Hair Transplantation: How to Minimize the Risk of Donor Scar Stretching

I will be undergoing a donor scar revision in a few weeks.    How can I best care for my donor scar  in the days following hair transplant surgery?   I really would like avoid scar stretching.

Caring for the donor scar after hair transplantation is relatively easy.   Your responsibility will be to keep the donor area clean by washing the area thoroughly but gently.   I find it helps to run my fingers with shampoo in the donor scar area in a circular motion in order to work off the dried blood that surrounds it.   Keep the sutures/staples in as long as your hair transplant clinic recommends and then after that just keep the area clean by washing.

The other component in properly caring for your donor scar to help minimize the risk of scar stretching is to relax.   Do not put too much strain on the hair transplant scar.   Don’t do any intense weight lifting, stretching, or heavy aerobic exercises for the first several weeks.   Gradually increase your workout routine over the course of several months.   Common sense is the key.   If you feel a strain in the donor area, stop what you are doing.     See the following hair loss Q&A blog: Fitness/Sports After a Hair Transplant for more information.

Also avoid putting your chin on your chest as that will cause additional strain on the back of the scalp.  

You can also ask your hair transplant surgeon how your physiology plays a role in the risk of donor scar stretching.

Those with extremely elastic scalps may have “thin skin” (though this is not necessary true).   The lack of collagen puts these hair transplant patients at additional risk of donor scar stretching.   Keep in mind that donor laxity can be a really good thing and will help maximize the number of follicular unit grafts that can be excised.   But there is a possibility that too much laxity is a sign of a lack of supporting collagen in the skin.   Be sure to ask your hair transplant doctor about this.

I hope this helps.

Bill
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

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