How Short Can I Shave my Hair with a Hair Transplant “Strip” Scar?

This question comes from a member of our hair loss social community and discussion forums: 

It’s been around 12 months since I had my Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) and I’m now ready to start cutting and styling my hair differently. Part of this new styling involves shaving (“buzzing”) my head in the donor region, and I’m afraid the strip scar is going to show. How short can I shave the back of my head with a hair transplant scar?

Altogether, it will vary and depends on a number of factors. For example, individuals with a thinner scar, higher density in the donor region, coarser, curlier hair, and hair similar in color to the scar tissue will be able to shave to a closer guard.

However, in general, it seems like most hair transplant patients shave to somewhere between a “4” and a “6” guard (also known as a “number 4” or “number 6”) without issue. Others may shave closer, but this seems to be where most strip scars are thoroughly camouflaged. What’s more, those concerned about visible scarring in the donor region or patients who desire a closely cropped haircut may want to consider Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). Although there is still scarring with this procedure, many believe the small, circular extraction scars are less visible under shortly shaved hair.
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Blake Bloxham – formerly “Future_HT_Doc”

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning

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