I had a hair transplant (from my scalp to my beard) 16 days ago. I took a shower today and as I still have many crusts I decided to gently rub the crusts. 50% of the crusts where removed. Some crusts were at the middle of the hairs and some others were at the beginning, there was no pain nor bleeding but so many crusts fell that I am afraid of having done something not correct that could have spoiled any graft. I have read and been told that there wont’t be any problem but I haven’t met any person who has done it. Has anybody rubbed off crusts immediately after the second week and gotten excellent final results? is there any difference if crusts are at the middle or at the beginning of the hair? THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWER.
What you described is normal shedding, nothing to worry about.
Crusts in the middle were simply already off the scalp on their way out along the hair stem. You can’t take implants off their location by scraping scabs. Why on earth do you do il though?? Let things have their way! Some scabs may take up to 2 months to be shed.
» Crusts in the middle were simply already off the scalp on their way out
» along the hair stem. You can’t take implants off their location by scraping
» scabs. Why on earth do you do il though?? Let things have their way! Some
» scabs may take up to 2 months to be shed.
Well I did it because of my job, it is unconfortable to go to work full of scabs.
» I had a hair transplant (from my scalp to my beard) 16 days ago. I took a
» shower today and as I still have many crusts I decided to gently rub the
» crusts. 50% of the crusts where removed. Some crusts were at the middle of
» the hairs and some others were at the beginning, there was no pain nor
» bleeding but so many crusts fell that I am afraid of having done something
» not correct that could have spoiled any graft. I have read and been told
» that there wont’t be any problem but I haven’t met any person who has done
» it. Has anybody rubbed off crusts immediately after the second week and
» gotten excellent final results? is there any difference if crusts are at
» the middle or at the beginning of the hair? THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWER.
What you described was totally normal, although I wouldn’t purposely rub the scabs off too aggressively. It’s best to let them fall out naturally. Not to worry about the grafts, they are secure by now.
This is a good study. This may ease your concerns…
Dermatol Surg. 2006 Feb;32(2):199-207.
Graft anchoring in hair transplantation.
Bernstein RM, Rassman WR.
BACKGROUND: Since it is not known precisely how long it will take for grafts to be securely anchored after hair transplantation, the advice that the medical profession has offered patients regarding postoperative care has been somewhat arbitrary.
OBJECTIVE: This study attempted to provide scientific data that can be useful in refining postoperative hair transplantation protocols.
METHODS: Forty-two patients participated in the study. During their postoperative period, each had several grafts pulled to determine at what point they could no longer be manually dislodged.
RESULTS: For the first 2 days, pulling on a hair always resulted in a lost graft. By the sixth day, pulling on a hair no longer dislodged the graft. Pulling on an adherent scab always resulted in a lost graft through day 5. At 9 days postoperatively, grafts were no longer at risk of being dislodged.
CONCLUSION : The presence of crusting extends the interval that grafts are at risk of being dislodged postoperatively. If one can prevent crust formation following hair transplantation, this would both shorten the time patients are at risk of losing their grafts and enable them to return to their normal hair care routines more quickly.
» What you described was totally normal, although I wouldn’t purposely rub
» the scabs off too aggressively. It’s best to let them fall out naturally.
» Not to worry about the grafts, they are secure by now.
Thanks for your comments, just 2 questions:
- I understand that it’s always better to let the scabs fall out naturally but if grafts can’t be damaged on day 7th or lets better say on day 10th, even rubbing them off aggressively (I didn’t do it)wouldn’t damage them. Am I right?
- How can you prevent scabs from appearing when you have a hair tranplant?
Thanks for your answers.
» Thanks for your comments, just 2 questions:
» - I understand that it’s always better to let the scabs fall out naturally
» but if grafts can’t be damaged on day 7th or lets better say on day 10th,
» even rubbing them off aggressively (I didn’t do it)wouldn’t damage them. Am
» I right?
» - How can you prevent scabs from appearing when you have a hair
» tranplant?
» Thanks for your answers.
You can’t prevent scabs from forming, at least not that I am aware of. That is part of your body’s natural healing process after a hair transplant procedure. As a matter of fact, I believe it is a good thing to have the scabs. It protects the recipient site and can possibly act as a shield from infection. This is why personally, I would not recommend rubbing off the scabs prematurely. There are there for a reason.
According to Dr. Rassman’s study, it does appear that the grafts are very secure 9 days post op. “At 9 days postoperatively, grafts were no longer at risk of being dislodged.” I think you will be fine. Don’t stress too much.
Final advice: stay in touch with your doctor. He knows best what kind of post op care you need. Keep him informed of your progress and be sure to take lots of pictures from now on to track the results. If you have any before and post op pics, email me hairsite@aol.com or simply upload to the forum. I will create a personal journal for you to track your progress.
» You can’t prevent scabs from forming, at least not that I am aware of.
» That is part of your body’s natural healing process after a hair transplant
» procedure. As a matter of fact, I believe it is a good thing to have the
» scabs. It protects the recipient site and can possibly act as a shield from
» infection. This is why personally, I would not recommend rubbing off the
» scabs prematurely. There are there for a reason.
»
» According to Dr. Rassman’s study, it does appear that the grafts are very
» secure 9 days post op. “At 9 days postoperatively, grafts were no
» longer at risk of being dislodged.” I think you will be fine. Don’t
» stress too much.
»
» Final advice: stay in touch with your doctor. He knows best what kind of
» post op care you need. Keep him informed of your progress and be sure to
» take lots of pictures from now on to track the results. If you have any
» before and post op pics, email me hairsite@aol.com or simply upload to the
» forum. I will create a personal journal for you to track your progress.
Ok, thanks and it’s a great idea to track my progress. I don’t have pre-op pics, let me ask the doctor for a copy and I’ll begin to take pics every month in order to upload them to the forum.
» Ok, thanks and it’s a great idea to track my progress. I don’t have pre-op
» pics, let me ask the doctor for a copy and I’ll begin to take pics every
» month in order to upload them to the forum.
You should most definitely keep a set of BEFORE and immediately post op pictures. These are MUST HAVEs. I regret not keeping my BEFORE pics when I had my first procedure 12 years ago.
The before pictures and monthly documentation with with photos would come in handy if one day for whatever reason you are not happy with the results.
» You can’t prevent scabs from forming, at least not that I am aware of.
» That is part of your body’s natural healing process after a hair transplant
» procedure. As a matter of fact, I believe it is a good thing to have the
» scabs. It protects the recipient site and can possibly act as a shield from
» infection. This is why personally, I would not recommend rubbing off the
» scabs prematurely. There are there for a reason.
The study conclusion contradicts with what you said:
CONCLUSION : The presence of crusting extends the interval that grafts are at risk of being dislodged postoperatively. If one can prevent crust formation following hair transplantation, this would both shorten the time patients are at risk of losing their grafts and enable them to return to their normal hair care routines more quickly.