Is this shock loss?

[prodigy]

Hi Guys

I'm now at the 3 week mark since surgery and all going well but I have lost a large area of hair since surgery above my scar and wondered if this could be shock loss? any thoughts would be welcome. Here is a photo and the area in question at the 6 o'clock point on my back hair line was thick(ish) before surgery.



Many thanks

Prodigy

[mattj]

I see the thin area but can't tell how close it is to the scar. Nevertheless, it is quite possibly shockloss.

[Tracy C]

...any thoughts would be welcome.

Without a similar "before" photo that was taken within days of your surgery, it is impossible to tell if you had shock loss or not.

[prodigy]

Although this isn't from the same angle, this is the day before surgery and you can see the hairline at the back is the same density all round. The scar is about 2 inches below the bottom of the hairloss area.

[Tracy C]

It does not look like you had shock loss.

BTW, by the time RepliCel or any of the others have something available, you will be in a very good position to take advantage of the new technology.

[gillenator]

Yes, that IMHO, is shockloss which can happen near the incision areas where donor is harvested as well as the recipient area.

Remember, the area you are referring to has been miniturizing for many years and was weaker hair to begin with. This thinning may very well impede into the coronet area which is where class 7's progress to. The coronet is the "six oclock" area that you pointed out. Class 6's usually do not progress pass you current point of loss in the crown area.

Are you on finasteride? If you have family history of norwood class 7s, then seriously consider talking to your doc about finasteride.

Best wishes to you!

[prodigy]

thanks Gillenator. I have been on a variant of finasteride for 3 years now - its called Fincar. I used to spray 15% minoxidil on at night and 5% in the morning but have halted this since surgery on my surgeons advice. I've just started again with the 5%. I guess there's not much more i can do but hope that in many cases hair lost due to shock loss often grows back.... and if that fails then its another area for Dr Rahal to get next time.

[gillenator]

You're welcome prodigy. Because our donor is limited, many times we have to make a decision on letting the back side go and saving enough donor for the frontal to mid zones. But preventing as much loss as possible is also a part of the game plan right?

Best wishes to you friend.

[Tracy C]

Yes, that IMHO, is shockloss which can happen near the incision areas where donor is harvested as well as the recipient area.

I am sorry Prodigy. I did not mean to stear you wrong. It does not look like the shock loss I experienced so I didn't think it was shock loss. The good news is it will probably grow back. Mine did.

My shock loss was mostly on the top left side of my head - about the size of my hand. The right side of my head was fine. So I looked pretty darn weird for about four months. There might have been some in my donor area, but since my hair is long I can't be sure.

[prodigy]

There are no definitive answers Tracy, so no apology needed! your shock loss sounds awful, glad it grew back though.

[Tracy C]

your shock loss sounds awful.

It was.

glad it grew back though.

So am I.