What are the best ways to keeping "shock loss" to a *minimum* before and after surgery?

I heard that I should make sure that my exisitng hair is cut real short when the doctor is putting in the new transplanted grafts and to apply lots of Rogaine to the transplanted area.

Any other advice, tips, tricks...?

Thanks in advance.



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male pattern baldness sucks!

Check out the tips I've picked up on the link below. I believe jotronic has a routine too.

My Pix and Hair Mentor page with advice on Choosing a Doc, anti-swelling and healing advice

When I had my surgery performed via the Seager Centre, I was advised that I did not have to cut my hair. My hair is about 2 inches long. The extra length, along with advice to continue with the Rogain that I had been using, resulted in absolutely no shock loss that I or my wife could detect. All the best.

Olson,

Thanks for your input. Do you have before/after pics that you can post? I am curious as to your age, Norwood score, and distance between the existing hairs that FUs were placed.

Wookie

I am approaching a NW 6 but I still have some hair all over my head (just thinning). I was not advised to shave my head, but rather told that leaving it long (about 2.5") would help shield the HT afterward, and it did help. I did not experience any shock loss in the recipient area (yet). It has been about 10 weeks. My significant shock loss was in the donor area only.

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/jcwhair/

JCW

What are the best ways to keeping "shock loss" to a *minimum* before and after surgery?

I heard that I should make sure that my exisitng hair is cut real short when the doctor is putting in the new transplanted grafts and to apply lots of Rogaine to the transplanted area.

Shock loss is always a possibility, but we can try to minimize it.

Helpful suggestions:
1) Use Propecia pre and post op: Helps to strengthen hair, increase weight, and helps follicle grow deeper into hypodermis
2) Use smallest tools possible ( donor and recipient): On the donor site, use FUE extraction tools of 0.5 mm if possible. A 1.0 mm FUE tool has over 4 times the surface area of a 0.5 tool. For recipient, use the smallest blades or needles possible.
3) Minimize transection: perfectly follow the angle of every hair follicle to minimize hair transection during making of the slits.
4) Use minox like you suggested. Minox is good for shock loss recovery and graft growth as well IMO.

Some people are more prone to shock just like some are more prone to scarring just like I can't get a date with a Greek girl no matter how hard I try. Some things we just have to live with.

JCWHair,

10 weeks and no shock loss. STUD! Good for you.

What Doc did your HT work?

Jotronic, are there predictable directions that hair grows on a head? If so, could your Docs carefully place FUs in the predicted angle? Time in the chair or cost does not concern me. I am like Sampson.....All my strength comes from my long hair.

Wookie

I'm pretty confident that shock loss is directly related to how long one has been losing his hair. I think someone whose hair recently began to fall out or is falling out rapidly is much more prone to shock loss than someone who has a larger degree of baldness. It seems that the "new bald" guy's hair is vulnerable and would react to the trauma more. Since my hair has been steadily disappearing for 17 years now, it is less affected by such stimuli. Mine is a non-medical opinion of course.

My doc is (gasp) Dr. Lorenz of Bosley Atlanta. So far so good.

As far as the stud comment, yes I am, thanks for noticing

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/jcwhair/

JCW