How Can I Minimize the Risk of Scar Stretching With Hair Transplantation?

Is there anything I can do after a hair transplant to minimize or eliminate  the risk of donor scar stretching?

How your scar is going to turn out in hair transplant surgery is dependent upon the width of the donor strip,  your natural skin elasticity, and the donor closure technique used.   Donor scalp elasticity is typically looked at as a positive thing however, according to Dr. Epstein who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Surgeons, it is possible that too much scalp elasticity could be a sign of “thin skin” due to the lack of supporting collagen.   Because of this,  one might be at greater risk of scar stretching.   Dr. Beehner, one of our recommended hair restoration doctors states that the extreme form of this is a syndrome called Ehlers-Danlers Syndrome in which the skin is ridiculously stretchable. These hair transplant patients usually have hyper-mobile joints and other body idiocynrocies.

Alternatively, too little elasticity could put a hair transplant patient at greater risk as well – especially if the skin is stretched beyond it’s capacity.   Therefore, many hair transplant clinics recommend scalp exercises before  performing hair transplant surgery to increase scalp elasticity.   To read about scalp exercises and my observation of how skin works, click here.

The only thing that can really  be done  after hair replacement surgery is to give the donor scar proper time to heal and to minmize tension to the donor area. The scar may look wider for the first few months after hair restoration surgery due to possible inflammation and donor shock loss.   Ridging can also occur with  the trichophytic closure technique  in the donor scar in the first few months after hair transplantation however, it typically flattens over time.

Feel free to visit  our hair restoration forum  for additional information.   Feel free to add your experience and thoughts on this subject.

Bill
Associate Publisher

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