scabs / crusts fall off and reform after 2 months - transplant hair stuck in crusts

[arfy]

You can upload your photos here:

http://postimage.org

Your questions about Propecia can be answered by a simple Google search, and you can also read the Treatments forum here. You could also ask your doctor these questions - you'll need a prescription from him anyway.

[WHTC Clinic]

Thanks for responding. Not bleeding like it did the first few days post op - seems to be more like the shedding of what looks like transplanted hair embedded underneath original crusts that dried from the first week. Not sure what is happening - perhaps I should have been more aggressive with washing or scrubbing earlier on to remove it - it's like blood dried from the first week with hairs stuck below that continues to stick to my scalp. I send pics to my clinic, and they say it will resolve - but now I'm almost 10 weeks - just wonder if that is normal. I chose to not start Propecia due to the side effect concerns. I am taking supplements like Saw Palmetto, MSM, etc. and I recently started using Lipogaine shampoo about 3 weeks ago and today for the first time am seeing a slow down on the shedding - can't say what it is due to - could be it's just finally starting to slow down. Also, I may be seeing a few random hairs popping up - but like one here and one there - they're thin and wispy - but, anything good at this point would be enough to crack a cork on champagne! Three new hairs - woo hoo! So, now little bits of the crusts or scabs fall off, and usually leaves a tiny blood spot - like what you get when shaving. Over these 10 weeks I lost a ton of native hair - looks much worse than pre-surgery - but perhaps that's normal. Maybe I just need to adjusts to the new norm until hair starts growing. Gotten to the point I don't even care what people think, even though it looks like a mess. Definitely a journey any one considering embarking on should do their homework and and consider. I'll try posting some pics.

More aggressive scrubbing with your fingers could help. Try massaging the scalp without using any finger nails. Hair fragments may need a little bit of help getting freed from the scalp. The scabs should leave, and redness or pinkness will be visible. Bleeding shouldn't occur with the shedding. How do you groom your hair, and with what are you using to groom?

[hammerhead]

I'll get more aggressive with scrubbing when washing my hair. Wherever there are scabs (or crusts) is where the residual transplanted hairs are hanging on - the areas that are clear of scabs is where the transplanted hair shed. Man, I've probably washed my hair over 50 times in the last nearly 3 months - those things must be really stubborn. No real bleeding, just a tiny red blood spot like you get from shaving here and there - maybe 4 or 5 or so whenever the scabs with hair shed. I wash with Lipogaine Big 3 or Pura d'or Argan - and use a biotin conditioner. Dry it with cool air, then just a light combing with a comb when its about 75% dry. Wash my hair every other day. I appreciate any advice you can give - thanks.

[Driver]

Remember, in some people crusting can be really bad and recalcitrant. This does not affect prognosis down the line in most cases. Crusts will all come off with time and good scalp washing in the shower.

[hammerhead]

Thanks - I think that is a reasonable prognosis. Reason being is there is no pain, no itching, no real bleeding - it just stays the same - doesn't get worse. Frustrating that when the crusts do finally come off, they take yet more hair with them - I just thought by nearly 3 months that stage would be over. Worse case scenario is that I may be just a slow healer and it is going to delay the growing phase. I agree with you that in time, may take a year, there will be growth. There are 1,950 grafts sitting under there, I know I had a good surgeon, so they are just waiting to get active and grow. That is the picture in my mind that gives me comfort as I struggle with the spotty mess on top. Hopefully the next update I give will at least be that the crusts / scabs are all gone, and the skin looks healthy again - that's the step I need to get past for now - working on it best I can. Wondering if there is a better shampoo that would help this process - any advice on that would be appreciated. Happy New Years everyone - 2016 is going to be a great year!

[WHTC Clinic]

Hammerhead. You are well on your way toward improvement. Thanks for sharing.

[hammerhead]

Thanks for the encouragement. Getting my hair cut for the first time since the surgery - I know it's gonna look weird, but I sense the grafts must be getting ready to sprout any day now - I see a few tiny stranglers coming in up there - so I think it will look better to get a short hair cut now. Also, have an appointment with the doc for my 3 month mark - will be the first time he's seen me, since I live over 700 miles away. I'm optimistic they will have a good solution to the remaining crusts and scabs. It's been just a downward spiral so far - each week looks worse - but I believe the tide is about to finally turn upward - hanging on for the next couple months. Looking forward to finally posting good news in a month or two. This web site is a must for anyone getting a HT - you guys are all great.