair transplants, but said there was no infection, and suggested I just wait it out for 6-8 months (and that any possible treatments would make things worse). This seems to contradict what I find online and what I was told about the healing time.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

Hi cass and fuforme333- hope you are both doing well. Would you be able to provide an update? Did everything get resolved? Any info on what you did would be appreciated. Thank you