Strips Alter The Direction Of Hair Growth?

[richardd1972]

one of the recommend doctors posted this about a week ago. He stated that strips alter the direction of hair growth and this problem can never be resolved. Can someone please explain what he means by this? I have had four strip surgeries and it does seem like my hair grows in a circular pattern. In fact, some stylists say my hair grows like one big cowlick. It's not a problem as long as I explain it to the stylist. But i'm in the process of getting a fifth and hopefully last procedure done but after reading this i'm concerned that if the doctor gets the direction wrong my HT will be a disaster. My four prior strips were all with the same doctor and he knew my hair(he is now retired so I have to go to someone else.) Is this direction of hair growth something to be concerned about? I never heard anything about this until I just saw this post. Has anyone experienced any issues with the direction of hair growth after several strip procedures?

thanks,

Richard

[Tracy C]

I never heard anything about this until I just saw this post. Has anyone experienced any issues with the direction of hair growth after several strip procedures?

I have had two strip procedures performed by a very gifted doctor and I have no such problems.

[Jotronic]

I know which doctor you are talking about. He's not talking about the direction of the hair placed in the recipient area. He's talking about the hair in the donor area and how the direction above and below the incision line is altered. The problem with this is that I can't recall ever hearing a patient complain about it so if you are not having this problem now then you won't even after your next, your fifth, surgery.

[Follicle Death Row]

Yeah I know which doc you're talking about too and it's not a big concern with the top docs but I have seen a case or two where there is a sharp change in the hair growth direction in the donor. Kind of looks like hat head, just like you took a baseball cap off. Suppose you'd only notice it if you were looking for it but it doesn't seem to be a big problem from what I've seen.

Have a look at London Lad's head shaved down after his second HT. For some reason his personal page seems to be down but if you have a look at it another time it doesn't seem like there's much of a problem at all.

Maybe Joe can put up the pic if he has them. London Lad had two strips and something like 11200 pulled out of his donor yet I certainly can't see any sudden change in the donor hair angulation. However I do understand the concern but it just doesn't seem to be a big problem.

[richardd1972]

Thanks for the info. I did not know it was only a donor area issue. But I,m not only getting another procedure done but having about 400 grafts placed in the donor areas. Is this something I should be worried about? I would rather cover my donor scars with an inch of growth in the back rather than have hair growing up instead of down.

[ITNEVERRAINS]

For 99% of patients it is not a concern, just a selling point for FUE

[gillenator]

Hi Richard,

I have seen endless post-op pics across the board including Europe and UK and i think I know what the issue is that you are addressing.

I did not see this as much of an occurance or issue until the hype of the trico closure method became the hot topic several years ago. Many guys who had the tryco method of closure done, and then later buzzed down their scalps, the difference in growth angles became more apparent. Not all HT surgeons were proficient in this type of closure technique whereby the end result was to have hair growing back through the linear strip scar. Some were new at the technique and some were done sloppily if I may say so.

The direction of the hair growth on either side of the strip scar then grows in multi-angled directions. The patients then are faced with growing the length of their donor hair longer to camoflauge the irregular angles. With some, the hair did eventually grow in the direction it is combed or brushed. Again, some cases that I have observed were more pronounced and some not as much. It all gets back to experience and competence of the surgeon performing the tryco and other closing techniques.

Dr. Paul Rose wrote and posted a thread on this topic back in 2004 I believe in a different community before this forum started at the baldtruth. Spencer may have a copy somewhere though. Dr. Rose explained that one edge of the scalp opening needed to be "bevelved" correctly before the suturing took place to avoid this mis-direction of new hair growth on either side of the strip scar.

If done properly, the end result can be potentially superior than a normal closure technique including the use of staples. Stapling closure techniques can aide greatly in minimizing and preventing the scar from strectching but does not provide hair growth "through the scar".

Either way, I wish you the best Richard in your 5th HT procedure!